25 July 2016

Earlier this year two Australian Airforce Fighter Planes on their way to the Grand Prix pierced the Yarra Valley skies as they made their way over Mount Lilydale Mercy College.

One of the F/A-18 Hornets was piloted by a Mount Lilydale Mercy College Old Collegian. The pilot, Adam, who cannot be fully identified for security reasons, graduated from the College in 2001. Last year he returned to the College to speak to current students in an effort to inspire them to reach for the skies – as he did!

What hit me the most about Adam’s story is that he wasn't one of those people where everything went right. He had mistakes, failures and even some successes in areas he wasn't even considering. Adam showed us that despite some shortcomings, you can go on to be successful.
Kosma, Yr 10

For Adam, it was the failures that inspired him to keep going. After graduating from Mount Lilydale, he went on to study aerospace at RMIT University for two years but did not complete the course. After a year out in the workforce, he decided to have another crack at his dream and applied for the Australian Airforce and was accepted in 2005.

Since then, he has been flying some of the fastest and most technologically advanced aircrafts in the world. He has fond memories of Mount Lilydale and was very enthusiastic about coming back and inspiring the students... and what better way to come back than in a F/A-18 Hornet Fighter Plane.

The two F/A-18 Hornets passed directly over the College with students forming MLMC on the ground. Mount Lilydale Mercy College students were joined by Lilydale Primary School students to watch the spectacle.