Luskintyre Airfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Luskintyre Airfield
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| Summary | |||||||||||||||
| Airport type | Private | ||||||||||||||
| Owner | Luskintyre Aviation Flying Museum | ||||||||||||||
| Location | Luskintyre, New South Wales | ||||||||||||||
| Elevation AMSL | 100 ft / 30 m | ||||||||||||||
| Coordinates | 32°40′S 151°025′E / 32.667°S 151.417°E | ||||||||||||||
| Map | |||||||||||||||
 Luskintyre Airfield
Location in New South Wales
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Luskintyre Airfield is a special private airport in the Hunter Valley of New South Wales, Australia. It's located in Luskintyre, about 19 km north west of Maitland. The airfield covers an area of 92.2 hectares. It is home to the Luskintyre Aviation Flying Museum.
This airfield is mostly used for fixing up old airplanes. They especially work on de Havilland Tiger Moths. The museum has the largest group of working Tiger Moths in Australia. There are five large buildings called hangars on the property. These are used to store and restore the aircraft.
History of Luskintyre Airfield
A group of local pilots bought the land in 1977. They bought it from a dairy farmer. Their goal was to create their own private airfield. They wanted to fix up and fly old airplanes.
Later, a company that fixes early de Havilland aircraft moved here. It had been in Dungog before. This company has been working from a hangar at the airfield for over 30 years.
On May 1, 1994, a Tiger Moth was getting ready for a special display. It was for a group of children with cancer. During take-off, the engine lost power. The plane then crashed at Luskintyre. Sadly, both the pilot and the person doing the wing-walking died in the accident.
Exciting Events and Visitors
In October 2003, Tiger Moths from Luskintyre took part in a big race. It was called The Great Tiger Moth Air Race. This event celebrated 100 years of powered flight. The aircraft company Airbus helped to sponsor it.
In September 2010, the airfield hosted more flying displays. These events celebrated the 100th anniversary of the first de Havilland aircraft.
'Lunch with the Tiger Moths' is a regular event. It happens on the first Saturday of each month. This is if the weather is good. Visitors can see Tiger Moths that are flying or being fixed. They can also explore the museum's collection of cool items.
Many pilots use this airfield. This includes pilots who fly for fun and professional pilots. Aerobatic champion Paul Bennet often visits. His amazing formation flying team, the SkyAces, also comes here.
