Taking Him Under His Wing

Rhys Hegyesi (SJOC 2016) & Barry Diamond (SJOC 1960)

TOP GUN. I’m sure many of you are familiar with Tony Scott’s 1980s blockbuster, highlighting the elite flying of Naval fighter pilots. What many of you may be unaware of though, is that a St Joseph’s College Old Collegian joined the ranks of Naval fighter pilots long before TOP GUN hit screens in the 80s…

Graduating in 1960, Barry Diamond joined the ranks of the Royal Australian Navy in 1962, beginning his military career as a Tactical Coordinator (Observer) on the then new, anti-submarine warfare helicopter, the Wessex 31A. After being successfully accepted into the flying training course in 1965, Barry embarked on what would be a challenging, yet incredibly rewarding and successful career as a Naval fighter pilot.

Barry’s initial posting saw him commence training on the A4G Skyhawk fighter attack aircraft. Capable of a large weapon payload, air refuelling and admired for its wide versatility, the Skyhawk became a highly regarded, formidable attack aircraft. Several promotions throughout his Naval career saw Barry obtain a flight instructor rating and subsequent posting to the Royal Australian Air Force instructional team of staff at RAAF Base Pearce for two years.

Following this in 1973, Barry joined the HMAS Perth (Guided Missile Destroyer) and three years later assumed Command of the Fleet Air Arm Front Line Fighter Squadron, VF 805, flying the A4G Skyhawk. Also, whilst on deployment to the United Kingdom for the Queen’s Silver Jubilee celebration in 1977, he was fortunate enough to fly what is commonly referred to as, ‘The Harrier Jump Jet.’

Among other accolades, Barry was accredited with more than 500 aircraft carrier deck landings in the A4G Skyhawk, believed to be the most carrier landings on HMASMelbourneinthataircraft.HeretiredfromtheRAN on the 31 January 1982 with the rank of Commander.

Following his career in the RAN, Barry held a myriad of other roles including several managerial positions with the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, General Manager of Flight Operations at Qantas Airways and Chief Pilot of the Royal Flying Doctor Service. During this time, Barry also flew a number of other advanced aircraft including several corporate jets and helicopters.

After these stints, Barry’s aviation aspirations were steering towards the training sector. Motivated by the high cost of flight training, in 2002, Barry sought to establish a professional flight school that would gain a reputation for quality training at a fair price. His endeavour saw the successful formation of the Sydney Flight Training Centre which grew to train approximately one-hundred overseas students per year. Operating twenty aircraft and two flight simulators, it became the largest operator of the Liberty XL2 trainer aircraft in the world and was awarded a contract to train overseas airline cadet pilots.

Unfortunately, the Global Financial Crisis had a profound effect on the aviation industry, in particular, pilot training. This resulted in the forced closure of the Sydney Flight Training Centre in 2009.

Fast forward to June 2018 and I find myself, a Graduate of the Class of 2016 volunteering at a class reunion. As luck would have it, I struck up a conversation with an Old Collegian and ex-student pilot of Barry’s and keen aviator, who reignited my passion for flying. Following introductions with Barry, we set out a program for myself and what once seemed like a financially insurmountable goal became a very real possibility - the road to becoming a commercial pilot.

Despite all of his professional highlights and successes, Barry still insists that one of his greatest achievements is: “Having had the opportunity to train young aviators.” When asked to provide his best advice for St Joseph’s College alumni, Barry said:

“When I look back on my aviation career I don’t believe that I could have packed anymore in. Had it not been for the unconditional support of my parents and the sacrifices they made, in particular their decision to send me to St Joseph’s, my future career may have been very different. In my later years at St Joseph’s I can vividly recall looking skywards and seeing military jets flying overhead, which I suspected were operating from the Laverton RAAF Base or Avalon Airport. I wondered how you could become a pilot in one of those aircraft and that thought today would be something like `how would I go about becoming an astronaut’. Six years after leaving Joeys I was in the Navy’s Fleet Air Arm and I was flying one of those military jets! I attributed that outcome to the outstanding dedication of the Christian Brother’s teaching staff, in particular Brother Irvin and Brother Peter Faulkner, and I have to say I don’t think I made it easy for them! My message to today’s alumni is “be bold, follow your dreams and you will be rewarded”. In my 53 years as a pilot, I cannot count how many times people have said to me “I was going to be a pilot, but ….. happened and I wished I had followed my dream.”

Now instructing students part-time at Barwon Heads airport, Barry continues to sustain his passion for flying, whilst being able to experience the pleasure of seeing students like myself achieve their aviation dreams. A generous, humble man, Barry epitomises what it means to be a Joeys boy.

Rhys Hegyesi