A 92-year-old Australian aviation pioneer had a huge new Qantas Airbus A380 named in her honor. She said she had made sure she lived long enough to enjoy the moment.
Nancy-Bird Walton, who learnt to fly in 1933 when she was just 17, became the nation’s first woman to be licensed as a pilot.
“Qantas first asked if they could name this magnificent plane after me at my 90th birthday three years ago and I made it my decision to stay alive — and I’ve made it. It is my greatest pleasure to name this aircraft Nancy-Bird Walton,” she said with a broad smile.
“Nancy-Bird Walton, your courage, resilience and optimism represent the very best of Australia,” Qantas chief Geoff Dixon told the guests.
“We are so delighted you agreed to have this plane named in your honor.”
Walton flew for a medical service in outback Australia and in 1950 founded the Australian Women Pilots Association.
(AFP)
澳洲航空以一位九十二歲的澳洲飛行女先驅之名，為該公司一架全新的空中巴士A380大型客機命名。她說，她決定讓自己活久一點，才享受到了這一刻。
南西柏德．華爾頓一九三三年開始學習飛行，當時她只有十七歲，後來她成為澳洲第一位取得飛行執照的女性。
她笑盈盈地說：「三年前我九十歲生日時，澳航第一次問我，能不能用我的名字命名這架豪華客機，我下定決心要活著見證此刻──而我辦到了。將這架飛機命名為南西柏德．華爾頓是我莫大的榮幸。」
澳航總裁喬夫．迪克森對賓客說：「南西柏德．華爾頓，您的勇氣、適應力及樂觀的態度正代表了澳洲的精神。」
「我們非常高興您讓我們用您的名字為這架飛機命名。」
華爾頓曾在澳洲內陸進行醫療飛行任務，並在一九五Ｏ年創立了澳洲女機師協會。
（法新社�翻譯：袁星塵）
Although her correct name is Nancy Bird-Walton, she prefers to use the spelling her late husband used, and puts the hyphen after her first name.
雖然她名字的正確寫法為南西．柏德華爾頓，但她比較喜歡她過世的丈夫用的拼法，就是把連字號放在名字後面。
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