community, Qantas, Boeing, Shellharbour Airport, Historical Aircraft Restoration Society, HARS, Wollongong, farewell, goodbye

Hundreds arrived early at the HARS Aviation Museum on Wednesday and thousands more found vantage points around Wollongong and Shellharbour to farewell the last Qantas Boeing 747-400 as it flew over Albion Park Rail to salute the first in the fleet. The flyover of Shellharbour Airport was an hour later than expected and took only moments but many spent the day at HARS, after getting their temperature checked and signing in on entry, to soak up the atmosphere and history. Peter and Marion Crabbe, of Woonona, were among those who decided to mark the end-of-an era by doing a tour at HARS and shared the moment with their daughter Julie Crabbe who has worked for Qantas since 1993. "Julie started when she was 19 and has worked her way up," Mrs Crabbe said. "Julie has even worked on this plane (The City of Canberra at HARS)." Ms Crabbe said Wednesday was a landmark moment and it was great to be able to share it with family and present and former Qantas staff Geoff Sheppard was a Qantas pilot for more than 30 years and flew the Boeing 747-400 for more than two decades. He confessed to being a little emotional leading up to the flyover on Wednesday afternoon. "The one at HARS is the first one I ever flew in 1989," he said. "Today is significant because it is the passing of an era. "There 747 has been with Qantas longer than any other aircraft type, almost 50 years. The 747 has changed aviation". Read More: Demand for Shellharbour's drive-in cinema shows everything old is new again An area at HARS was set aside on Wednesday for people who have worked for Qantas. Mr Sheppard said working for the airline made you a part of a big family and Wednesday was also like a reunion. Also present was Roger Blakey who started working for Qantas in 1971 and was one of the engineers who accepted the City of Canberra from Boeing in 1989. "I am a bit sad about today," he said. "I feel a real connection with this aircraft. It has great significance". The complete crew who flew the City of Canberra to HARS from Sydney in March, 2015 were also present and will share what the day meant to them in Weekender on Saturday. Read more: Final Qantas Boeing 747 leaves a flying kangaroo formation in the sky as it leaves Australia Among the Qantas employees past and present at HARS for the farewell was former flight director Nelo Valvo. "I basically lived on the aircraft flying all over the world," he said. "It is a magnificent aircraft that got us around the world safely and allowed us to enjoy a great lifestyle. "Today is a day of joy and sadness. It is the end-of-an-era". HARS president Bob De La Hunty thanked everyone who came along to an historic and teary day. And said attention would now turn to the arrival of the John Travolta Boeing 707 which was another aircraft that flew for Qantas and would add another important element to the HARS collection of important aviation history. Mr De La Hunty said he was also looking forward to the KidzWish drive-in cinema at the airport over three days this weekend. Read more: Sign up for our newsletters for the latest news

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