Avalon Airshow
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Sorry.. couldn't resist.
All 8 of them are around the corner to the east. A few are also camping with caravans. A far cry from the 200+ on the Sat and Sun at YAVE. I was there last night watching Matt Hall present. He speaks well and it was very enlightening.
Matt Hall - yessir, and entertaining speaker. One time (no, not at "band camp") I was at the antweekers at Echuca and he arrived. I helped him push his plane out to fly and said "COME ON MATT! Put your back into it man, or you'll never amount to anything!"
And that's how the fight started................ real nice guy. He can be my wingman any time.
Piper Cameron - Mia Mia Victoria, home of the the first Australian designed and built plane, the DUIGAN biplane
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duigan_pusher_biplane
On 16 July 2010, 100 years to the day, I was circling Spring Plains MIA MIA in my gunship, hoping that John Duigan was watching me from above.
And that's how the fight started................ real nice guy. He can be my wingman any time.
Piper Cameron - Mia Mia Victoria, home of the the first Australian designed and built plane, the DUIGAN biplane
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duigan_pusher_biplane
On 16 July 2010, 100 years to the day, I was circling Spring Plains MIA MIA in my gunship, hoping that John Duigan was watching me from above.
If you have young ones, or in my case 20 year olds, do the tour of all the Air Force squadron tents near the static displays, they give you a free lanyard, you then go around to all the squadrons and they give you an aircraft pin to attach to the lanyard which you pin to the type on the lanyard.
You can still get pretty close to the runway even though they pulled it back compared to previous years. I’d advise the southern viewing area, the northern was pretty congested.
Don’t forget the sunscreen folks. I am in big trouble from wifey when we return home next week. 🦞 😂
You can still get pretty close to the runway even though they pulled it back compared to previous years. I’d advise the southern viewing area, the northern was pretty congested.
Don’t forget the sunscreen folks. I am in big trouble from wifey when we return home next week. 🦞 😂
Take the backroads Werribee/Little River/Lara and park at Lara station, $5 bus ride in with no delays.
You then don't need to worry about the other bit, trying to get out of the car park with 100k others. Otherwise leave at 6am! But, still got to try and get out on the other end though.
You then don't need to worry about the other bit, trying to get out of the car park with 100k others. Otherwise leave at 6am! But, still got to try and get out on the other end though.
Thread Starter
Can anyone explain why the US fly out both an F-15 (actually, 2) and F-16, yet neither do a single flying display? There is a distinct lack of modern jet flying in the program, particularly given how lame the RAAF jet displays are (pretty much a racetrack pattern of passes over and over again - Aussie OH&S on full display).
Even the much anticipated Mustang flew in, did 3 distant laps, and buggered off back to Point Cook, with the Spitfire being a complete no show (like the Herc and Water bombers who all sat there static despite being on the program).
Thank god for the Raptor and Koreans (an unexpected highlight of the day/night!) turned up.
Crowd got very restless with the 30min break where absolutely nothing happened except a JQ departure and the “ALL FEMALE!” (as stated at least 30 times by the bloke on PA) QF 330 took an eternity to slowly back track, turn and eventually depart.
Even the much anticipated Mustang flew in, did 3 distant laps, and buggered off back to Point Cook, with the Spitfire being a complete no show (like the Herc and Water bombers who all sat there static despite being on the program).
Thank god for the Raptor and Koreans (an unexpected highlight of the day/night!) turned up.
Crowd got very restless with the 30min break where absolutely nothing happened except a JQ departure and the “ALL FEMALE!” (as stated at least 30 times by the bloke on PA) QF 330 took an eternity to slowly back track, turn and eventually depart.
I was told today issue re last night delayed ending was due to FOD discovered right after they asked Jetstar to line up, the plan was to get that aircraft out before the final display. That took 30 mins to rectify.
Can anyone explain why the US fly out both an F-15 (actually, 2) and F-16, yet neither do a single flying display? There is a distinct lack of modern jet flying in the program, particularly given how lame the RAAF jet displays are (pretty much a racetrack pattern of passes over and over again - Aussie OH&S on full display).
Even the much anticipated Mustang flew in, did 3 distant laps, and buggered off back to Point Cook, with the Spitfire being a complete no show (like the Herc and Water bombers who all sat there static despite being on the program).
Thank god for the Raptor and Koreans (an unexpected highlight of the day/night!) turned up.
Crowd got very restless with the 30min break where absolutely nothing happened except a JQ departure and the “ALL FEMALE!” (as stated at least 30 times by the bloke on PA) QF 330 took an eternity to slowly back track, turn and eventually depart.
Even the much anticipated Mustang flew in, did 3 distant laps, and buggered off back to Point Cook, with the Spitfire being a complete no show (like the Herc and Water bombers who all sat there static despite being on the program).
Thank god for the Raptor and Koreans (an unexpected highlight of the day/night!) turned up.
Crowd got very restless with the 30min break where absolutely nothing happened except a JQ departure and the “ALL FEMALE!” (as stated at least 30 times by the bloke on PA) QF 330 took an eternity to slowly back track, turn and eventually depart.
Take the backroads Werribee/Little River/Lara and park at Lara station, $5 bus ride in with no delays.
You then don't need to worry about the other bit, trying to get out of the car park with 100k others. Otherwise leave at 6am! But, still got to try and get out on the other end though.
You then don't need to worry about the other bit, trying to get out of the car park with 100k others. Otherwise leave at 6am! But, still got to try and get out on the other end though.
Thread Starter
I don’t think that’s true, came in and out of the main public road, and the buses seemed to be appearing from somewhere else (presumably the usual road to get to departures).
How are JQ punters getting in and out of there? Almost worth getting an Uber to the terminal and then legging it.
How are JQ punters getting in and out of there? Almost worth getting an Uber to the terminal and then legging it.
I don’t think that’s true, came in and out of the main public road, and the buses seemed to be appearing from somewhere else (presumably the usual road to get to departures).
How are JQ punters getting in and out of there? Almost worth getting an Uber to the terminal and then legging it.
How are JQ punters getting in and out of there? Almost worth getting an Uber to the terminal and then legging it.
Sunfish Recants. I have been continuously negative about Avalon for years.
Considering the troubles in Ukraine and the efforts of RAA and exhibitors like Swish Projects who are building an aircraft on site, I would very much have liked to attend after all.
However minor surgery now prevents it.
Good luck and I hope its a great weekend.
Considering the troubles in Ukraine and the efforts of RAA and exhibitors like Swish Projects who are building an aircraft on site, I would very much have liked to attend after all.
However minor surgery now prevents it.
Good luck and I hope its a great weekend.
- The Korean Black Eagles display team. As good as any I've ever seen before (I was brought up three miles from Farnborough, so I've seen the Red Arrows dozens of times, as well as the Red Pelicans, the Blue Knights, the Yellowjacks, the Firebirds and a Harrier Aerial Ballet team whose name I can't recall). The Black Eagles fly Korea Aerospace Industries KAI T-50B Golden Eagle jet aircraft.
- The F22 Raptor which flew a stunning solo display which, at one point, saw the aircraft completely stopped at about 2,000 feet, in the vertical position balancing thrust with weight for about thirty seconds. Haven't seen that done with a fixed wing aircraft before.
- A jet powered glider. Kind of negates the USP of gliding, which is that it's rather peaceful, but trades tranquility for velocity in spades.
- It was nice to sit on the flight deck of a C5 Galaxy - can't imagine I'll ever do that again. Wider than a 380 flight deck, the thrust lever quadrants are duplicated for the LH and RH seat because nobody would be able to reach them if they had one set in the middle.
Honeywell flew its 757 testbed in and out.
The showing from the USAF was quite amazing - not sure if it's politically driven but loads of big drones, C5, KC46, KC135, C17, F15C, two F22 (one static, one flying) and they were promising a B52 flyover on one of the public days.
RAAF had Roulettes, 330 MRTT, F35s, F/A18s, P8, C17, C130J.
Malaysia and the Luftwaffe each sent an Airbus M400 which is a serious C130 competitor but a lot bigger.
Yeah, it was a good day, in my book.
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That Facebook video is certainly ugly. Looks like the cars joined the bus queue as a sneaky way in. But all those people walking towards the terminal and jumping the fence, then walking through that airside gate is certainly not great. In some other countries you would get shot for doing that. Something I picked up on Friday was that security wasn't great. I witnessed a mother and child near the Avalon terminal apron, duck under a barrier, run across the apron to take a photo. Took minutes before anyone noticed. Jetstar was boarding about 100m away.
Worth comparing with the USA where the GA scene is vibrant. I have a friend who keeps his 6-seat single at Washington-Dulles International and uses Dulles for Touch and Go and Instrument training. GA is able to use all the major airports including KLAX and JFK. Meanwhile in Aus...
Traffic! What a stuff up. For me two and a half hours from Point Cook to the car park!
One sign said 'Parking' so I took that, and then was turned around and told to get to get in the stop-start 2nd gear queue via the Lara turn off.
Avalon Air Show has had years to get the traffic flow running smoothly but someone stuffed it up in a Royal way for 2023!
But I suppose they will still bank their payment cheque.
For inbound car traffic an absolute F... Up!
Getting out was the same.
One sign said 'Parking' so I took that, and then was turned around and told to get to get in the stop-start 2nd gear queue via the Lara turn off.
Avalon Air Show has had years to get the traffic flow running smoothly but someone stuffed it up in a Royal way for 2023!
But I suppose they will still bank their payment cheque.
For inbound car traffic an absolute F... Up!
Getting out was the same.