Qantas's Captain Richard de Crespigny to address public

The Qantas captain who successfully landed an Airbus A380 in Singapore after an uncontained engine explosion last year is giving a public lecture.

Qantas A380 Captain Richard de Crespigny, who landed flight QF32 in Singapore after an uncontained engine explosion, will make one of his first public appearances to talk about the late-2010 emergency when he speaks as a guest lecturer at Melbourne’s Monash University on Thursday June 2.

Flight QF32 was on its final leg of its run from London to Sydney when one of its two port engines suffered a major malfunction over Indonesia’s Batam Island. Despite the crippled engine, Captain de Crespigny made a successful landing at Changi Airport, touching down safely with more than 400 passengers and crew on board.

Captain de Crespigny’s address is expected to draw some of the industries’ biggest players as well as aviation enthusiasts from across the country, all of whom will be able to meet Captain de Crespigny and ask him questions during a Q&A session and post-event refreshments.

The Australian Association of Aviation and Aerospace Industries (AAAAI) and Monash University’s Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering are hosting the event to recognise the efforts of the QF32 crew.

“This event is an opportunity to hear a remarkable account from a pilot who has experienced and successfully navigated through several ‘outside the box’ emergency situations,” AAAAI CEO Geoff Bowmaker said.

“Captain de Crespigny will talk about his 35-year career as a pilot with special focus on the near-catastrophe. He will also provide an insight into Australia’s aviation industry and the changes it has undergone over the past 40 years.”

The event starts at 1900 at Monash University’s Clayton Campus, and all pilots are encouraged to attend and hear this seasoned veteran speak. Tickets are $30 for adults, $10 for students and free for AAAAI members. For more information and to purchase tickets now click here.

If you haven’t done so already, you can read the full story of the Qantas A380 engine crisis that captured all the headlines late last year – courtesy of the Royal Aeronautical Society – by clicking here.