The Australian Aviation Hall of Fame (AAHOF) inducted five aviation pioneers and identities at a ceremony in Temora, NSW, last weekend.
In addition, AAHOF awarded the Southern Cross Award for an organisation making a significant contribution to aviation to Bush Pilots Airways.
The 2016 inductees were:
- QANTAS and TAA pioneer pilot and Managing Director of Hawker De Havilland Lester Brain
- Legendary safety advocate and aviation author Macarthur Job
- Australian Flying Corps pilot and co-founder of Macrobertson Miller Airlines Horace Miller
- RAAF pilot and founder of Bush Pilots Airways Sir Robert Norman
- Australian Lighthorseman, British Air Service pilot and aircraft designer and builder Edgar Percival.
Over 100 people attended the induction ceremony held in the main hangar at Temora Aviation Museum, with descendents of each inductee on hand for the presentations.
Following a Mayoral reception and Welcome to Country in Wagga Wagga, AAHOF bussed inductees' families and dinner guests to Temora.
Prominent during evening were around 40 former pilots and employees of Bush Pilots Airways, which operated into regional Queensland from 1951 to 1985. Many of them were able to attend thanks to a Fokker F70 put on by Alliance Airlines to fly them to Wagga Wagga from Brisbane.
Chief of the Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin arrived in style in an RAAF King Air to deliver the keynote address for the evening.
Other speakers included a family member of each inductee, AAHOF Chairman Steve Padgett and Deputy Chairman Geoff Breust, and former Deputy Prime Minister Tim Fischer, Mayor of Temora Rick Firman and Mayor of Wagga Wagga Greg Conkey.
AAHOF has inducted 35 people since the first ceremony held at Wagga Wagga in 2012, and most recently called for proposals from Riverina councils to host a dedicated AAHOF buildiing.
To find out more about AAHOF and nominate a candidate for induction, visit the AAHOF website.