By the Seats of their Pants

An enthralling flight with the men and women of Australia’s aviation past and the spirit they share with the space pioneers of today.

When pilot Dick Scobee blasted off aboard the ill-fated Challenger space shuttle, he took with him a unique piece of Australia’s aviation history: a rib from Bert Hinkler’s glider.

As Dick’s widow June recounts, this same piece was miraculously recovered floating in the ocean amongst the Challenger debris.

By the Seats of Their Pants is a fascinating look at Australia’s aviators, from pioneers such as Sir Charles Kingsford Smith, Charles Ulm and Lores Bonney, to the pilots of both World Wars and the Vietnam War, to the barnstorming antics of today’s airmen and airwomen.

Experience the thrills of cattle-mustering by helicopter in Australia’s wild outback, spectacular aerobatics in a rugged Pitt Special, the lifesaving endeavours of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and low-level manoeuvers by cropduster adventurers.

A breathtaking view of Spitfires, F18s, Boston Bombers, Zeros, Kittyhawks, Sopwith Camels, Iroquois Helicopters, Tiger Moths, Catalinas, the Challenger space shuttle and many more! This is a firsthand account from the pilots who were, and still are, flying ‘by the seats of their pants’.

Running time: Approx. 45 minutes