Norman Brearley

Norman Brearley
Norman Brearley in the 1920s
Born	1890 Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Died	9 June 1989
Nationality	Australian
Occupation	Pilot
Title	Sir

Bust of Brearley at Perth Airport by sculptor Gerard Darwin

Sir Norman Brearley CBE was a commercial and military pilot and one of the pioneers of the airline industry within Australia.

Early life

Born in Geelong, Victoria in 1890, Brearley moved to Western Australia in 1906.^[1]

Aviation career

In April, 1915, after undertaking a 5-year apprenticeship as a mechanic, he worked his way to the United Kingdom and subsequently enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps.^[2] Whilst flying in France during World War I he was badly wounded in October, 1916, and returned to Western Australia to recover.^[2]

In 1921, Brearley founded West Australian Airways Ltd.^[1] In the same year, Brearley was issued with the first civil pilot's licence under the 1921 Air Navigation Regulations.^[1] Despite his holding licence No. 2, licence No. 1 was not issued until the 1930s in honour of Amy Johnson's record flight from London to Australia.^[1]

In 1927, Brearley opened the Perth Flying School at Maylands. He retired from commercial aviation in 1936 when he merged his airline with Australian National Airways.^[2]

Later life

He later served with the Royal Australian Air Force during World War II.^[1]

Brearley was knighted in 1971.^[1]

Brearley died on 9 June, 1989.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} "Brearley Pilot's Licences, Treasures of the Battye Library" (in en-au). State Library of Western Australia. http://www.slwa.wa.gov.au/treasures/brearley/index.htm. Retrieved 2007-07-15. 
2. ^ ^{a b c} "Australia's First Airline Service" (in en-au). Spirits of Ansett. http://www.spiritsofansett.com/legends/brealey.htm. Retrieved 2007-07-15. 

Further reading

• Brearley, Norman, Sir, and Mayman, Ted (1971) Australian aviator Adelaide, Rigby. ISBN 0851792278
• Mayman, Ted (1979). "Sir Norman Brearley, the aviator", in Hunt, Lyall (ed): Westralian Portraits. Nedlands: University of Western Australia Press, 193–198. ISBN 0-85564-157-6.

Persondata
Name	Brearley, Norman
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1890
Place of birth	Geelong, Victoria, Australia
Date of death	9 June 1989
Place of death