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THE AIRMAN AIRCREW ASSOCIATION - A BRIEF HISTORY .... IP: 1.156.192.85 Posted on 29/10/2026 at 08:44:07 AM by Lance Haslewood
A Brief History of the RAAF Airman Aircrew Association ....
There's a bit to read. You might want to grab a coffee!
HUMBLE BEGINNINGS
The RAAF Airman Aircrew Association had its beginnings in the early 1990s, when former 36 and 37 Squadron loadmaster Colin Tigwell (dec.) recognised the need to maintain contact between flight engineers and loadmasters after they left the RAAF.
Colin began compiling a list of names and contact telephone numbers to help former aircrew keep in touch with one another. However, to make the list accessible to everyone, it needed to be available online.
As Colin did not have the necessary website development skills, he sought assistance from a retired Army warrant officer in Western Australia who had established a website specifically designed to maintain contact with former members of his Army regiment. The website owner offered Colin free space to publish his list, which became known as ‘Aircrews Australia’.
Unfortunately, maintaining and updating the list proved difficult. Colin was dependent on the website owner to make changes, and the list was not given the priority it required. It also contained inaccuracies and was missing considerable information.
One example involved my own entry, which appeared three times, with my surname spelt differently on each occasion. I subsequently provided Colin with an updated list of airman aircrew, compiled to the best of my knowledge, which he forwarded to the webmaster. Despite this effort, the online list was never updated.
ESTABLISHING A STANDALONE WEBSITE
I recognised that Colin's initiative was an excellent idea, but one that could not reach its full potential without a reliable means of maintaining the information. I therefore suggested establishing a standalone website and offered to develop it. Colin agreed, and I set about creating a basic website called simply ‘Airman Aircrew’. Initially, the website listed non-commissioned aircrew, including flight engineers, loadmasters, crewmen, flight stewards and Iroquois gunners.
To complement the website, I also established an online message board, providing members with an interactive forum through which they could communicate and maintain contact. The service was, and remains, provided free of charge by an organisation called Boards2Go.
The disadvantage of using a free message board is that it is subject to pop-up advertising, over which I have no control unless a fee is paid. Over the years, some users have expressed frustration with the advertising. On one occasion, I paid approximately $150 for a 12-month period without advertisements. Unfortunately, despite the payment, the advertising continued.
THE AIRMAN AIRCREW ASSOCIATION NAME
As the Association developed, Col Coyne suggested changing its name to ‘Airman Aircrew Association’. I agreed with his suggestion, subject to clarification of whether the term ‘Association’ could legally be used by an organisation that was not incorporated.
I sought advice from the Queensland Office of Fair Trading, which confirmed that the name could be used without the organisation being incorporated. From that point onwards, the Airman Aircrew Association continued to grow, with an increasing number of names and service details being added to the website.
EXPANDING THE ASSOCIATION
In 2008, a new section titled ‘Associates’ was introduced to recognise and include people who had supported or worked alongside airman aircrew but had not themselves served in those roles.
The initiative reflected the recognition that airman aircrew did not operate in isolation. Their service and experiences were closely connected with those of many other personnel, both within and beyond the RAAF aircrew community.
Consequently, including non-airman aircrew under the title ‘Associates’ was considered an appropriate way to acknowledge those connections and broaden the Association's reach.
A NEW WEBSITE
By 2018, I recognised that the existing website needed a more modern appearance and a design that better represented the Airman Aircrew Association and its purpose. I therefore undertook the task of developing a new website with greater visual appeal and a more contemporary presentation. Although further improvements remain possible, the redesigned website provides a more suitable platform for the Association's information and activities.
Transferring the photographs from the original website has proved to be a particularly time-consuming task. Many photographs are yet to be transferred because of the considerable work involved, but progress is being made gradually.
The new website was released in 2019 and continues to serve as the Association's principal online resource.
In addition to the website, the Airman Aircrew Association maintains a Facebook Group, which provides another avenue for communication and interaction. Anyone interested in joining is welcome to apply, subject to answering a few straightforward membership questions.
The Airman Aircrew Association is an unincorporated, not-for-profit organisation. Access to its website and online resources is free, and there are no membership fees. However, maintaining the website involves ongoing expenses, which I have largely met personally.
Although the precise operating costs during the Association's early years are no longer readily recalled, the current expenses include the following:
• Website hosting: $130 per year.
• Domain name (airmanaircrew.com.au): $75 every two years.
• SSL security certificate: $190 per year.
I apologise to those with little or no computer knowledge, therefore I will try my best to explain what an SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) certificate is and does.
It was added to the Airman Aircrew Association website only recently, further improving its security and bringing it into line with contemporary website requirements.
The SSL certificate is particularly important because it enables encrypted communication between a user's web browser (computer) and the website's server. This helps protect information transmitted between them from interception or unauthorised access.
Encryption also helps protect sensitive information exchanged during a website session. However, an SSL certificate does not, by itself, prevent every form of cyberattack or guarantee the protection of a user's IP address.
Websites secured with SSL display the prefix https:// in their addresses, rather than the unsecured http://. The certificate helps establish a secure connection and is an important component of modern website security, particularly for people accessing websites through mobile devices.
While these annual costs may appear modest individually, they represent an ongoing financial commitment to keeping the website available, secure and accessible to former aircrew, associates and their families.
ACKNOWLEDGING GENEROUS SUPPORT
At the Coffs Harbour 2026 Airman Aircrew Reunion, I received an extraordinary donation of $2,945. I was both humbled by and grateful for this generous contribution, which will help offset some of the considerable personal expenditure incurred in establishing, maintaining and developing the website over more than 25 years.
The donation was a welcome acknowledgement of the effort involved in keeping the Association's online resources operating and freely available to the airman aircrew community.
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE
Despite its long history and the work invested in its development, the Airman Aircrew Association has yet to attract significant participation from the younger generation of airman aircrew and associates.
Perhaps this will change as younger personnel progress through their careers and eventually leave the RAAF. With time, they may come to appreciate the value of maintaining friendships, preserving shared memories and remaining connected with those who have served alongside them.
The Association was established on a simple but enduring principle: the bonds formed through service should not end when military careers do.
By maintaining contact details, sharing information, remembering former colleagues and providing opportunities for communication, the Airman Aircrew Association continues to help preserve those bonds and the history of the people who have contributed to the RAAF's airman aircrew community.
LASTLY
Essentially, the Airman Aircrew Association is a one-person operation. It has no ABN, committee, constitution, by-laws, formal meetings, funds or bank account. However, when reunion time comes around, there are always generous people willing to give their time and effort to help organise and bring these gatherings together.
Organising a reunion is a considerable undertaking and far too much for one person to manage alone. Such events would not be possible without the invaluable support and assistance of others, whose generosity and willingness to help are sincerely appreciated, not just by me, but by everyone.