Where should Avalon Airshow go?
 

Hi all,
As we gear up for 2013's installment of loud music, commentator ramblings, traffic, flies, dust, mud, you get the picture ....Apparently 2015 might be the last at Avalon and was wondering where should it be held in the future? What would be a suitable alternative in Australia that would please both trade & punter attendees?
Thoughts?
CRN

What the go with not having it at Avalon?

Politics. (gotta write more stuff in here otherwise it won't accept it:yuk:)

Cairns in September.

Forrest. Big runway, plenty of space to pitch a tent.

Nobody is forcing you to go...and based on that contribution better for all if you don't.

If it had to go anywhere I reckon Temora would be a top spot, it's no Oshkosh but its not bad for our small population
Met

Avalon is for defense sales. The rest is window dressing. If it becomes just an airshow without the defense heavy metal, then it can go anywhere. If the heavy metal & defense exhibitions stay, then it must be Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra.

If 2015 is the last year, that might co-incide with RPT ambitions of LINFOX. I think the only other airports that will take heavy metal, but not disrupt RPT will be Military ones. Richmond, East Sale, Williamtown. Woolongong might be an outside chance.

Its hard to see where you'd put a display "box" at Richmond. Williamtown & East Sale are a long way to transport VIPS (the tender is out for buses & limos for government VIPS at Avalon - you should see the list!). Woolongong would be good except the runway is probably 300 - 400 m short.

The other option would be a tag team with 2 airports. Moorabbin / East Sale or Bankstown / Richmond. Put the military heavy metal at the military airport and everything else at the civilian one and do flying displays over the civilian one.

Or it could get too hard. I have no idea of the numbers, but it wouldn't surprise me if the civilian & military parts are each not viable as separate entities.

Learmonth, Curtin, Scherger? Big runways there!:E:}

ozbiggles

Bit harsh there, mate :)

Gotta agree with Cynical Pilot, that Avalon puts on a pretty crap airshow. I've seen two Avalon airshows, and a couple from overseas (so not very many in total). Farnborough was the best by a mile, and both the Avalon ones I saw were pathetic, IMHO.

My opinion is that the only people who think that Avalon has a great airshow are people who haven't seen how it is done overseas.

DIVOSH.

(and I wont be going to this one).

Terrible to say it but I do agree with Di Vosh, after seeing Oshkosh nothing will compare. Its not through lack of effort, its just we dont have the warbird or millitary numbers that te US does.

Nonetheless, I've always had a good time at Avalon and will be going to the next one with bells on.


Rocket:ok:

This might liven things up - it's in a box, on the way here now for Avalon!
:eek:

Where should Avalon go - someplace not dusty:{

We are a little unfortunate, given Australia's location, to be so far away from the main aircraft population bases of the world, and having such a small population that restricts the potential numbers of warbirds and other types that attract visitors to an air show.

Attend a sea side air show at Bournemouth in the UK and you may well have a million people watch the event over a period of 4 days, with an aircraft that is displaying a routine at 3 or 4 separate events on the same day. Such is the luxury of having a large number of warbirds in a relatively small country with a large population. Add to that the proximity of several neighbouring countries willing to throw display aircraft into the mix at short notice and you have the ingredients for a full and varied display program. And Bournemouth is but one of around 230 air shows in the UK each year.

Avalon is probably the most suitable, and least restricted, aifrield for a major air show in Australia.

True, you cannot compare the event to Oshkosk and Farnborough, but nor do we have the number of available aircraft or the ties to manufacturers that support many of the overseas events.

Having said that Avalon does put on a great event given the resources available with many of the civil and military acts coming from overseas. The air show is also a major event for the Victorian Government and the RAAF.

Di_Vosh may have valid opinions, however, many of the visiting members of the public do not have the ability, nor the interest, to travel to any of the overseas events. Given the state of grass roots aviation in Australia is good to see the event still going and attracting relatively good attendance numbers.

I think you will find 2013 will be a varied event to 2011, and 2015 even more so. I believe having an event such as Avalon is better than not at all.

True. Though we do have world class beaurocracy and ass-covering:yuk:

Biggest turnoff at Avalon is the way over the top security. Just relax guys. Let more light aircraft fly in, maybe camp. Turn it into an event where people want to go, meet and get pissed. :ok:

Well if it goes anywhere else it won't be an Avalon Airshow will it....:ugh:

A some have said, its a crap airshow....by world standards....against farnborough...the worlds best airshow. (except Paris, according to the french, but who really cares what they think)

The reality is a subtle difference in purpose.

Farnborough is pure 'show'

Avalon, paris and oshkosh are about trade.

A friend of mine recently returned from oshkosh, and most of his banter has been about what he learnt in the trade displays about systems available etc. The air display was a minor part for him.

I've done a couple of avalon's and after the first i certainly found more interesting things in the trade tents. Whats available, whats coming. The ASA controller sim at the last one was a lot of fun..and FREE!.


Still the best Airshow i've been to in Oz was the bicentennial at Point cook..still got an instamatic pic of the ct4 formation over the top forming 88.

Fun video there! Pity Avalon is essentially tree-less so he has nothing to fly around. Props are good for low level like when Matt Hall was below the tree-line at Tyabb airshow. Adds to the suspense as you wonder if he's coming up again!

One can assume the reason for the security is the military kit, however it wouldn't be the same without it. Catch 22.

It would need to be in a capital city to get the volume of visitors. Much of Melbourne has been before and are over it. If it was in Canberra for example perhaps a lot more would attend at least for the first one.

Canberra? Really? Are there that many there?

I've deleted it now, but I had the tender for government transport. They must have hundreds attending. In the past I've been a guest in a military suppliers chalet. That's where the money is. The consumer stuff is window dressing.

You have a valid point. I'm only thinking that because it would be a new thing and exciting the first time. After that god only knows where it could go...

Very average airshow, in fact it's a complete bore. No, actually it's more of a joke. If it's targeting military sales why are they charging punters to get in? I've got a mate that's had dealings with the organisers & you'd piss yourself laughing if you heard the transcript.

Go to Narromine, Temora, Wanaka, Oshkosh, Farborough etc