Four aviation pioneers will be inducted into the Australian Aviation Hall of Fame (AAHoF) at a gala dinner in March, with tickets now available for the event to be held at the AAHoF museum at Shellharbour Airport.
The induction dinner will take place on Saturday 14 March 2026, upstairs at the HARS Aviation Museum, Albion Park Rail. The new inductees are Bill Bristow AM, Greg Dunstone, William “Billy” Hart and Sir Ivan Holyman, while the Regional Aviation Association of Australia (RAAA) will receive the Southern Cross Award.
AAHoF chairman Greg Hood AO said the Hall of Fame has honoured 61 Australians since its inception in 2011, recognising outstanding contributions to Australian aviation and aerospace.
“AAHoF has also recognised 12 organisations through our Southern Cross Award,” Hood said.
2026 inductees
Bill Bristow AM, from Brisbane, founded Angel Flight Australia, a charitable organisation providing free non-emergency flights and ground transport to assist rural and remote Australians to access specialist medical treatment. Established in 2003, Angel Flight grew to more than 3,000 volunteer pilots and 4,000 ground volunteers. When Bristow retired from the organisation in 2019, it had completed more than 47,000 flights, transporting over 100,000 passengers.
Greg Dunstone, from Canberra, is a highly experienced aviation engineer who provided aerospace engineering expertise to Airservices Australia for more than 46 years. Dunstone is internationally recognised for his work in Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) technology, initiating Australia’s first ADS-B trial in 2003. Australia later became the first country to implement nationwide ADS-B coverage, with the technology now used globally to support air traffic management and enhance cockpit situational awareness.
William “Billy” Hart, from Sydney, was a trailblazer in early Australian aviation and is remembered for his pioneering flights and promotion of aviation during its infancy. Hart was the first Australian-born person to fly an aircraft solo in Australia, near Penrith in 1911. He also gained Australia’s first pilot licence, Aviator’s Certificate No 1, issued by the Aero Club of NSW on 5 December 1911. Hart, who also practised as a dentist, taught himself to fly at a time when aviation was still experimental, performing demonstration flights that drew large crowds and helped build public interest in aviation.
Sir Ivan Nello Holyman (1896–1957) was a Tasmanian businessman and aviation leader best known for founding Australian National Airways (ANA), which became a cornerstone of Australia’s domestic and international air travel. A veteran of the First World War, Holyman was wounded four times and awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in France in 1918. As managing director, he transformed ANA from 1936 into a major domestic airline with a modern fleet and extensive network, and is credited with introducing air hostesses, free in-flight meals and automatic passenger insurance in Australia.
Southern Cross Award
The Regional Aviation Association of Australia (RAAA) will receive the AAHoF Southern Cross Award. Established in 1980, RAAA is a not-for-profit organisation representing regional aviation and related support businesses across Australia. The association has around 120 members, including airlines, airports, engineering and flight training organisations, finance and insurance firms, and government entities across all states and territories.
RAAA members collectively employ more than 10,000 people, many in regional areas, and generate more than $1.5 billion in annual turnover. They transport more than two million passengers and move over 23 million kilograms of freight each year.
Hood said RAAA continues to highlight key challenges for regional aviation including the cost of operating services, reliance on government subsidies, and the need for sustainable aviation policy settings.
Tickets available
Booking details for the 2026 AAHoF gala induction dinner are available at www.aahof.com.au including ticket sales via the Hall of Fame website.
The Australian Aviation Hall of Fame is located upstairs at the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society’s HARS Aviation Museum at Shellharbour Airport, Albion Park Rail, NSW.
AAHoF thanked its sponsors including Viva Energy Australia, the AMDA Foundation, Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA), QBE Aviation Insurers, Maygars Hill Winery and Norton White Lawyers.
For further information, AAHoF chairman Greg Hood can be contacted on 0418 123 145, or AAHoF director Ian Badham on 0418 245 748.