Country Always

Caring for Country

A Corner of the Empire

The Garden Palace

The Holding Pen

The Agricultural Hall

Regional Networks

Across New South Wales

A Museum of Doing

Technological Museum

Expanding Stories

Evolution of the Castle Hill site from botanical research station to Museum Discovery Centre

Transforming the Tramsheds

Powerhouse Stage 1 and the Harwood Building

A Symbol in Time

Sydney Observatory

Ongoing Transformations

Powerhouse Ultimo

Applied Arts and Sciences

Defining the terms in the 21st century

Powerhouse Renewal

A transformative renewal program across four sites

Dick Smith: First Solo Helicopter Flight

We Rise

Blak Powerhouse

Powerhouse-1 Mission Launch to the ISS

An initiative of the Powerhouse: Future Space program

2024

Exoskeleton

Powerhouse Parramatta

Parramatta

2024

Dick Smith and Bell Jetranger helicopter flown around the world

Program

Dick Smith: First Solo Helicopter Flight

Name: Dick Smith: First Solo Helicopter Flight
Start: 2024-09-18T23:00:00.000Z
End: 2025-06-15T06:00:00.000Z
Location: Castle Hill

Ended 15 Jun 2025

Castle Hill

‘To most people the helicopter is a short distance machine … but could a helicopter fly around the world? Well, that is what I wanted to find out.’

Dick Smith AC, entrepreneur and aviator

Dick Smith’s Bell 206B Jetranger III helicopter, flown during his record-breaking solo flight around the world, is now on display at Powerhouse Castle Hill. Between August 1982 and July 1983, Smith flew 55,000 km over 260 hours, setting world records, including the first solo helicopter flight across the Atlantic.

For the first time, visitors can also view the self-captured Super8 footage from this extraordinary journey, which has been newly digitised and conserved by Powerhouse.

Items from the Collection

Film with black case. — 1/2
Film with case used by explorer Dick Smith
Object No. 90/816-51

Map of the world with expedition routes. — 2/2
Wall map of the world showing Dick Smith's expedition routes 1964–2013
Object No. 2015/63/2