ABC Television - 4 Corners report into the crash of Flight 675 - broadcast on Monday 4th of July 2005

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The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper tribute following the Memorial Service for Paul - an article that appeared on Page 10 of the Saturday June 11th edition of the paper, and is available online for viewing... HERE

Airborne farewell for pilot with a thirst for adventure
By Steve Meacham
June 11, 2005

They gave Paul Norris a flying farewell at Camden airfield yesterday, paying full tribute to his airborne dreams.

His family and friends gathered in a marquee erected outside a hangar containing some of his favourite vintage aircraft.

Then, about 11.45am - the time he died - they watched a flypast roar over their heads.

"It's a celebration of Paul's life," said his widow, Fiona Norris.

"It's certainly not intended as anything morbid. It's about Paul, his love for his family and his love of flying."

Captain Norris, who was Sydney born and bred, died on his fourth wedding anniversary, May 7, with 14 others in the worst Australian aviation disaster for almost 40 years. He was not flying the aircraft that crashed into a mountain north of Lockhart River, Queensland. He was not even the co-pilot. He was off duty, sitting with the 12 other passengers who all had a reason to be in Cairns that day.

In Captain Norris's case, he was meeting his wife so they could celebrate their special day together. "We'd been together for 14 years, since we were 21," Ms Norris said. "His dream was to be a Qantas captain."

Captain Norris, who was educated at The Scots College, Bathurst, and Turramurra High School, had loved flying since childhood, encouraged by his brother, Tony, a pilot with the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

When it came to their wedding anniversary, Captain Norris, who was based at Horn Island in Torres Strait with Aero-Tropics Air Services, was determined to spend it with his wife.

"I said I would go to Horn Island," Ms Norris recalled. "But Paul said, 'There's nothing at Horn Island, just one pub'."

So she flew to Cairns and waited for him in their hotel room. "Paul had told me he would be there between 2pm and 3pm … when it got to 4pm I turned on the TV. It said a plane was missing from Bamaga. I knew immediately it was his plane."

Despite her grief, Ms Norris is inspired by the need to tell her husband's story. After the crash his address was mistakenly described as Main Island, Queensland. Many people who knew him did not realise he was the Paul Norris who had died.

"We tried to fix that up straight away," Ms Norris said.

"He wouldn't have wanted people thinking he was from bloody Queensland."

She has asked people to remember "the very funny man" with a thirst for adventure. The Paul Norris who, after more than a decade together, suggested they go to Alaska to marry - on the ice." - SMH