Under pressure

Brindabella collapse highlights gaps in NSW regional airlinks

Regional air services in New South Wales after Brindabella is the tip of an iceberg going down – and back – a long way.

Arthur Butler and Don Shand, the founders of Butler Air Transport and East-West Airlines respectively, embarked on extensive route development, with Shand in the 1950s in particular encouraging airport construction. Small aircraft such as Ansons, Hudsons and later Herons, plus inimitable DC-3s (converted RAAF C-47s) provided perfect vehicles. Later, smaller types fed these links. Hazelton and Kendell Airlines followed.