00:02I'll be submitting all of my evidence to the Guinness World Records hoping to get that
00:07title of youngest female pilot to fly around Australia solo in a general aviation aircraft,
00:12which is absolutely insane.
00:13It was so lovely to see all my friends and family and sponsors and supporters all come
00:18out to see me yesterday at Essendon Fields, so that was pretty, pretty cool.
00:24You must have been really tired as well.
00:26But relieved?
00:28I mean, I guess like it was like flying into all these new places, dealing with unfamiliar
00:34conditions all the time.
00:35It was a little bit nerve wracking.
00:37So I guess that part of it, there's been a bit of relief there, but as a whole, I did
00:42really enjoy the trip.
00:44So coming back to reality is going to be a bit tough for a while.
00:47Now, as I understand it, solo flying across remote parts of Australia, well, it comes with
00:53real risks, right?
00:55That we don't really think about.
00:57Normally, you know, there's the weather, there's fatigue that you have to deal with, there's
01:02isolation as well.
01:03What's been the most challenging moment for you?
01:09I reckon probably managing, well, obviously the flight planning, like media commitments,
01:16charity stuff for Little Wings and just making sure I'm keeping on top of everything I need
01:21to do and managing my own self-care and fatigue on top of that is probably the most challenging
01:29part of it all.
01:30But I've had some supporters in Melbourne, so I've had a few pilots.
01:36One lady who actually sponsored me, her company is Navigating Aviation.
01:40Yeah.
01:41She's been so, so helpful in helping me manage all of that, as well as my dad and a few
01:47other
01:47people along the way.
01:48So I'd say I've overcome that pretty well.
01:51Rose, you mentioned Little Wing there and it is a charity organisation.
01:55You've managed to raise more than $70,000 for the charity organisation.
02:00Talk to us about this cause.
02:03What does it mean to you personally?
02:06Yeah.
02:07So being from Melbourne, I hadn't actually heard of Little Wings before I started thinking
02:11about doing this trip.
02:12So they're based primarily out of New South Wales, ACT and Southern Queensland, though they
02:17are looking to eventually expand their operations out to get a broader reach on the rest of Australia.
02:23So they provide free ongoing medical transport for seriously ill kids living in rural areas to
02:29and from metropolitan hospitals for ongoing treatment.
02:32So as a part of that, they have a fleet of five aircraft, a fleet of about 20 vans and
02:36all of their pilots and drivers are volunteers.
02:38I went up to meet a couple of the team members in Tamworth after I'd worked with them for a
02:43few months.
02:44And just to see the amount of passion and the amount of community feel between all the volunteers
02:52at the charity, all the families, it's so, so special, this connection.
02:57And I'm really, really glad that I'm able to support them through this.
03:00Well, it's a great cause and it's a wonderful thing that you've just done raising money for
03:04Little Wings.
03:05Now, as I understand it, you also, you turned 18 during the adventure as well.
03:10How did you celebrate?
03:11Oh, gosh.
03:13So I've had some friends at the Australian Women's Parts Association offering me accommodation
03:19all around the country.
03:20So I was staying at someone's house in Parafield in Adelaide and I mentioned offhandedly that
03:28it was my birthday the following day and she was so lovely.
03:33She sent out a message to the group chat and I had about 10 other people from the Women's
03:37Parts Association all organising a dinner for my 18th and I got a cheesecake as my birthday
03:42cake.
03:44So lovely.
03:45So lovely to see all of them.
03:47Yeah.
03:47They were absolutely incredible coming through like that.
03:50Incredible.
03:51Okay.
03:51So I know you have just gotten out of the plane.
03:54You're on the ground for the next few years, I'm presuming because of this big feat that you've
03:59just accomplished?
04:01Yeah.
04:02I mean, finishing year 12 is going to be the next big challenge, but as soon as I get
04:09an opportunity, I'll be out and flying again.
04:13Hopefully I can find some time intermittently between all my studying to get up and have
04:18a burn around the aircraft, but yeah, certainly next year I want to really start focusing on
04:24getting my commercial licence since now I've gotten all the solo hours I need to qualify for
04:28it.
04:29So I'll be focusing on that study once I finish my year 12 subjects.
04:33I'll be starting my practical training once I'm off school.
04:37So I'm really, really excited for all that.
04:39You're going to be busy for the next few months.
04:42No doubt.
04:42Rose Donald, congratulations once again on accomplishing this amazing feat.
04:48Thank you so much and lovely to speak with you.
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