A mural detailing how he walked for six days to survive after his plane crashed on a mountainside and the creation of Hazelton Airlines was unveiled at a ceremony on Sunday.

Orange City Council deputy mayor and airport community committee chair Cr Sam Romano said the passenger lounge area had needed improvements.

"It was a bit boring, there was no history displayed, people used to sit around and look at the blank walls," he said.

"It is a great day and this is fantastic for the community of Orange to recognise the great work Mr Hazelton has done," he said.

Aviation company owner and pilot Wade Mahlo said Orange City Council had provided $6000 for the Hazelton mural.

"We have a wonderful terminal but it is a bit boring, this is going to make it much more interesting," he said.

Mr Mahlo said the next improvement would be a chronological history of the airport which was being worked on.

Historical details had been provided by author Denis Gregory who has also written a book on the history of Hazelton Airlines.

The mural has been unveiled ahead of the introduction of QantasLink flights between Orange and Sydney from May 1.

Orange mayor Reg Kidd said it was significant.

"It shows the maturity of our city and the growth in our city. It was Qantas who approached us about looking at flying out of here," he said.

"The success of that or otherwise will be purely on business. If people don't use it we will lose it."

Mr Hazelton recounted the story of how he walked for days to safety after his Auster plane crashed in low cloud in the Kanangra-Boyd National Park in 1954.

He said he flew high to escape the weather.

"I climbed to 4500 feet and thought now I am clear of everything and at that instant I saw trees looming up in front of the windscreen. I don't remember anything else but walking in the rain afterwards," he said.

"The aircraft went in upside down."