Pioneer Australian aviator & airline executive. Born in New South Wales, he trained with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) before joining Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services (Qantas) as a pilot in 1924. He was awarded the Air Force Cross in 1929, after locating the lost aircraft Kookaburra in northern Australia. Having risen to Chief Pilot at Qantas by 1930, he was appointed Flying Operations Manager in 1938.
Later in life, Brain had declined the offer of a knighthood in the late 1960's, but accepted appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia on January 26, 1979. When asked towards the end of his life why he had achieved so much but was not as well known as other aviation pioneers, he replied "Because I was always very careful and didn't kill myself".
He succumbed to a long battle with cancer.
Later in life, Brain had declined the offer of a knighthood in the late 1960's, but accepted appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia on January 26, 1979. When asked towards the end of his life why he had achieved so much but was not as well known as other aviation pioneers, he replied "Because I was always very careful and didn't kill myself".
He succumbed to a long battle with cancer.
Pioneer Australian aviator & airline executive. Born in New South Wales, he trained with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) before joining Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services (Qantas) as a pilot in 1924. He was awarded the Air Force Cross in 1929, after locating the lost aircraft Kookaburra in northern Australia. Having risen to Chief Pilot at Qantas by 1930, he was appointed Flying Operations Manager in 1938.
Later in life, Brain had declined the offer of a knighthood in the late 1960's, but accepted appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia on January 26, 1979. When asked towards the end of his life why he had achieved so much but was not as well known as other aviation pioneers, he replied "Because I was always very careful and didn't kill myself".
He succumbed to a long battle with cancer.
Later in life, Brain had declined the offer of a knighthood in the late 1960's, but accepted appointment as an Officer of the Order of Australia on January 26, 1979. When asked towards the end of his life why he had achieved so much but was not as well known as other aviation pioneers, he replied "Because I was always very careful and didn't kill myself".
He succumbed to a long battle with cancer.
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Records on Ancestry
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Australia and New Zealand, Newspapers.com™ Marriage Index, 1800s-current
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Australia, World War II Military Service Records, 1939-1945
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Australia, Birth Index, 1788-1922
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Honolulu, Hawaii, U.S., Arriving and Departing Passenger and Crew Lists, 1900-1959
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Australia, Marriage Index, 1788-1950
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