The TAHS, which emerged during the pandemic, hosted its inaugural seminar - 'In The Air' - at Launceston Church Grammar School last Sunday to discuss the history of aviation in a city that, unknown to many, helped pave the way for the country's aviation industry.

Invited were a who's who of notable and decorated pilots including retired captain Mac Cottrell, RFDS Tasmania founding member Lindsay Millar OAM, retired RAAF pilot Bill Mattes, retired flight lieutenant Steve Murray, and wing commander Stuart Bryce.

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For Launceston Historical Society president Paul A.C. Richards AM, it's a legacy that is a unique, perplexing, and too-often overlooked part of the city's story.

For a small, inland city on a remote island, Mr Richards said it was an achievement to produce so many people involved in the industry who would go on to pioneer and define aviation in the last century.

"I don't think a lot of people realize that," he said.

"And the stories never been really told, it's only been told in bits and pieces".

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Launceston Church Grammar School, now in it's 176th year, has an unusually notable list of alumni that each went on to help shape the industry.

Beginning with Sir Wilmot Hudson Fysh - who would go on to form QANTAS in 1920 and support the fledgling Royal Flying Doctor's Service of Australia - the school has gone on to produce many notable aviation pioneers.

The list of innovative school alumni include David Warren, creator of the black box flight recorder, and Victor and Ivan Holyman, co-founders of Holyman's Airlines (later to become a part of Australian National Airlines).

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Then there was Launceston-born WWI veteran Arthur Long who, although not a Grammar school alumni, became the first person to fly across the Bass Strait solo.

Lindsay Millar said Launceston's close proximity to the mainland made it the perfect place to establish air-routes to the mainland, and in the process nurture generations of aviation pioneers.

But despite it's legacy, the city and state have no museum to celebrate and showcase the achievements.

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"The disappointing part about the whole thing is we haven't got an aviation museum in Tasmania, every other state has at least one - sometimes even three or four," retired RAAF pilot Bill Mattes said.

For Mr Richards and the TAHS, it's a key piece of the puzzle missing from Launceston's flying legacy.

"I think the next ambitious project is to develop an aviation museum, but perhaps that may be down the track a little bit further".

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