The Australian Aviation Hall of Fame (AAHOF) will honour another four people at a gala dinner in Shellharbour next March.
AAHOF this week announced that Angel Flight founder Bill Bristow, ADS-B expert Greg Dunstone, aviation pioneer Billy Hart and Australian National Airways founder Sir Ivan Holyman will all be inducted into the hall of fame.
The Regional Aviation Association of Australia (RAAA) has been selected for the 2025 Southern Cross Award for an outstanding contribution to aviation by a company or organisation.
Bill Bristow AM
Already a passionate aviator for 33 years at the time, Bill Bristow recognised a need in 2003 for a charity organisation providing non-emergency flights and ground transportation for people in rural and remote Australia to access medical care. He founded Angel Flight, which has since flown more than 47,000 missions and transported over 100,000 passengers. It has grown to include over 3000 volunteer pilots, who bring their own aeroplanes, and 4000 ground volunteers. Bill Bristow was awarded the Queensland Australian of the Year in 2005 in recognition of his outstanding work and was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2009.
Greg Dunstone
Former Airservices Australia engineer Greg Dunstone is often described as the "Father of ADS-B" in Australia, but his contribution to air traffic control systems goes well beyond that. Over a 46-year career, Dunstone played a pivotal role in transforming Australia's air traffic management systems through his leadership in radar and surveillance technologies. He was key to the introduction of technologies such as:
- Australia's first digital air traffic control system, ATCARDS
- The Australian Advanced Air Traffic System (TAAATS) and the Maestro flow management system
- Automatic Dependence Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B)
Dunstone led Australia's move to ADS-B, instigating the first technology trial in 2003, which led to the widespread roll-out of ADS-B across the country. He chaired the Asia Pacific ICAO ADS-B Task force for 14 years and worked closely with FAA, NavCanada and Eurocontrol.
After retiring from Airservices, Dunstone worked part time with Aireon LLC for five years, focusing on space-based ADS-B application across the Asia Pacific region, supporting the integration of satellite-based surveillance systems (SBAS), which has enhanced global air traffic management capabilities.
William Ewart "Billy" Hart
Parramatta dentist Billy Hart is credited with being the first Australian-born person to fly an aeroplane solo, which he did near Penrith, NSW, in 1911. The Aero Club of NSW issued him with aviator certificate No.1 in December that year. Remarkably, he was self-taught, flying a Boxkite-like aircraft also manufactured by Bristol.
Hart sparked public interest in aviation by performing demonstration flights across NSW and competing in air races and exhibitions. His flights were often publicised events that drew large crowds, helping to popularise the idea of flight in Australia and inspiring a new generation of aviators.
He was among the first to advocate for aviation to be taken seriously in Australia, both as a mode of transport and as a field of innovation. His early flights and dedication to flying played a significant role in laying the groundwork for Australia's aviation industry, with his efforts demonstrating the viability of flight in Australia to policymakers and the general public.
Hart also flew Australia's first recorded cross country flight from Penrith to Parramatta Park in 1911, and was unfortunately also involved in the nation's first recorded plane crash, between Mr Druitt and Rooty Hill in 1912.
He briefly served with the Australian Flying Corps in Egypt and the UK in the First World War, reportedly with 1 SQN, but was returned to Australia after only a few months, discharged medically unfit because of epilepsy.
Sir Ivan Nello Holyman KBE MC MiD
Along with his brother Victor, Devonport native Ivan Holyman founded Holyman Airways in 1932, which began connecting flights between Tasmania with Flinders Island using a DH.83 Fox Moth, eventually acquiring DH.84 Dragons and DH.86 Expresses, expanding to Bass Strait crossings. After Victor disappeared in a plane crash near Wilson's Promontory in 1934, Holyman took control of the airline and merged it with Adelaide Airways to form Australian National Airways (ANA). ANA would go on to become of the cornerstones of the Australian airline industry. Known for it's modern fleet and extensive route network, ANA also pioneered hostesses (now called flight attendants) and free meals on flights.
Holyman successfully lobbied the Federal Government to lift the ban on US-manufactured aircraft coming into Australia, which paved the way for ANA to begin Douglas DC-2 services.
Holyman's leadership extended to various business ventures and he was a prominent figure in Tasmania's economic development. His legacy endures in the aviation industry and in the Holyman family's contributions to Tasmania's maritime and aviation heritage.
In 1957, after the death of Ivan Holyman, ANA was sold to Reg Ansett to form Ansett-ANA, which eventually became Ansett Airlines of Australia.
Regional Aviation Association of Australia (RAAA)
The not-for-profit RAAA was established in 1980 to represent and advocate for the interests of regional aviation across Australia. Originally known as the Regional Airlines Association of Australia, it broadened its scope in 2001 to include
aerial work operators and related support businesses.
Currently, the RAAA has approximately 120 members, including airlines, airports, engineering and flight training
organisations, finance and insurance firms, operating across all Australian states and territories. The RAAA’s mission is to promote a safe and viable regional aviation industry by working with governments, regulatory authorities, and the
community. This includes lobbying for policy development, advocating for infrastructure investment, and addressing industry challenges such as pilot shortages and regulatory reform.
The RAAA regularly issues policy papers and conducts a series of roadshow forums throughout Australia.
Since its inception in 2011, AAHOF has honoured 61 Australians who have made outstanding contributions to the advancement of aviation and aerospace. AAHOF has also recognised 12 organisations who have made outstanding contributions to aviation and aerospace through the Southern Cross Award.
The gala dinner for the 2025 inductees is slated for Saturday 14 March 2026 to coincide with Airshows Downunder Shellharbour. The dinner is held in AAHOF's space above the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society hangar at Shellharbour Airport, and is regularly an sold-out affair.
AAHOF is a not-for-profit organisation, supported by sponsors such as Viva Energy Australia, AMDA Foundation, CASA, Maygars Hill Winery, Dick Smith AC, and Norton White Lawyers.
More information on the inductees and the gala dinner is on the AAHOF website.