Visitors to the Airways Museum commence their tour in the Orientation
Area. The photo above shows the Orientation Area in March 3013. Further
developments are being made in this area continuously to improve the
visitor experience.
The Orientation Area currently displays photographic essays on the history of the two Melbourne Airports: Essendon and Tullamarine.
Exhibits on display in the Orientation Area include:
-
the original console from the 1946 Essendon Control Tower
-
Sir Charles Kingsford Smith's Harmon Trophy
-
a SWB8 High Frequency radio transmitter
-
wreckage from the crash of the ANA Douglas DC-4 VH-ANA Amana
Physical exhibits are supported by audio-visual displays.
In 2005 the layout of the Orientation Area was revised to include space for the display of regular Special Exhibitions (below). To date these have included:
- 2005-6 - Civil Aviation in Pre-Independence Papua & New Guinea
- 2006-7 - Australia's Civil Empire Flying Boats & their Bases
- 2007-8 - Essendon: The First Melbourne Airport 1921-1971 (permanent)
- 2008-9 - Aussie Propliners of the Fifties
- 2009-10 - Radio Aids to Navigation
- 2010-11 - The Aviation Rescue and Fire Fighting Service (ARFF)
- 2011-12 - Australian Civil Aircraft Between the Wars - Photos from the Len Dobbin collection
- 2012-13 - Aircraft Accident Investigation
The photo below shows the orientation area as it looked in 2004.
(Photos:
CAHS collection)
Airways Museum Virtual Tour
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