Australia’s airline history is a saga of daring feats, can-do attitude, pig-headed visionaries, iron-fisted politicians, warring pilots; of humble beginnings and mega deals. The story begins in World War One with the death-defying exploits of four bold young airmen - Norman Brearley, Charles Kingsford Smith, Wilmot Hudson Fysh and Paul McGinness - who would go on to establish Australia’s first airlines. Encouraged by Prime Minister Billy Hughes, they were among the brave and stubborn men responsible for conquering the tyranny of distance, within our vast continent and between it and Europe. They faced difficult, often dangerous conditions - marred at the start by accidents and fatalities, but highlighted by ground-breaking, headline-grabbing flights. Behind the scenes, however, battles were fought in boardrooms and with backers and bureaucrats to keep the airlines aloft. Gradually, businessmen replaced aviators at the helm of the companies, and take-overs rather than take-offs became front-page news. In an era of corporate giants like Sir Reginald Ansett, Sir Peter Abeles, Robert Holmes a Court and Rupert Murdoch, the stakes climbed even higher... Air Australia revisits this grand but turbulent history. A Film Australia National Interest Program in association with Vue DC. Produced with the assistance of ScreenWest, Lotterywest and the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. © 2011 National Film and Sound Archive of Australia, Screenwest.