Richard and Michel von Reth (in front of his favorite indigenous artwork). Sydney 2011
Introduction (by Richard de Crespigny)
It is rare that I find myself in absolute awe in the presence of a professional who sets the best example for all his peers. But I feel this awe when I am near Cabin Service Manager Michael Von Reth. During QF32, Michael lead his team of 22 cabin crew, taking control of the passengers and working outside the square to calm and control everyone during the QF32 event. The QF32 book details Michael’s actions but does little to expose the man and his knowledge and experience.
So this is Michael’s story, written by Michael. He misses one aspect, that he is fluent in five languages, but spoke in eight “tongues” to our diverse group of passengers.
After you read this, there should be no doubt why Michael had the background, experience and skill to lead his crew and passengers over our four hour event, and why the Flight Safety Foundation (FSF) awarded Michael its prestigious “Professionalism Award in Flight safety” – the first time this award has been presented to a cabin crew member in the FSF”s 64 year history.
Michael’s Story
I joined Qantas Airways as a Flight Attendant on 03 February 1986 in Sydney, Australia. I am now a Customer Service Manager with the Company on the Airbus A380 with previous experience on Airbus A330, Boeing B747, and B767.
Other positions I held previous to this one was Cabin Crew Lufthansa German Airlines and Condor Airlines in Frankfurt/Germany, flying on Airbus A300, A320, Boeing B707, B727, B747, and McDonald Douglas DC-10.
I served as an German Airforce NCO within the Nuclear Planning Group at the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) in Mons/Belgium, as well as an NCO at the German Airforce (GAF) in Hamburg and Cologne/Germany. Prior to this I was employed within the German Public Service at the Federal Chancellery in Bonn/Germany, and the German Space Research Association (GfW) in Bonn/Germany.
Occupational Health and Safety as well as operational safety in the aviation industry has always been of particular interest to me and therefore received a great deal of attention throughout my carrier within that industry.
Curriculum Vitae
Several Languages Aircraft Accident Investigation Courses at
- University of Cranfield, United Kingdom
- Bureau of Air Safety Investigation (BASI) Canberra, Australia
- FAA Civil Aviation Medical Institute, Oklahoma City, USA
- Qantas Airways Corporate Safety, Sydney
- Australia Occupational Health and Safety Training at WorkCover Authority of NSW, Sydney and Qantas Corporate Safety, Sydney
Qantas Airways
- Aircraft Cabin Safety Investigator
- Cabin Crew Technical Working Group
- Aircraft Cabin Reconfiguration Group
- New aircraft design, lay-out and service introduction group
- In-flight Services Division Safety Summit
- Regulatory Affairs
- Occupational Health and Safety Committee
Employee Representative
- OH&S Chairperson of the International Division, Sydney
- OH&S Chairperson of the International Division, nationally
- OH&S Chairperson of the Combined International and Domestic Divisions, nationally
- Flight Attendants Association of Australia (FAAA)
- Federal Occupational Health and Safety Officer International Transport Workers Federation (ITF)
- Aircraft Cabin Design Task Group
- Cabin Safety Group
- Regulatory Affairs Group
- Cabin Crew Licensing Group
- Flight Duty Time Limitations
Boeing Company
- Aircraft Cabin Design Task Group
- American Flight Attendants Association (AFA)
- Cabin Design Task Group
- Cabin Crew Licensing
Joint Aviation Authority (JAA)
- Very Large Transport Working Group
- Regulatory Affairs Group
International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)
- Cabin Crew Licensing Group
Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)
- Regulatory Review Group
- Cabin Crew Licensing Group
- Flight Duty Time Limitations Group Founding Member and Chairperson of the Asia Pacific Cabin Safety Working Group (APCSWG)
- Member of the Australian Society of Air Safety Investigators (ASASI)
On QF32
Despite all the training received, all the skills and knowledge acquired throughout all these years, one is never prepared to expect the unexpected on such a scale like this occurrence was, during a seemingly normal operation being executed on a daily basis many times over throughout the entire aviation industry worldwide.
When the Unthinkable Happens
Yet the unexpected did happen on this flight. No matter how much you are being ‘primed and trained’ to act/react in a certain manner if you are confronted with an ‘out of the ordinary’ life threatening emergency, one can only hope that the relentless, thorough and repetitive training in the emergency procedures training centre over all these years has given you the tools to react in a manner that is most appropriate, confident, cool, calm and collected, when it is your time to respond to a serious challenge.
You are doing well if you can ‘perform as desired’ e.g. decisive, cool, calm, collected and appropriate for the situation (for which there might be no text book procedure in how to respond) .
In this particular case the entire technical and cabin crew have performed well an ‘text book like’, with a very positive/good outcome for all parties involved.
