Life is Bob's passion

Bob Piper flies over Mount Kosciusko in a Cessna 182. Photograph courtesy of Leeza Cottingham.

Bob Piper lives by simple rules - don't waste a single day and don't be afraid of anything. And it's this basic philosophy that has seen him experience more so far than many people do in a lifetime.

Happily married to his Japanese sweetheart, Misako, and doting father to four children, Bob has lived in the wilds of Papua New Guinea, studied Kendo atop a Japanese mountain, can speak three languages and spends a good deal of time writing and searching for aircraft wrecks.

One of Air Force News' longest and most regular contributors, Bob's varied career includes working for the Taxation Department, as a truck driver and historical officer.

These days, he can be found soaring through the clouds in the driver's seat of a Cessna 182, tearing through bushland on his trail bike or wandering through national parks simply taking in his surroundings - when not running his business, Military Aviation Research Services (MARS).

Most recently, Bob received an award from the Governor-General of Papua New Guinea for 25 years' service to the Papua New Guinea people and Government, 'a beaut surprise', according to the modest man.

Bob loves life and his family and plans to keep doing what he's doing for as long as he's able.

Where it all began

Originally from Sydney, NSW, Bob attended school in Sydney and then Gosford. After finishing school, he secured a job with the Taxation Department and travelled three hours each day from Gosford to work in Sydney.

It didn't take long before Bob knew working in an office in the middle of the city was not for him.

A transfer to Papua New Guinea with Tax in 1966 was just the change this young man was looking for.

Five years in Papua New Guinea

Encouraged by his father, who was in Papua New Guinea (named New Guinea until 1975) during the war, a 20-year-old Bob set off to his new island home. 'It was a very exciting time,' Bob admitted.

Determined to make the most of this opportunity, each day after work he would wander around Port Moresby looking at wartime aerodromes and old aircraft crashed in the fields.

He, and a group of friends, bought motorbikes and spent weekends exploring. 'It was a wonderful way to meet the locals,' Bob said.

Learning to scuba dive and fly at Port Moresby also kept Bob and his 'wild' friends busy.

Bob eventually resigned from the department and spent the rest of his time in Papua New Guinea working in a range of jobs.

He ran his own trucking business for a while, worked for Australian Oil and Gas Company before returning to trucking.

'We had a whole different way of life there,' Bob explained. 'I was often the only white man on an island. I loved the independence and the adventure.'

Wherever Bob would go, local children would follow. 'We'd go hunting and fishing with the children, and they'd come looking at crashed aircraft with us. It was not surprising to have 20 children in the truck and when we'd stop, they'd climb trees and get bananas for us all to eat. It was just wonderful.'

One of his loyal followers eventually came to call him Dad. When on Bona Bona Island, Bob was approached by an elderly woman who told him her eight-year-old granddaughter was being mistreated by her stepfather. She asked Bob to look after the little girl.

He did just that and soon Mary, known on the island as Princess, changed her surname to Piper of her own accord.

To this day, Bob has kept his word and still supports Princess, who now has a family of her own.

Department of Defence

After five years, Bob returned to Australia and began working in Air Force Office, Central Medical Records.

Restless after his time in Papua New Guinea, and again on his father's advice, Bob took leave without pay to live in Japan.

Six months later he came back and took a sideways transfer to become the RAAF Historical Officer. This job allowed Bob to put his love of flying and long-held passion for writing to work.

'When working as the RAAF Historical Officer I realised there were a lot of very interesting things that passed through the section,' Bob said. 'I also realised that these things needed to be shared and the only way to do that was through RAAF News.

'I always enjoyed writing letters, but where one letter reached one person, one article in RAAF News could reach 20,000 people. I'd written articles in New Guinea for newspapers and aviation magazines, so I started writing for RAAF News.'

Bob worked as the RAAF Historical Officer, with only a small break, until 1993 when he began working in Defence Public Relations. Soon after he left the Department of Defence and embarked on his own business.

Relationship with Air Force News

It's all about sharing a story, according to Bob, who submitted his first article, on missing RAAF aircraft, to RAAF News in 1979.

Despite writing the article at nights, Bob received a dressing down from his supervisor who thought he was doing it on work time. However, that didn't deter him. In fact, Bob has contributed to the newspaper ever since.

'I felt I was achieving something by telling Air Force history though RAAF News,' he said. 'It's exciting too, when a really interesting story in RAAF News is picked up by outside media and shared with millions of readers, because much of the history of the RAAF is hidden from every day people.'

Bob soon discovered the importance of having photographs to accompany articles and would spend lunch hours at RAAF Base Fairbairn under the guidance of Corporal Kevin Ginnane learning to take, develop, print and copy photographs.

Bob's handiwork is still regularly featured in Air Force News more than 20 years later.

A Japanese adventure

Bob wasn't back from Papua New Guinea long before he made his way to Japan. He lived with a 75-year-old Japanese woman in the north of Japan while studying Kendo (Japanese sword fighting) at a school on a mountain.

In return for his tuition, 25-year-old Bob taught the local children English. He was one of the first Australians to attend the traditional Japanese school. 'It was just what I needed,' Bob said.

This visit sparked the beginning of a love affair with Japan.

On his second visit to the country steeped in tradition, he met his wife. 'My Kendo teacher was her uncle,' Bob said. Misako accompanied Bob back to Australia where they were married.

The couple had a second, traditional, wedding in Japan a year later. 'It was fantastic,' he said. 'We have such wonderful memories.'

By Rebecca Codey