From Weipa dreamer to Army aviator

For Capt Will French, landing an Army CH-47 Chinook in front of his family near his hometown was a magical moment.

The Weipa local reunited with his parents and brother during a community engagement at Mapoon, supporting JTF629 activities during Exercise Austral Shield.

The day brought together local families from the Mapoon community, who watched the Chinook land before meeting ADF personnel. 

Soldiers handed out footballs to children, guided visitors through the aircraft and hosted a community barbecue, giving locals the opportunity to learn more about Army and its role during the exercise.

Capt French, who developed a passion for aviation as a young boy, said it was a surreal experience flying over the place he had always called home.

“As a young boy, I was very interested in aviation, anything that flew and military aviation especially,” Capt French said.

“My dad also has quite a love for that. It really got me into it as a kid, sharing the same interests.”

After attending boarding school in Cairns, Capt French pursued his lifelong goal of becoming an Army pilot, overcoming several challenges along the way before achieving his dream.

He said returning to Weipa in uniform was a moment he would never forget.

“It’s been really surreal to come back in uniform and fly around the place you grew up,” he said.

For his parents, Simone and Darryl French, seeing their son step out of the Chinook after landing near his hometown was a proud family moment.

“We never get to see him working, so just to see him flying, working, doing his thing, that’s pretty cool,” Mrs French said.

Mr French said the visit was made even more special because opportunities to see their son were limited.

“Seeing him is amazing, because we don’t get to see him very often,” he said.

Capt French said having his family there to see what he had worked towards over the past five years meant more than words could describe.

“Being able to come in, land an aircraft in front of them and then take them on a guided tour of sorts is surreal,” he said.

“It’s amazing to have them see the fruits of their efforts in helping me along my journey from a kid through [to] a teenager, and then even in my early 20s, into the final stages of getting into the job.”

Capt French encouraged other young people from Weipa to consider a career in Defence, saying living in a remote community should never stop them from pursuing their goals.

“I would say that it’s a good reason to challenge yourself, but you’re not doing it by yourself,” he said.

“A lot of my best mates are from the last five years of my military service and they’ve really helped me with it as well.

“There were no roadblocks in the way just because you’re from a small town in remote Australia. It’s open to everyone.”