George Macarthur Job OAM (1926 - 2014)

Born 10 Apr 1926 in Taree, New South Wales, Australia

Died 6 Aug 2014 at age 88 in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

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Biography

Macarthur Job OAM is Notable.

Macarthur Job OAM, or Mac as he was more widely known, was a Flying Doctor pilot, an air safety consultant and an aviation writer who received national and international recognition for his contribution to aviation and, in particular, air safety. His passion for aviation spanned more than six decades.

Macarthur Job OAM was born in New South Wales, Australia

George Macarthur 'Mac' Job was born on 10th April 1926 in Taree, New South Wales, Australia.

Mac learnt to fly in open cockpit Tiger Moth biplanes in the years immediately following the Second World War. In the early 1950s, he began his professional career as a Royal Flying Doctor Service pilot in South Australia, where he flew DH-84 Dragon, Percival Proctor and Lockheed 12A aircraft. In 1955, he married Esma Page, who he met while working with the Flying Doctors. Esma was the service’s pharmacist.

By the early 1960s, he was operating the charter and aerial business, South-Eastern Air Transport Pty Ltd.

In 1964, Job was appointed to the Air Safety Investigation branch of the former Australian Department of Civil Aviation and was promoted to a Senior Inspector role three years later. It was during this period that he began editing the Department’s principal pilot safety education publication, the Aviation Safety Digest. Over that time, the Digest won a coveted award, being named as the US-based international Flight Safety Foundation’s 'Publication of the Year'.

In 1978, took up a position on the editorial staff of the Australian aviation industry journal Aircraft, published by The Herald and Weekly Times Ltd in Melbourne, and was later appointed as its Managing Editor. He also edited the Sport Aircraft Association’s magazine Airsport.

During the mid-1980s, Job became a working Director with the Missionary Aviation Fellowship (MAF).

Mac became a full time independent aviation writer in 1988, specialising in air safety and air accident analysis, and an air safety consultant. He had articles published in aviation journals and newspapers both at home and abroad and was a consultant for the television series Black Box. He published nine books focusing on air safety and accident themes:

• Air Crash. Aerospace Publications, 1991. ISBN 0-9587978-9-7.
• Air Crash: Volume 2. Aerospace Publications, 1992. ISBN 1-875671-01-3.
• The Old and the Bold.
• Air Disaster: Volume 1. Aerospace Publications, 1995. ISBN 1-875671-11-0).
• Air Disaster: Volume 2. Aerospace Publications, 1996. ISBN 1-875671-19-6.
• Air Disaster: Volume 3. Aerospace Publications, 1999. ISBN 1-875671-34-X.
• Air Disaster: Volume 4: the Propeller Era. Aerospace Publications, 2001. ISBN 1-875671-48-X.
• Disaster in the Dandenongs. Sierra Publishing, 2008. ISBN 978-0-9804686-4-9.
• Into Oblivion – the Southern Cloud Enigma. Sierra Publishing, 2010. ISBN 978-0-9804686-9-4.

Over his lifetime, Mac received national and international recognition for his contributions, including:

• As a member of the Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators, being granted Freedom of the City of London in 1981.
• At the Australian International Airshow in 1997, he received the Aviation Safety Foundation’s award for Aviation Safety Excellence in the ground support category and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association of Australia’s (AOPA) Bill Adams Trophy for 'the most outstanding contribution to aviation by an AOPA member'.
• He was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in the 2003 Queen’s Birthday Honours for 'services to the promotion and advancement of aviation safety'. ^[1]
• A Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Aviation Press Club (NAPC) in 2007.

In his later years, Job enjoyed flying vintage aeroplanes at air shows and fly-ins, including the DH.89 Dragon Rapide, the DH.84 Dragon, the Miles Falcon, the DH.85 Leopard Moth, and the DH.82 Tiger Moth. He was also involved in the Scout Association’s Air Activities Centre at Moorabbin Airport, Victoria, providing air experience for Scouts to qualify them for their Air Activities Badge.

Aged 88 years, he passed away on 6th August 2014 in Melbourne. The Sydney Morning Herald published the following obituary on 9th August: ^[2]

"Beloved husband of Esma Mary and cherished father of Peter, Catherine, Marion, Alexandra and David and loved grandfather of Kai, Rosemary, Belinda, Andrew, Rhoanna and Isabella.

"Aviator, writer and faithful Christian, he lived a rich life of service to the end.

"A Thanksgivng Service for MAC'S Life will be held at St. Matthew's Church, Monash Avenue, Olinda on Tuesday, 12th August at 1pm. His ashes will be scattered following the service. No flowers please; donations to World Vision."

Mac was inducted into the Australian Aviation Hall of Fame in 2016. ^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Australian Honours; accessed 21 Oct 2022
2. ↑ Sydney Morning Herald; accessed 21 Oct 2022
3. ↑ Australian Aviation Hall of Fame; accessed 21 Oct 2022

See also

• Australian Aviation Hall of Fame; accessed 21 Oct 2022.
• Wikipedia: Macarthur Job; accessed 21 Oct 2022.