• Lawrence Hargrave, left, demonstrates the manlift kites, sling seat and spring balance in parkland behind Stanwell Park beach in November 1894. (Charles Bayliss)
    Lawrence Hargrave, left, demonstrates the manlift kites, sling seat and spring balance in parkland behind Stanwell Park beach in November 1894. (Charles Bayliss)
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Pick the odd person out: Charles Kingsford Smith, Harry Hawker, Frank Briggs, Nancy-Bird Walton, Jimmy Melrose, Lores Bonney.

Did you single out Frank Briggs because all the others are pioneer Australian aviators? You are forgiven for doing that, but you are wrong; there is no odd person out. All of these people made huge contributions to aviation history, and three of them died trying to further the cause. It’s just that so few people know who Frank Briggs was.

It seems when it comes to preserving the stories of our aviation heroes, we are very good at remembering those who grabbed the headlines of the day, or wrote books about their exploits. Who doesn’t know of PG Taylor, Charles Ulm or John Duigan? But who was JJ Hammond again?

These vanished pioneers were once very well known in the land, but time has diminished their presence until they are only footnotes in the stories of the towering characters we know so well. Eventually, they would have been completely forgotten had it not been for the initiative of the Australian Aviation Hall of Fame (AAHOF).

Still at the virtual stage, the AAHOF resides in Wagga Wagga, NSW and intends to be a repository for all the stories of pioneers who have contributed to aviation in this country. It is a much-needed idea and will safeguard our aviation history for generations ahead. And it’s about time too.

For this we have to thank Wagga Wagga City Council, Charles Sturt University, Jeppesen and two individuals who decided to roll up their sleeves and take action when it was needed the most: Paul Tyrrell and Chris Manning. They recognised the need for somewhere to protect and display the heritage where everyone could immerse themselves in it. If you have ever been to the Stockman’s Hall of Fame in Longreach, you will know the sort of place I am talking about.

With time, it will become a physical building to house artefacts, memorabilia and books; for now it is basically a website (www.aahof.com.au) and a dream born of determination.

Buildings are expensive and money is needed, but when you are going to establish what will effectively be Australian aviation’s Fortress of Solitude, it is going to cost. That’s where you and I come into the picture.

If we want this, we need to put in ourselves and show the founding members that we share their dream and determination. The best way is to become a Friend of AAHOF. For $25 (or 1/8 of an hour in a C172) people can sign-up to this initiative and give it a real kick-along.  It’s something we all need to support. It’s like rolling a large stone ball up a hill: more hands make more momentum and the job becomes easier.

Already the AAHOF has inducted Lawrence Hargrave, and greats like Smithy, Nancy and PG will undoubtedly follow. Whether or not Frank and JJ ever make it is a matter for time. For now, they at least have a chance of having their stories protected.

May your gauges always be in the green,

Hitch

For the record:
Francis Stewart Briggs won the first Oswald Watt Gold Medal in 1921 for flights from Melbourne to Brisbane and Melbourne to Perth. He was also Prime Minister Billy Hughes’ pilot during the Treaty of Versailles negotiations in 1919.

New Zealander JJ Hammond conducted the first passenger aloft in Australia on 28 February 1911 at Altona Bay.

Hitch is a Friend of AAHOF.
AAHOF-NovDec2010
CAPTION: Lawrence Hargrave (left) demonstrates the manlift kites, sling seat and spring balance in parkland behind Stanwell Park beach in November 1894. (Charles Bayliss)

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