Wings Over Illawarra is Australia’s largest annual airshow. Its diverse program includes ground displays and flying demonstrations of historic, military, modern and aerobatic aircraft as well as vintage car and motorbike displays, children’s rides and other aviation and technology related exhibitions.
Find a Flying Program here and buy online tickets here.
The airshow will be held on Saturday 12 and Sunday 13 November at Shellharbour Airport, which also is the home of HARS Aviation Museum spread over two very large hangars.
Beyond brilliant flying displays and top exhibits, the Wings Over Illawarra air show in November offers an opportunity for visitors also to check out the more than 50 veteran aircraft at HARS Aviation Museum.
In supporting organisers of Wings, the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) will waive its entrance fees to the hands-on and largely undercover museum.
Instead, HARS will ask a modest donation for entry into a selection of its heritage aircraft, including the record-setting Boeing 747-400 (lower deck only), Super Constellation “Connie” (when not flying), a Neptune marine patrol bomber, the cockpit of a former RAAF F-111C Mach 2.5 bomber and a Dakota/DC-3 veteran of WW2.
HARS volunteers will be on duty to help showcase their aircraft and generally assist visitors to Wings air show and the Shellharbour area.
Air show special 747 tours
Special Jumbo Jet experiences will be available at HARS Aviation Museum during the Wings Over Illawarra air show.
HARS President and Chief Pilot, Bob De La Hunty, said the 747 Jumbo Jet Cockpit Experience is an incredible opportunity to see first-hand what really goes on at the pointy end of this huge aircraft.
“You can enjoy 45 minutes in the cockpit of our Qantas 747-438, VH-OJA, sitting in the pilot and co-pilot seats hosted by a 747 pilot who will explain the workings of the cockpit in detail including take-off and landing procedures and emergency procedures that you would not normally be aware of,” he said.
These tours will be limited to two guests per session at a cost of $100 per guest. Tours will be conducted every hour for a duration of 45 minutes starting at 9.30 am with the last tour at 2.30 pm each day.
The minimum age for these tours is 14 years although children as young as 12 may be considered if accompanied by a family member or guardian (friend of family).
Please call HARS reception on 02 4257 4333 to reserve your seat. Payment is required at the time of booking and it is recommended you book ahead as past experience has been that there are very few slots available on the actual days of the air show.
Also available (subject to weather conditions) will be the 747 Jumbo Jet Wing Walk Experience; an opportunity to walk out onto the wing of this huge Boeing 747-400 aircraft attached to a cable by means of a safety harness.
For a special air show price of just $30 per guest, 747 Jumbo Jet Wing Walks will be conducted during the Wings Over Illawarra air show weekend for up six guests at a time for a duration of 15 minutes on the 747 Jumbo Jet starboard wing.
Guests will experience great views and photo opportunities of the Wings Over Illawarra activities below. Suitable clothing (shorts or slacks) and sensible footwear (no thongs) must be worn.
These tours will be run on both days every half hour starting at 9.30 am with the last tour at 3 pm. Due to availability being subject to weather conditions, bookings and ticket sales will be available only at the HARS 747 aircraft site on the days of attending the air show.
The minimum age for these tours is 14 years although children as young as 12 may be accepted if accompanied by a family member or guardian (friend of family) and they are of a size to be safely secured in one of the child harnesses provided.
Due to the weather limitation, there will be no phone bookings for the Wing Walks before the air show however on the day of attendance you can pay and book for a tour later on that same day.
Australian Aviation Hall of Fame
Also open for inspection during Wings, and now located upstairs at the museum, is the Australian Aviation Hall of Fame with its exhibits featuring memorabilia from Australia’s rich aviation history as well as information about Hall of Fame recipients such as flying pioneers Charles Kingsford Smith and Nancy Bird Walton.
HARS Aviation Museum will display the replica of the Southern Cross which Smithy used to make the first air crossing of the Pacific Ocean, from America to Australia in 1928, which is in the final stage of a 20-year restoration back to flying condition.
Beyond the annual Wings Over Illawarra air show, HARS Aviation Museum is open every day (except Christmas Day) offering an under-cover, hands-on and interactive opportunity with the aircraft in tours conducted by informative guides.
HARS Aviation Museum details at www.hars.org.au
Pictured: HARS Aviation Museum will offer special 747 experiences during the Wings Over Illawarra air show. Photo: Mark Mennie
