High flying seat takes to the sea

Mr Ian Gay, Qantas Regional Manager for Western Australia, showing HMAS Darwin’s CO, CMDR Will Martin, features of his new ‘throne’ aboard the ship.

Photo: ABPH Joanne Edwards

By Vic Jeffery

There can be no question that the Commanding Officer of a warship spends a great deal of time on the bridge of their command when at sea.

An early Christmas present to the CO of the guided-missile frigate HMAS Darwin, CMDR Will Martin, was in the form of a presentation of a new captain’s chair by Qantas Airways.

Mr Ian Gay, the Regional General Manager of Qantas Airways (WA) made the presentation of a “Dreamtime” seat aboard HMAS Darwin at HMAS Stirling.

The sophisticated “Dreamtime” seat - accompanied by its own instruction book, detailing its array of features - was one of those first introduced into service by Qantas in June, 1998.

Some of the ship’s crew joked that it may take a while for the CO to get a feel for this sophisticated ‘whiz-bang’ seat which will no doubt be like his second home over the coming months.

As the world’s first five-way electronic business class seats, the “Dreamtime” Britax Contour manufactured seats in the United Kingdom to the airline’s exact specifications.

Being well aware of the need for comfort, Qantas Airways made 11 captain’s seat presentations to Royal Australian Navy ships during 2004.

HMAS Darwin was farewelled by MCAUST RADM Rowan Moffitt and a large crowd of families and friends at Fleet Base West when it departed for the Persian Gulf on December 28 where it will relieve its sister ship HMAS Adelaide.

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