Beneath the control tower at Sydney Airport stands a bench unlike any other. Made from an old airplane wing and painted in bright orange, it has become a symbol of remembrance for a young man whose life was inseparable from the sky. The bench is dedicated to Jake Anastas, a former airport employee who lost his life in a light aircraft accident during his final commercial pilot license exam.
As reported by ABC Australia, the memorial bench was unveiled a few weeks after the first anniversary of Jake’s passing, in an intimate ceremony attended by his family, friends, and colleagues. “The bench, created by Jake’s family, friends, and colleagues, is a lasting tribute that reflects his love of aviation,” said Sydney Airport’s Chief Operating Officer Adrian Witherow. “Jake is remembered with love and deeply missed by everyone who knew him.”
The bright orange color was chosen because it was his favorite, while the metal seat was crafted from the wing of a former Ansett Australia aircraft – a detail that connects Australia’s aviation heritage with the memory of a young pilot who was just beginning his journey through the skies.
Jake was only 29 years old when he died in October 2024 while returning from Cessnock to Wollongong. On board with him were his instructor and retired Qantas captain, 72-year-old Gary Criddle, and the pilot of the second aircraft, 60-year-old Khadervali Gagguturu, who also perished in the mid-air collision over Belimbla Park in Sydney’s southwest.
His mother, Nichole, recalled the moment she received the news: “I was at a wedding, my phone was on silent… a police officer came to the ceremony.” She described the days after the tragedy as a blur. “Sometimes a whole day goes by and I can’t even remember what I did. I keep asking myself – how could this happen? It shocked so many people in the aviation community, because things like this just don’t happen.”
Jake’s love of flying began in childhood. His mother remembers how, even as a baby in a stroller, he would point toward the sky every time a plane passed overhead. Near their home was Shellharbour Airport, where Jake began flying lessons under instructor Harry Mitchell. “He was so small that they had to sit him on two Sydney phone books so he could see over the instrument panel,” Nichole recalled. “Every teacher knew he wanted to be a pilot, because he told everyone.”
Jake worked as an electrician for Sydney Airport’s first response team, but his dreams were always above the ground. After his death, his family was overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the community and the aviation world — from dozens of flower bouquets to heartfelt letters, including one handwritten note from his preschool teacher.
His wife, Tori, described him as “loving and caring.” “Jake loved flying and made everything brighter. He always made me feel like I could soar with him,” she told ABC Australia.
His family and colleagues attended the small ceremony at the memorial bench. Nichole Anastas said she was deeply moved to see how loved and respected her son was. “His passing hasn’t only affected us — it has touched so many people in the wider community.”
Today, Jake’s orange bench stands facing the runway — a place where the sky feels closest to the ground. For his loved ones, it is a site of quiet sorrow, but also a reminder that a love of flying never disappears — it simply changes altitude.
