Picture this: You’re in the air at 35,000 feet, the steady hum of the engines a backdrop to your thoughts. You’re not on an ordinary flight; you’re a patient, being transported for urgent care.
Among our amazing team is Steve Wallace and his daughter Bernadette, a rare father-daughter duo whose shared passion for flight and service is both inspiring and deeply personal.
Their journey is one of legacy and commitment to making a difference in the lives of regional, rural and remote Queenslanders.
For Steve, flying was never just a job. Early in his career as a charter pilot, he had the chance to assist in medical retrievals, experiences that sparked something deeper.
“I would get a medical retrieval flight or drop a doctor at a remote community. Seeing people get the care that they needed was very rewarding for me,” Steve said.
Now, after 14 years as a pilot with the RFDS, Steve’s conviction has only grown stronger.
What he didn’t expect, however, was that his daughter Bernadette would follow him into the sky, with a shared dream to help others.
“Having spent so much time around aviation growing up, being a pilot was always something I had my eye on,” she said.
“All my life I’ve wanted to do something that helps other people, and the RFDS seemed like the best way to combine that with my love of flying.”
When Bernadette joined the RFDS as a pilot, their dream took flight.
“Father-daughter pilot combinations are rare, and it was amazing to hear a quick 'hi dad' on the radio when we found each other on the same radio frequency,” Steve said.
“I’m always interested in where Bernadette is and what she is up to, flight tracking apps are very handy for this!”
Though stationed at opposite ends of Queensland, with Steve in Brisbane and Bernadette in Cairns, the two have shared unforgettable moments. One in particular stands out when they unexpectedly met on the tarmac in Bundaberg.
“It had been a tough few weeks of training,” Bernadette said. “Then, just after we landed in Bundaberg, an RFDS King Air landed too, and it just so happens that dad was the pilot on board!”
“It was so cool to coincidentally come across each other like that.”
With decades between them, it’s no surprise their career journey has looked a little different.
Steve proudly tracks Bernadette’s progress and marvels at how quickly she’s risen.
“It took me a decade to join RFDS. She’s done it in two years, and I couldn’t be prouder,” he said.
Bernadette is part of the RFDS Aircrew Mentoring Program (RAMP), designed to help newer pilots transition into the demanding world of aeromedical retrievals.
“The industry has changed so much since Dad started; there are so many new and different opportunities for new pilots compared to when he began his flying journey,” she said.
“RAMP is an awesome way for less experienced pilots to begin their RFDS journey!
“So far, I have been trained to fly the clinics out of Cairns, providing health services across all of Far North Queensland.
“I've been really surprised by how much of a difference the clinics make to the community, as rural and remote Queensland rely on our medical team to show up every week to receive essential medical care.”
This program will support Bernadette as she gains more experience with our unique aircraft and operations as she moves to supervised aeromedical flying before being checked to line as an aeromedical pilot like her dad.
With Steve as her mentor, she carries more than just technical skills, she carries the values he’s lived by.
“I told her the same things I picked up throughout my career, safety comes first before anything else. If you’re not comfortable with the plan, don’t do it, look for alternatives,” Steve said.
For Bernadette, there is one thing that she will always remember.
“He reminds me that even on the hard days, we are so lucky to do what we do,” she said.
“It encourages me to focus on the positives, which applies to flying and life!
When you share the same passion for flying and supporting the community, it’s hard not to bring work home.
“We talk about work more than almost anything else! Quite often, mum will get sick of us talking about our workdays,” Bernadette said.
While the ultimate dream of flying a RFDS mission together remains, both treasure the journey so far.
Steve still holds the memory of their first flight together close to his heart.
The first time that Bernadette took me flying was a special moment, we swapped hats to commemorate the occasion,” he said.
“Since that day, I’ve looked on with admiration as Bernadette has achieved one goal after another, and her aviation skills and professionalism have gone ahead in leaps and bounds.”
For Steve and Bernadette Wallace, flying is more than a career; it’s a calling.
Up in the air, where the roar of engines meets the passion and precision of the team on board, our pilots do more than navigate the skies, they help save lives.
Their story is a reminder that when purpose fuels passion, the sky is not the limit; it’s just the beginning.
