{"id":109374,"date":"2025-08-24T11:11:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-24T05:41:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=109374"},"modified":"2025-08-25T13:44:24","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T08:14:24","slug":"qantas-first-women-chief-pilot-retires-after-36-years","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2025\/08\/24\/qantas-first-women-chief-pilot-retires-after-36-years\/","title":{"rendered":"Qantas First Woman Chief Pilot Retires After 36-Years, Last Flight from New York"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SYDNEY\u2014<\/strong> Captain Georgina Sutton has retired after a distinguished 36-year career as a pilot with Qantas (QF)<\/a>, marking the end of an era in Australian aviation. Her final service operated from New York (JFK) via Auckland (AKL) to Sydney (SYD), where she was celebrated with water cannon salutes and onboard tributes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sutton, who made history as the first woman appointed Chief Pilot at Jetstar (JQ)<\/a>, leaves behind a career that spanned multiple aircraft types and historic assignments, including flying Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to Australia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Qantas
Qantas First Women Chief Pilot | Photo: Qantas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Qantas Women Pilot Retires<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Georgina Sutton\u2019s journey began at just 15, when she first experienced flight in a vintage ES49 glider. That spark led to her first commercial role conducting scenic flights over Wilpena Pound in the Flinders Ranges, before flying charter routes across Broome (BME), Darwin (DRW), Port Augusta (PUG), Leigh Creek (LGH), and Adelaide (ADL).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1989, Sutton realized a lifelong dream by joining Qantas (QF). She was among the pilots trained on the inaugural Boeing 747-400 (B744) course and crewed one of the first Qantas 747-400 services to London (LHR).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, she expanded her expertise across multiple aircraft, including the Boeing 767 and later the Boeing 787 Dreamliner<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her leadership path took her to Jetstar (JQ), where she became Chief Pilot for the Boeing 787 fleet\u2014the first woman in Australia to hold such a senior pilot appointment. She eventually returned to Qantas to continue flying Dreamliners, a role she held until her retirement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Qantas
Qantas First Women Chief Pilot | Photo: Qantas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Memorable Flights and Milestones<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Across her career, Captain Sutton\u2019s logbook reflects not just hours in the air but aviation history in motion. Some of her most notable flights include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n