Mel Hupfeld

Growing up in Broken Hill Mel Hupfeld’s interest in flying started before he was born when his Dad took his Mum for a flight in a Tiger Moth, with Mel still in the womb.

As a young boy he’d sit in the back of a Tiger Moth on his mother’s lap while Dad flew them around enjoying the scenery.

Mel also remembers his Dad stirring his interest in flying even further by getting him up early on Sunday mornings to fly around the Broken Hill region and doing aerobatics in a Victa Air Tourer and be back in time to have breakfast.

“The influence on my desire to be a pilot comes from my Dad, whose uncle was a flying instructor during World War II and who then went on to be one of the early Royal Flying Doctor Service pilots in Broken Hill,” said Air Marshal Hupfeld AO DSC.

Air Marshal Hupfeld joined the ADF following that long line of family interest in flying and since that passion for flying was ignited, has gone on to arguably the most important aviation job in Australia, Chief of the Royal Australian Air Force.

“I am not a natural pilot by any strength, if there is such a thing as a natural pilot,” Air Marshal Hupfeld said.

“A couple of good friends of mine are as close as you can get to a natural pilot, but for most of us it is something that takes a lot of work.

“Every day you learn something new whether you’re flying an F/A 18 or a Tiger Moth.

“I own a share in a P-51 Mustang and I’ve had the privilege of flying around 70 hours in that aircraft and have had an experience of what it would have been like to fly a World War II fighter.

“Flying every aircraft is a challenge in its own right,” he said.

Today Air Marshal Hupfeld’s focus is on his role as the Chief of Air Force.

 “Air Force works closely with Navy, Army and Defence Industry to support Australia’s security, and with security comes prosperity,” Air Marshal Hupfeld said.

 “As we move toward our Centenary year I’m given the opportunity to look at where our Air Force goes in the next 100 years.

“As they say, we stand on the shoulders of giants and take forward the very positive legacy that previous generations have given us,” he said.