Avalon - No Interest ?

[FlyBoy1960]

I thought there may be a lot more information on the site about Avalon with so many people being in Victoria ?

 

 Just saying it all looks very quiet down there ?

[FlyingVizsla]

One of our members from Childers Qld is exhibitting his homebuilt.  Only heard of one other from here going down.  A couple talking about going but not in their own aircraft.  Might get an update from the FB feeds.

[FlyBoy1960]

Seems we are playing in an industry of decline in so may ways. 

 

10 years ago there were report and photos everywhere.

 

Now, radio silence.

[skippydiesel]

I used to attend a lot of "air shows" in NSW - after a while they all seemed to be working from the same script - not much if anything new,  became boring as -------!

 

The good ones of the past Narromine/Temora seemed to offer camaraderie, that is now only found in the small club originated show/fly-ins.

 

Now that RAA seems to be fixated on holding their annual at Parkes (Security Controlled) - can't even wonder up & down the flight line checking out the wide variety of visiting aircraft.😈

[red750]

I used to be an avid attendee, but the last one I attended was 2019. I got a bit affected by the sun/heat, and was transported back to the first aid room near the gate on a golf cart. When I collected my things, I found that I had lost a Panasonic Lumix digital camera worth about $700, which must have fallen off the golf cart. Then there was the covid epidemic in 2021, and since then I haven't felt capable of handling all the walking. My daughter says I could hire a mobility scooter, but I don't think it's worth it. I also used to attend Laverton and have been to Point Cook RAAF base. 

 

You will find a collection of my airshow photos here:  

red750's photo gallery -

AIRPORT-DATA.COM

 

[jackc]

Probably in part to do with restrictions in Australia.

Oshkosh in the U.S. even provide an airstrip

for the FAA FAR Part 103 aircraft to fly in, to the World’s biggest Show 🤩

Don’t even need a pilot’s licence to do it 👍

[BrendAn]

takes too long to get through the bloody traffic. spend enough time in it during the week.

also i am not looking for a new fighter bomber or attack chopper at the moment.

[Litespeed]

My son is down to Avalon this week.

 

Here he is with rocket racer Rosco Mcglashin.

 

 

[red750]

2 hours ago, BrendAn said:

takes too long to get through the bloody traffic.

Yeah, you're likely to run out of petrol before you reach a servo on Geelong Road. In 2017 and 2019 I went by train from Southern Cross station Spencer St to Lara Station then by bus. Much more relaxing. When I have gone by car, it's taken over an hour just to get out of the parking paddock.

[rodgerc]

I had plans to attend and my S-20 Raven was booked in as a static exhibit….But weather conspired against me.
 

Hoping now that the weather is kind for my plans to attend OZSTOL in Luskintyre in just over a week. 

 

There’s 5 or 6 days of wet weather forecast along the track south between now and then. 

[kgwilson]

The last Avalon I attended was 2005. Then they had a mock up of a F35 with it's V or STOL capabilities, a B52 made a flypast, the Connie flew, there were lots of other flypasts & aero displays & even hang gliders towed up behind Utes. There were several new plastic fantastics & a Foxcon Terrier Camper. Did they become a thing? The indoor stuff was all commercial & of not much interest. I was never inspired enough to attend another Avalon.

[red750]

On the news tonight they said the attendance at the last show was 250,000. This year they have capped tickets at 200,000 and require parking to be prebooked, to cut back on traffic chaos. There will be parking at an off-site location with shuttle buses to the airport, as well as the usual train service to Lara.

[BurnieM]

Stef does Avalon (Youtube)

[BrendAn]

3 minutes ago, BurnieM said:

Stef does Avalon (Youtube)

I hope this isn't r rated.😁.

 

[jackc]

6 hours ago, jackc said:

Probably in part to do with restrictions in Australia.

Oshkosh in the U.S. even provide an airstrip

for the FAA FAR Part 103 aircraft to fly in, to the World’s biggest Show 🤩

Don’t even need a pilot’s licence to do it 👍

This is how the Pro’s in America do it 🤩

 

https://www.eaa.org/airventure/eaa-fly-in-flying-to-oshkosh/ultralight-arrivals

[pmccarthy]

Last time was  a bad experience that I don’t need to repeat. Driving, parking, heat and facilities.

[skippydiesel]

Never been - Could it be that, if small aircraft appeared to be more welcome (eg Oshkosh type atmosphere) a lot more pilots would fly their little birds to the show??😈

[440032]

7 hours ago, BrendAn said:

takes too long to get through the bloody traffic. spend enough time in it during the week.

also i am not looking for a new fighter bomber or attack chopper at the moment.

"At the moment"? Good to leave yourself some options for the future!

[peterg]

I was there today & back again tomorrow. I've flown a display aircraft into the last few & thought the organisation was good. Drove today (trade day) and parking / organisation was fine. Displays were better than expected - GA & RA-Aus well represented.

I wasn't able to see everything (other stuff to do) & will see more tomorrow.

 

Good comfortable shoes essential - well worth attending IMHO.

[Moneybox]

Are there no facilities to fly in for the Avalon air show? I thought that would be the preferred way to attend.

[onetrack]

Airshow visitors planning to fly in to Avalon are being directed to land at Lethbridge Airport, as there is no provision for fly-in visitors to land or park at Avalon.

 

QUOTE: 

"Only aircraft pre-approved through the Avalon 2025 registration system (application link below) will be authorised to fly in and out of the event. This will be limited to:

Air Transport operators: Jetstar and other scheduled commercial operators.
Airshow participants: aircraft attending Avalon 2025 and pre-approved to participate as flying displays, static displays, commercial exhibitors and airshow related charter flights."

 

https://airshow.com.au/visitors/plan-ahead/flying-in/

[onetrack]

The weather forecast is for a pretty warm day on Friday 28th, cooler on Saturday with a strong Southerly wind picking up, which is going to bring showery rain (up to 6mm) from Saturday night into all Sunday, with showers easing on Monday.

 

http://www.bom.gov.au/vic/forecasts/avalon.shtml

[peterg]

6 hours ago, Moneybox said:

Are there no facilities to fly in for the Avalon air show? I thought that would be the preferred way to attend.

To avoid a shambles & possible disaster, to fly in pilots must be (from memory):

 

Familiar/current with operations in controlled airspace or attend a briefing,

Aware of the likely holding points eg Barwon Prison (aerial holding only)

Be able to fly a track (not joking)

Be able to fly to an allocated time slot for arrival

Be able to land such that a nominated runway turnoff point can be achieved - backtracking and lengthy slow taxiing on the runway is not appreciated - the runway is looong

etc

etc

 

You are mixing with other a lot of slow and very fast traffic and air displays are in progress (working to a time slot)

 

Lethbridge is a bit of a trek but they have shuttle buses, a bar, facilities (sort of)

[kgwilson]

Avalon is an Aviation Industry event more akin to Farnborough or Paris where all the latest civilian and military aircraft are on display & sales teams abound. Oshkosh is the US Experimental Aircraft Associations annual fly-in & everyone is welcome. About 10,000 aircraft fly in for the event. It is aimed at a completely different demographic.

[skippydiesel]

17 minutes ago, kgwilson said:

Avalon is an Aviation Industry event more akin to Farnborough or Paris where all the latest civilian and military aircraft are on display & sales teams abound. Oshkosh is the US Experimental Aircraft Associations annual fly-in & everyone is welcome. About 10,000 aircraft fly in for the event. It is aimed at a completely different demographic.

Fair comment however Australia has only the one big annual event, so it would be nice if us littlies were better included.

Having a visiting private aircraft flight line, for existing & aspiring owners  to wonder up & down, is FREE advertising, while generating a more congenial environment.😈