Perhaps driven by the vast distances and its isolation, Australia has produced more than its fair share of aviation pioneers. Think of names like Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, Bert Hinkler and Nancy Bird Walton, who conquered the tyranny of distance with flight almost a hundred years ago.
On Sunday, one of the true pioneers of Australian commercial aviation Max Hazelton passed away peacefully just three weeks short of his 96th birthday.
The airline that he started from scratch in 1953, Hazelton Airlines, is seen by many as the forerunner to today’s regional and domestic carrier Regional Express (Rex), whose aircraft liveries reflect his passion for country Australia.
His passing will touch many around the country and will be particularly poignant for those at Rex, with Rex Deputy Chairman and close friend John Sharp saying:
“We have lost a true national treasure.”
“Max’s heart was always in the country which is why this sentiment is emblazoned on our aircraft and remains the ethos on which this company has been built. Today, though, Rex’s heart aches more than a little at the loss of someone very special who meant so much to so many.
“Max was a quiet, humble man who would be forever remembered for his unbridled passion for, and love of, both aviation and his family. He wasn’t afraid of hard work, with his dedication, determination and drive underpinning his many extraordinary achievements.”
Hazelton Airlines
Until his passing, Hazelton remained a Rex Ambassador, and Sharp said his legacy lives on at the Rex Group, reflecting the values of the family business culture of Hazelton Airlines.
Max Hazelton, with his wife Laurel, started with one four-seater Auster Aiglet airplane that crashed in bad weather in rural New South Wales in 1954 with Max piloting. Somehow Max survived the crash, but his disappearance sparked what was then the largest search in Australian history, with hopes of his survival fading fast.
In a testament to his determination and despite being lost and alone in the outback, he walked around 100 kilometers (62 miles) through rugged terrain before emerging from the bush six days later.
Perhaps after surviving that ordeal then building an airline from scratch was a walk in the park, although he faced many regulatory and competitive challenges along the way. With the Hazeltons leading the way, the airline that carried their name, Hazelton Airlines, became a major regional carrier.
The airline grew to employ 270 people and carry 400,000 passengers a year to 23 remote and regional centers before ultimately being taken over by Ansett Airlines in 2001, shortly before it collapsed. Ansett could not survive, but from the ashes, Rex emerged, hence the enduring role that Max Hazelton played until this week.
Before becoming an airline operator, Hazelton started as a crop duster pilot, but even at that early stage, he was not satisfied with just doing what everyone else did. He pioneered crop dusting at night when the winds quietened, turning the process into a much more effective outcome for the farmers.
For not the first nor the last time he battled the regulators. Over time, his persistence and determination led to many changes that helped develop agricultural and regional flying.
The final word goes to the Rex Executive Chairman, Lim Kim Hai, who said yesterday:
“Max was a much loved member of the Rex family who will be forever remembered as a remarkable trailblazer who built an airline from scratch, was a catalyst for change and left an indelible mark on the Australian aviation industry.”
In recognition of his outstanding contribution to aviation, Max Hazelton was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1980 and was appointed a member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 1991.