President:      R.J. De La Hunty OAM.

Bob De La Hunty comes from a corporate background and is on the board of numerous companies including The Aerospace Foundation of Australia Limited, The Maritime and Defence Foundation of Australia Limited. As President, he presides over the overall operation of the Society. He ensures that the Society is continually focussed in accordance with its mission statement.

Bob is also responsible for the sub-committees that control the day to day activities of the Society. These Committees directly supervise the active projects and the maintenance of all of our aircraft. He is also directly involved in the selection of new projects that are referred to the Society. He presides over the Aircraft Acquisition Program Committee.

Bob, in conjunction with other Executive Committee Members, involves himself in the promotion of the Society at all levels. He is also the Society’s the Chief Pilot and the endorsing pilot for both the Super Constellation and the Neptune aircraft.

He is an Executive Committee Member of the Temora Aviation Museum.

In the Queen’s Birthday 2000 Honours Lists Bob received the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in recognition for his services to Aviation and Australian Aviation Heritage specifically mentioning the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society

 

Vice – President:       J.W. Brooker

John Brooker’s background was in marketing in a large multi-national American Corporation for over 30 years. He joined HARS in March 1983 originally at the request of his son Allan. He recalls taking Allan on many occasions to the old military facility at Scheyville not far from Windsor where the day was spent tidying up around old aircraft airframes and memorabilia.

John’s involvement in HARS began in earnest when he participated in the HARS displays at the 1988 Bi-Centenary Air Show held at Richmond RAAF Air Base NSW.

In 1991, together with Bob De La Hunty, John undertook the complete restructure of the Society based along business lines. The first project undertaken under the new structure was the recovery of the Lockheed Super Constellation.

The executive positions John has held within the Society have been as Honorary Secretary, acting Honorary Treasurer, Public Officer and as Vice President, Marketing a position he still holds today

 

Honorary Treasurer :           David Neaves

David is a Bachelor of Commerce, majoring in Accountancy from the University of Wollongong. He has been in Public Practice for 30 years, the last 15 as Principal. He is a Fellow of the Australian Society of CPSs (FCPA) and a member of the Sports Aircraft Association of Australia (SAAA), member of the National Tax Agents Association and Australian Taxpayers Association.

David has been a member of the Society joining in 2004

 

Honorary Secretary: Mrs. Maureen Massey

Mrs. Massey was formally in senior management at Boeing Corporation, formally Hawker DeHavilland, Bankstown. She is widely versed in computer applications both financial and engineering. In addition, her expertise in aviation technical publications, documentation and library management are essential assets to the Society as we now own, operate and manage some 32 aircraft. This number will only increase in future years.

 

Executive Committee Member: Nicky Costigan

Nicky has over 30 years administration and managerial experience in a varied range of areas including Insurance, finance, construction education and law.

Currently, Nicky is employed with the Department of Education and Training in roles including:

  • Committee Member and Administration Manager with Gifted & Talented Students of the Shellharbour Area (involving 18 schools and 490 students)    .
  • Administration Manager & Administration Officer.

Nicky’s responsibilities in HARS range from recording and maintaining the Society’s Membership System to co-ordinating and overseeing changes to the Society’s Constitution which requires specific amendments to be compliant with the changes to the Associations Incorporation Act.

 

Executive Committee Member:      M.N. Hallows

Malcolm Hallows background is Qantas Engineering, senior management. Among his management appointments at Qantas Malcolm held the position as Maintenance Planning Controller responsible for planning major maintenance activity for the Qantas fleet together with the RAAF C-130 and B707 aircraft. He also holds signature approvals for C-130 engines & airframe together with B707 airframe and Skyhawk AG4 engine & airframe. In addition, Malcolm has previous experience working on DC3, DC4, L749 Constellation, L1049 Super Constellation, B707 and L188 both engines and airframes.

Malcolm is the CASA Authorised Maintenance Controller for the Society. He directly manages all operations relating to engineering maintenance over the HARS fleet of aircraft.

 

Executive Committee Member:      K.G. Taylor

Kevin Taylor has a long record in Qantas Engineering, engine overhauls. He was also responsible for their workshop project planning. Kevin was seconded early in 2000 back to Qantas to assist in the accelerated overhaul program on the Allison T56  Engines (the power plant for the C-130 Hercules aircraft). He is the Society’s Engine Shop Manager, which currently produces overhauled engine cylinders for the Super Constellation’s R3350 engines. The Workshop has already been expanded to the overhaul of the Power Recovery Turbines used on the R3350s.

 

Executive Committee Member:      Mrs J Hourigan

Julie Hourigan has 34 years experience in the publishing industry working in both the graphic design environment and print procurement. Julie commenced work as a graphic designer with the Australian Government Publishing Service (AGPS) in 1973 and at the time of its closure in 1996 was the Manager of AGPS Press, the commercial publishing arm of AGPS. Julie left the Commonwealth Public Service in 2001 and is currently a contractor working for the ACT Government providing departments and agencies with graphic design and publishing advice.

 

Executive Committee Member:      William Smith

William is a Licenced Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (LAME) in airframe and engine trades.

He joined HARS in September 1990 his membership number being 14. His first overseas trip was to Tucson, Arizona to work on the Super Constellation. Since that time William has been involved in other recovery projects such as both C-47’s, Wingeel, Wirraway, Tracker, Firefly, Ceres, DC4 aircraft and led  most of the engineering teams.

His work load is very significant as he is currently working and supervising the return to flying condition the Tracker, Neptune 566, Me 108, Ceres and Morava aircraft.

William’s involvement in the HARS Management Team is of the utmost importance.

 

Executive Committee Member:      Allan Brooker

Allan joined HARS less than six months after the Society was founded in March 1980. His background is in both Aircraft Engineering and as a pilot. Few would know more about the Society and its progression to what it is today.

Allan worked for fifteen years for Qantas as a maintenance engineer on engines before gaining his pilot endorsements on large aircraft such as the Boeing 727’ and SAAB   xxx. He was a frequent member of the restoration for the Super Constellation in Arizona. He was a member of the pilot crew trained to fly the aircraft out to Australia.

Allan currently works for V-Australia flying Boeing 777s.

 

Executive Committee Member:      Ross Kelly

Ross joined HARS in November 2000. For the last 31 years he has been an airline pilot with Qantas and is presently a Captain on the Airbus A380.

During his time in HARS he has made use of his Semi Trailer/B Double truck licence and has assisted with the move from our Bankstown and Kent Road facilities to our current headquarters at the Illawarra Regional Airport, Albion Park Rail NSW. In addition, Ross has been involved in other transportation  missions to Brisbane, Melbourne and Parkes.

Ross assists the Chief Pilot with Flight Operations and is a Captain on both the Constellation and Neptune aircraft.

He is presently working on the recovery of the C131 (Convair 340) in Tucson, USA.