Farewell for avid flyer
FRIDAY FUNERAL FOR LIGHT PLANE CRASH PILOT
THE funeral of a Townsville pilot killed in a plane crash in far north Queensland earlier this month will be held on Friday.
Richard Patrick O’sullivan died when his light plane crashed into the Herberton Range south of Atherton on April 8.
Mr O’sullivan, originally from Ingham, was an experienced pilot who was well known in North Queensland beef and mining industry circles.
He completed his secondary schooling at Saint Theresa’s agricultural college Abergowrie, then run by the Christian Brothers. After he left school, Mr O’sullivan was employed by the Main Roads Department in Townsville.
The office work was not to his taste and he left, taking up a position with the Smith farm at Giru. He formed firm friendships with the Smith boys and Jimmy Griggs.
Leisure hours were spent riding motorcycles and whirling the girls off their feet on the dance floor at the Woodstock dances.
Mr O’sullivan went to work on a sheep property but his liaison with sheep was short-lived due to a knee injury that left him unable to ride a horse. Back in Ingham he worked on harvesters during the cane cutting season and travelled to Stanthorpe in the slack to pick fruit. National Service time was served as a six-year engagement with C Company in the Citizen Military Forces.
He married Irene Pavetto from Ingham in 1968. Feeling the need of a steady job, he found employment in the spare parts department of Itco Pty Ltd.
In 1972 he gained employment as the manager of the newly opened branch of Allen Girl agencies in Tully. In 1974 he was asked to transfer to Proserpine to reinvigorate the branch there. He agreed on the basis of another proviso: that he have the Townsville branch when it opened.
Son Karl was born soon after arriving in Proserpine.
Mr O’sullivan’s flying career began when he came home one day saying he and 13 others planned to jointly buy a light aircraft, in which they would learn to fly.
The decision made, it was full on. No half measures with him. Every spare moment was either in the plane taking flying lessons or travelling to Ingham to do the theory component with Bob Tait.
Son Karl passed away in 1976. Mr O’sullivan transferred to Townsville in August of that year, where he became the manager of the Townsville branch, to be known as Transpower. This was where he gained his knowledge and expertise in hydraulics. In January 1981 O’sullivan Hydraulics came into being.
Together with one employee, Peter Granata, a fitter and turner, the main business was fixing hydraulics on fishing trawlers.
Eventually the business carried a staff of 15.
On arrival in Townsville in 1976, Mr O’sullivan became acquainted with Max Short, who needed a pilot to fly him to visit his property, which required landing on the airstrip of the neighbouring property, Bruslee near Charters Towers.
This was the beginning of the long association with the Mccullough family of Bruslee. There were many family weekends and parties with the Mcculloughs on Bruslee, and Mr O’sullivan often assisted during mustering times.
Mr O’sullivan is survived by his friend and ex-wife Irene and daughters Helen and Joanne. His funeral service will be held at the Ryan Community Centre at 11am on Friday.