Flying would seem the obvious way to get a plane from one place to another - but it turns out, it's not always that easy.
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The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) has been working on how to get John Travolta's vintage Qantas passenger plane from its base in the US state of Georgia to its museum at Shellharbour Airport since the Hollywood star donated the Boeing 707 back in 2017.
HARS president Bob De La Hunty said the plan was to get the plane to Shellharbour Airport in time for the next Wings Over Illawarra airshow in March 2026.
The idea had been to have Travolta himself pilot the plane to the Illawarra once it was restored, but HARS has changed tack.
"It's a big job, pulling the wings off, shipping it back, because we found too many issues trying to recover it by flying it back due to airworthiness directives," Mr De La Hunty said. "So the best thing to do: get it back here, put it back together again.
"We're doing it in such a way that we'll be able to taxi, and who knows what the future might mean."
Mr De La Hunty and a project team recently travelled to Georgia to progress work and meet with those involved, including Travolta.
In an update posted online, HARS said it would take "many more years" to get the plane to Australia if it pursued flying it here, given matters which included outstanding US Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directives.
Airworthiness directives are orders to rectify unsafe issues.
HARS said doing work to repair the aircraft in the US was "no longer an option".
"A lot of work had been done on site late last year to explore the possible shipping option with a very professional aircraft relocation company," it said.
HARS is now waiting to confirm the date when the relocation company can begin work on getting the plane to Australia. HARS said Travolta understood and supported its decision.
The organisation has also flagged the possibility of making a documentary about the project with Travolta.
HARS has just celebrated a 10-year anniversary involving another Qantas aircraft, the 747-400, which made its final flight over the Illawarra before landing at what was then the Illawarra Regional Airport on March 8, 2015.
The Albion Park museum offered free entry to visitors on Saturday morning to mark the occasion.
Natalie Croxon
Reporter at the Illawarra Mercury, mostly covering social affairs, court, education and health. Our Watch award winner. If you have a story, let me know. Email me at natalie.croxon@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
