Inducted in 2022
Basil South Brown MiD
1914 - 1975
Basil South Brown's extensive contribution to agricultural aviation spans across years, multiple different roles, and is unified by his dedication to the Australian aviation industry.
His early career was spent during WWII, where Brown's time in service saw him fly aircraft back and forth from Darwin. Following the war, he turned to a different side of aviation and was presented with new challenges. Here, he would be introduced to crop spraying.
Following this time, his agricultural work began with East West Airlines. Having co-founded the company in 1947, Brown's extensive aviation experience was now joined by his newfound business skills.
His time spent with East West Airlines would prepare Brown for his next endeavor.
In 1953, Brown established Airfarm Associates. Located in Tamworth, NSW, Airfarm Associates was immensely successful in crop-dusting and other agricultural operations. In 1955, Brown took initiative to seek new pilots, opening the door to the agricultural aviation industry to many new pilots hoping to expand their skillsets.
Brown & his company were at the forefront of the agricultural aviation sector from then on.
In 1958, his years of work and experience were highlighted by the Aerial Agricultural Association of Australia. The organisation was formed in July in a meeting held at Richmond, NSW, where it was decided that Brown was to become the inaugural president. He had multiple time periods as president, and travelled on the company & Government's behalf as a part of this role.
Basil South Brown's dedication to the agricultural aviation industry in Australia was evident through the decades of work he contributed to improving the sector. He is now rightfully recognised as integral to establishing this area of flying, and as a 'father' of agricultural aviation.
Basil South Brown passed in 1975, though his legacy as a pioneer of aviation lives on.
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