A Lot To Talk About #293 - Richard de Crespigny | The pilot who saved 469 passengers from a mid air disaster: The event that nearly destroyed Qantas.
Dec 5, 2025
Richard de Crespigny, a former Royal Australian Air Force officer and retired Qantas captain, reflects on his heroic command of QF32 after a catastrophic engine failure. He emphasizes the importance of teamwork and resilience, sharing lessons from his adventurous childhood and the value of allowing children to take risks. Richard discusses the significance of clear communication and psychological safety during emergencies and advocates for embracing failure as a learning opportunity. His insights on leadership and personal responsibility highlight how resilience shapes both individuals and organizations.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Prioritise Teamwork Over Lone Heroism
- Form a trusted team because resilience depends on teamwork, not individual heroics.
- Give psychological safety so every member can speak up and correct mistakes quickly.
Know Systems From Roots To Leaves
- Build knowledge from the foundations up so you can predict and isolate failures.
- Document systems thoroughly to avoid losing critical facts under pressure.
Train To Turn Off Automation
- Train to fly manually and understand automation so you can switch it off when needed.
- Expect automation to fail and keep core manual skills sharp for safety.
