Journalist of the Year 2008

Guests were entertained once again by NAPC president Steve Creedy and Australian Aviation/Air Transport World’s Geoffrey Thomas with ‘The Year That Was’ which raised many laughs as the two lampooned the industry and the seemingly endless delays in aircraft programs – both military and civil.

Winner of the major award of Aviation Journalist of the Year for 2008 was the first New Zealand winner, Denise McNabb, of the Independent Financial Review, Auckland.

McNabb, won 2 business class tickets to London or New York with Cathay Pacific and $3000 from Air Services Australia.

The award was presented by Cathay Pacific’s Greg Hughes and Richard Dudley, General Manager Corporate Relations Airservices Australia. Dudley pointed out that one of the most active and highly respected aviation reporters, Steve Creedy, disqualified himself from the awards since taking on the NAPC presidency in 2006.

Runner up for the award was Australian Aviation/ Air Transport World’s Geoffrey Thomas. Dudley said that Thomas “clocks up more flight hours than many pilots and led production of the excellent book on aviation and the environment Plane Simple Truth with co-author Creedy.”

The finalist for the major award were; Geoff Easdown (Herald Sun), Gerard Frawley (Australian Aviation) Denise McNabb (Independent Financial Review) Scott Rochfort (Sydney Morning Herald) Geoffrey Thomas (Australian Aviation/Air Transport World)
Stewart Wilson (Aero magazine)

Over the last eight years, the previous winners of this award were; Tom Ballantyne;
Geoffrey Thomas (twice); Ben Sandilands; Steve Creedy; Scott Rochfort; Doug Nancarrow and Australian Aviation’s editor Gerard Frawley

Aviation News Story of the Year

Presented by Mr Orlando José Ferreira Neto, Managing Director – Embraer Asia Pacific

It’s very nearly without failure, that once again in 2008, events in the local aviation industry provided a great deal of rich source material for entrants in the news section of this year’s Aviation Media Awards.

News Story

Once again in 2008, events in the local aviation industry provided a great deal of rich source material for entrants in the news section for the Aviation Media Awards.

Almost ever week provided new challenge for airlines, manufacturers, and defence contractors operating in this region. Fuel prices hit the heavens, and then fell back to earth and in the second half of the year and Qantas maintenance issues featured almost daily in the press.
The 33 entries in the Aviation News Story from Australia and New Zealand journalists were judged on their news-breaking capacity, overall credibility and accuracy, the importance of the issues discussed, level of understanding and writing style.
The Aviation News Story was won by Geoffrey Thomas who broke the news globally about the 787’s latest delay in three media outlets – Australian Aviation, Air Transport World and The Australian.

Thomas won $1,250 and the Embraer trophy.

The cash prize for runner up of $650 for runner-up went to Geoff Easdown for a story spotlighting Qantas steps to recover its reputation from a recent horror run of maintenance issues.

Commendations were awarded to:

•Scott Rochfort of the Sydney Morning Herald
‘Tiger Australia facing $23m loss’
•Matt O’Sullivan, The Sydney Morning Herald
‘Boeing strike a setback for V Australia’ and
•Roeland van den Bergh, Dominion Post
How long before Air New Zealand is gone with the wind’

Aviation Feature of the Year

Competition for the Aviation Feature of the Year was again hard fought. Entries covered various shocks to hit the airline industry this year, introduction of new aircraft types, to a flying tour around Australia by a group of novice pilots. This feature award drew 39 entries from both sides of the Tasman.

The $1,250 cheque and Cathay Pacific trophy for the Aviation Feature of 2008 went to a former NAPC president and distinguished aviation writer Chris Milne, writing in Australian Aviation, created a great diagnosis of the Royal Flying Doctor Service in “Flying Doctor at 80.”

The cash prize of $650 for runner-up in this category went to Glenda Korporaal, of The Australian, writing in the paper’s new magazine, The Deal. Her profile of incoming Qantas CEO Alan Joyce ‘The Dubliner’ was early, it was comprehensive, and included many insights on how Joyce leadership might influence the future Qantas.

The high standard and diversity of topics provided a challenge for the judges with the proverbial handkerchief covering the final 10.

Commendations in this category were awarded to:

•Gerard Frawley, Australian Aviation for
‘Worth the wait – Qantas A380’
•Denise McNabb of the Independent Financial Review for
‘Illegal cartel action clobbers airlines’
•Derek Sadubin, in the Australian
‘Industry braces for shakeout’ and
•Grant Bradley, in the New Zealand Herald
‘Into the dogfight’

Aviation Technical Story of the Year

The 20 entries in this category covered greatly divergent subjects, reflecting the leadership shown by local airlines in fuel efficiency, introduction of new operational techniques and navigation in a new age of avionic capability. With no surprise, many leading entries focused on the impact of climate change on aviation.

The winning story tackled aviation and the environment on a global basis. It provided first-class coverage of the aviation industry’s efforts to cope with apparently conflicting objectives of continuing growth and reducing carbon emissions.

The $1,250 cheque and Rolls-Royce trophy for the Aviation Technical Story of the Year 2008 went to John Mulcair, writing in CASA’s Flight Safety Australia magazine for his story entitled ‘Fuelling Green Aviation.’

The $650 cash prize for runner-up in this category went to Geoffrey Thomas, for his feature “Greening ATM” published in Air Transport World.

Commendations went to:

•Mac Job, of Australian Aviation
‘Garuda Flight 200’

•Denise McNabb, the Independent Financial Review
‘Crude reality of making flying pay’

•Gerard Frawley, Australian Aviation
‘A380 arrives’

Defence feature of the Year

This award category, introduced only last year, again attracted high calibre entries from the defence trade media. Many key defence projects were sliced and diced from many angles, including technical evaluations to hardware options open to Australia’s political leadership.

The author of the Defence Story of 2008 was Trevor Thomas, of Australian Defence Business Review for his article ‘Defence Projects Review 2008.’

Thomas received $1250 and the Boeing trophy.

The runner-up prize of $650 went to an examination of the RAN’s aviation future in ‘Naval aviation – setting a new course’ by Andrew McLaughlin, of Australian Aviation.

Commendations in this category go to

•Nigel Pittaway, of Defence Today
‘Maritime helicopter operations beyond the Seasprite’

•Stewart Wilson, of Aero
‘F-35 Lightning II – Future RAAF?’

•Andrew McLaughlin, of Australian Aviation
ARH Tiger – Ready to pounce?’

•Gregor Ferguson, Rumour Control
‘AIR 6000 – still awaiting the White Paper’’

Aviation photograph of the Year

In its third year, this category attracted 13 top quality entries, covering all aspects of aviation, from light aircraft, to airlines and defence operations.

The winning entries did not disappoint the judges who made their selections on the basis of the photograph ‘telling a story, its originality, composition, and impact.’

The winner was Derek Flynn, of www.stuff.co.nz who collected $1250 cash and the Hawker Pacific trophy for the second year in a row for his photograph of The Royal New Zealand Air Force CT-4 display team in action.

The runner up is one of the Australia’s best aviation photographers whose work is a great feature of the magazine where he works. Paul Sadler of Australian Aviation won $650 for his entry of a new Virgin Blue Embraer ready for take off.

Commendations were issued to

•Andrew McLaughlin of Australian Aviation
‘Control tower rainbow & Learjet storm’

•Derek Flynn, of the Marlborough Express
‘Mountain Rescue’ and

•Rob Neil, Pacific Wings
‘Hover loading firefighters’