Cricket legend's son lands amazing job as head of Australia's air force as proud father admits: 'It's greater than anything I've ever achieved'

The son of one of cricket's greatest ever players has fulfilled a life-long ambition after being appointed one of the Defence Force's most senior leaders.

Stephen Chappell, son of former Australia captain Greg, was named his country's new Chief of Airforce on Tuesday, after first discovering his passion for flying after watching Top Gun as a nine-year-old boy with his father.

'We came out and I said 'What'd you think of that?' and he said 'That was fantastic, that's what I want to do when I grow up'. He never deviated, basically,' Greg told The Australian. 

His other son, Jonathan, played baseball professionally in the United States and while Stephen showed great promise as a cricketer, his sole focus was on flying. 

'If he'd chosen cricket or sport, we would have supported that but I don't think it's an easy path to tread when following a father into that area.

'People are obviously very interested in what you're doing and you're not perhaps just allowed to relax and enjoy it as much as anyone else.'

Greg bought flying simulators for Stephen before he joined the Australian Defence Force Academy. He was eventually deployed overseas before climbing up the ranks. 

The former Australia captain said his son's achievement eclipses anything he accomplished on the cricket field, and said he was 'amazed' by Stephen's ability to balance his demanding job while being a great father to his kids.

'We were gobsmacked initially by his huge appointment to chief (of the air force),' Greg said.

'Obviously he was on that trajectory, but it wasn't something that we expected in the short term.

'I would say that his achievement is greater than anything that I've ever achieved.'

Greg added: 'I've been amazed that he's managed, despite being in a very busy job and a demanding role … and having to be away quite a bit as I was, he's managed to be a great dad as well when he is home.

'When he's home, he was fully focused on family. I've just been blown away by the amount that he's been able to deal with. Working long hours and so on, but then being able to switch off when he comes home and be focused there. So he's been quite a remarkable son, he's been a remarkable father and husband as well.

'He did better, in the family sense … how he was able to be fully involved when he was there. I'm not sure I achieved that all the time.'