Yesterday was Dr David Warren’s birthday. He was born on the 20 March 1925, so he would have been 89 if he was alive today. He would be very concerned about the still unresolved Malaysia Airlines MH370 as it enters its third week without answers.
On the other hand I think he would be very proud to know that this Tuesday, the Canberra Airport’s Managing Director Stephen Byron, will name a building “The David Warren Complex”.
He would be honoured and I think that the double meaning in the buildings name, would make him smile.
I really admire David Warren. I guess he is my hero. I don’t really know why, but he was so persistent when he had a good idea. He was even threatened with being sacked if he kept talking about his flight data recorder idea at work. That did not stop him. His idea was the start of making air travel safe and he was not going to let it go.
My school St Vincents College, gave me permission to take this Tuesday (25th of March) off, so I can attend the ceremony http://evecogan.wpengine.com/2014/02/22/canberra-airport-gets-david-warren-complex/
Personally I am happy with this result from my change.org petition and think this is a great step forward. Many people that go to Canberra Airport will wonder “why is this building named after David Warren?” and maybe some will google David’s name on their phone and go “WOW. The Black Box was invented in Australia. Cool.”
If I go back in time I still remember being shocked when I first realised my dad didn’t know the Black Box inventors name and then I found out that every person I asked, had no idea who he was. It seemed strange to me that many Australians know so many sports stars and yet, don’t know many great Aussie inventors and scientists. David was an Australian who invented the Black Box. Everyone knows that the Black Box is on the news, every time a plane goes down. Everyone knows that the main reason that so many people are looking for the MH370 is because they want to find the Black Box.
The sad thing is the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) for the MH370 is likely going to be useless, so David Warren would not be having a good birthday knowing this.
RIP David Warren.
-Eve
Eve, thank you for keeping the name of David Warren in the public eye. Thanks to you, I never see an “Air Crash Investigation” or hear of an air crash without thinking of David Warren and his Black Box. Enjoy the 25th March.An occasion brought about by yourself, and so an honour richly deserved! Maybe you could put a photo on your blog?!