A quiet achiever

While he reportedly flew more than 50,000 hours, he was what we call a quiet achiever. He was not a high flying airline pilot in the latest high-tech airframe on regular long flight legs with a large back-up organisation to support him. He was the proverbial one-man-band using his experience, wits and skills to deliver light aircraft around the world.

He was born the youngest son of six children in Cudal not far from Orange, NSW in 1931. A flight of RAAF Tiger Moth aircraft over his school is said to have attracted his attention to becoming a pilot.

He trained at the Orange Aero Club and gained his private pilots licence in 1950 and his commercial the following year.

By 1952 he was an instructor at the Newcastle Aero Club based at Orange. He then got into air charter, agricultural aviation, flight training and aircraft sales, establishing the firm of Hazair with his brother, Max.

Like a lot of pilots Jim’s early years were interesting and exciting. He commenced flying when the aviation industry was expanding rapidly, following the end of World War Two.

Luck was not always with him. In May 1953 he was flying a DH. 84Dragon when it crashed on takeoff at Orange and was destroyed by fire. In August 1956 Jim was flying a Cessna 180 dropping flood relief supplies when he hit a tree and crashed. Jim received minor injuries but his passenger was hospitalised.

Along the way Jim became a salesman and pilot for the Australian-built Yeoman Cropmaster.

Hazair Sales and Service became a sales outlet for the then Australian Piper dealer, Commerce International. Ansett General Aviation took over Commerce International and stopped the supply of Piper aircraft to Hazair. That prompted Jim to obtain near-new Piper and other aircraft from a Los Angeles agent and have them shipped or flown to Australia. In so doing he became a thorn in the side of Ansett when he was out-selling them.

Being a ferry pilot is a solitary occupation, one thinks a lot

By age 34 Jim reportedly had already flown 13,000 hours. To help with the supply of aircraft for his sales organisation he started to fly the aircraft across the Pacific. One of the first was a Piper PA-24-400. This was followed by a number of Piper singles and twins. The ferry flight business had commenced. It is said that Jim made more than 200 ferry flights across the Pacific to Australia. Jim also ferried aircraft to and from other countries. He eventually became the doyen of aircraft ferry pilots in Australia.

Ferry flying is a singular

He should have got a medal for his actions but the event just disappeared into history.

occupation. Long hours sitting in the same seat checking and rechecking the weather, reviewing the navigation, maybe a snack, check and recheck the engine gauges, check and recheck the fuel status, consider the ‘what-if’ factor. Time to think and hope that the engine did not realise that it was over water and that there were no problems in the airframe or engine. Then there was the upcoming refuelling stop, hopefully with minimal delays and the usual greasing of palms.

In the 1990s Jim got involved in setting up Navair Flying School at Bankstown, NSW.

This writer met Jim briefly at Norfolk Island in April 1996 when the first and only airshow was held there.

Some gentlemen departed St George, Queensland in the afternoon in a Beech 95-B55 Baron to attend the show. They got to Norfolk Island around eight pm, after dark, to find that the weather had turned to rain, fog and low cloud. Two airliners tried to land but gave it away and went back to the mainland. The Baron did not have enough fuel to get back to Australia and landing at Lord Howe is not normally possible after dark.

Does the story sound familiar but more recent? The Baron people were effectively fish food. Jim Hazelton heard about the problem and elected to get involved. He obtained a hand-held VHF radio and positioned himself on the end of the runway. There he proceeded to guide the lame aircraft to a safe landing. He should have got a medal for his actions but the event just disappeared into history.

The ferry business must have been a busy time for Jim. He could tell many, many tales of his life and history and his ferry flying adventures but he never got around to writing a book. His last ferry flight was in a Cessna 208 Caravan from Greece to New Zealand in December.

Jim Hazelton passed away on June 10 at his Turners Flat home (Aero Glen), near Kempsey, NSW following a long battle with prostate cancer. His wife, Pam, and family members were with him. Jim is survived by seven of his eight children and several grandchildren. His son, Martin, a pilot, passed away some years ago. His daughter, Wendy, is an Airbus captain in the Philippines.

James David Hazelton 20/6/1931 – 10/6/2014. Occupation – pilot. An Australian aviation legend in his own time and beyond. We salute you.