Celebrating 86 years with Qantas Super

Peter Jose

Reinventing life’s flightpath

For Pete Jose, aviation isn't just a career – it's a family legacy. "I have fond childhood memories of my Dad giving me a hug as he headed off to work looking very smart in his Qantas pilot's uniform," Pete recalls. 

His father's influence went beyond inspiration. "After a career as a pilot with Qantas in the 50s and 60s, Dad piloted joy flights over Melbourne with Pete in their de Havilland DH.82 Tiger Moth biplane. He trained me in a vintage Tiger Moth in the early days and taught me acrobatics. It was an open cockpit, so we had the full flying helmet and goggles!"

Pete's own Qantas journey began in the late 1990s, starting as a pilot on the Dash-8  before the BAE-146 four-engine jet before progressing through the ranks to captain the Dash-8 Q400, accumulating 25 years of service with the Qantas group. Pete’s wife also shares a passion for the skies, having spent 20 years as a flight attendant at Qantas and now as a customer service manager. 

Pete's long believed in the power of superannuation. "Since the start of my flying career, I've been an advocate of extra contributions and salary sacrificing to boost our savings and build security for our family." This forward-thinking approach would prove more valuable than he could have imagined.

In 2018, a neck injury during a flight threatened to ground Pete's aviation career. While he tried everything he could to get back in the air, ultimately, it would spell the end of his role as a commercial pilot. 

Faced with this career-altering setback, Pete knew he had to chart a new course. With his creative mindset and the support of Qantas and Qantas Super, he navigated this challenging time and emerged with a new direction.

"I can't say enough about the wide-ranging support I received from Qantas Airways and Qantas Super over the years.”