Ausfly 2019 Where was GA ?

[The sod]

Last weekend I attended Ausfly 2019 at Narromine NSW.
While it may have predominately been a SAAA organized event, it was touted as "all aviators under one sky".
There was a good rollup of homebuilts, and some beautiful examples of the RV brigade, plus other types, but to me there was a distinct lack of GA types.
Where were the C172s, the C182s, Piper Warrior and Archers and others ?
Where was all the flyers from NSW, particularly the Sydney Basin area.
I spoke to some who made the long haul from Victoria and others from Qld but these were mainly RV owners.
What do organizers have to do, to attract the GA fraternity to get off their backsides and do something.
Or am I missing the point. Is GA really dead ?
Congratulations to the organisers for having a go. Conditions were far from ideal due to the drought affecting ground conditions.

[Squawk7700]

There was a lot of bad weather around the country which would have surely affected visitor numbers.

[Clinton McKenzie]

I flew up there on Sunday morning and all of the departure calls I heard were from ‘traditional’ GA aircraft. About a dozen or so - I heard a Baron and a 182 and numerous others. A number were heading to NSW destinations (at least based on the departure calls - maybe just for fuel).

The winds on Saturday were pretty ‘challenging’. Despite the frequency with which it’s forecast, it’s been a while since I’ve flown in severe turbulence. There were a few ‘headset shifting’ excursions during a relatively short jolly. I can understand why some may have decided to scrub a planned jolly to Narromine on Saturday.

[Squawk7700]

Did I hear correctly that 2 x RVs busted off their nose wheels there?

[thunderbird five]

Almost right. An RV7 on Thursday and a Morgan Cheetah on Saturday.
No inverted excursions and no injuries. RV had the Anti-Splatt noseleg strut.

[Squawk7700]

Almost right. An RV7 on Thursday and a Morgan Cheetah on Saturday.
No inverted excursions and no injuries. RV had the Anti-Splatt noseleg strut.

You’d expect that on the Cheetah. Bunnings aerospace special most likely.

[Sunfish]

the lack of GA might point to the success of the “divide and rule” tactic?

[Egipps]

Almost right. An RV7 on Thursday and a Morgan Cheetah on Saturday.
No inverted excursions and no injuries. RV had the Anti-Splatt noseleg strut.
almost right but it wasn't a 7.

[Egipps]

the lack of GA might point to the success of the “divide and rule” tactic?Sunfish I was there all weekend. Lots of GA aircraft. Quite a few varied Cessna's. Friends of ours flew in in a 172, and it wasn't the only one about. A few flew in to celebrate a Cessna 150's 60th anniversary. Beech - Debonair's, Baron's and another I think a musketeer? Quite a few Cirrus aircraft. I counted over 220 aircraft when aircraft were still flying in. Think it got up to nearly 300. RAAus attended last year as well as this year. And this time they came on board as a sponsor. Perhaps 'divide and rule' can be overcome ...

[giantkingsquid]

The weather was pretty crap trying to get back to Sydney on Saturday afternoon, so some may have cancelled their trips. Bear in mind Saturday was the only day that working people could easily go.

I went on Saturday morning in a 152, but sadly had to leave just before the display as the weather was deteriorating rapidly at my home base.