A
ir shows are about new, cutting-
edge and spectacular. And the
2015 Australian International
Air show will provide plenty of all
three, from the air displays to the
static aircraft park, general aviation
sections and exhibitions.
The air show has set its own
benchmark to surpass: the 2013
Australian International Airshow
attracted more than 168,000
participants across six days, including
40,000 trade visitors. More than
600 companies from 21 countries
exhibited, attracting 75 senior
military and commercial delegations
and Air Force leaders from 25
countries. More than 600 aircraft
participated in the event. There
were also more than 400 media
representatives from 17 nations.
Tagged “Heroes of The Sky”, the
2015 air show will run from Tuesday
24 February to Sunday 1 March.
The first three days, and Friday
to 2.00 pm, will be devoted to
industry only, more concerned with
the business of aerospace than the
spectacle. But on Friday afternoon
the influx of aviation enthusiasts
will be matched with that of some of
Australia’s most historic and unique
aircraft arriving for the classic Night
Alight twilight air show, weekend
displays and static viewing.
Friday’s public access will begin at
2.00 pm, with air displays running
from 2.00 pm to 9.15 pm. On
Saturday and Sunday, the site will be
open from 8.00 am to 6.00 pm, with
air displays from 9.45 am to 4.30 pm,
weather permitting.Shining stars
With the usual operational caveats,
stars set for appearance at this
show include the welcome return
of the Lockheed Martin F-22Raptor fighter, joined by newcomers
including the Airbus A400M
airlifter on static display in its first
Avalon appearance and a Guam-
based Global Hawk unmanned
aerial vehicle. For the first time
too, Australian crowds will see the
Republic of Singapore Air Force
Black Knights display team in
action, flying their distinctive red
and white F-16s with a black chess
Knight piece on the tail.
Aerobatic “supergroup” the Oris
Immortals with Jurgis Kairys, Skip
Stewart and Melissa Pemberton
are set to headline the aerobatic
programme.
Utility aircraft such as the Beech
King Air B350, Cessna Caravan
and Mahindra Aerospace Airvan 8
and its turbine-powered sibling, the
Airvan 10, will be on display along
with light aircraft such as the Beech
Baron G58 and a mock-up of the
Cirrus SF50 Vision single-engined
light personal jet, for which Cirrus
recently restarted development,
alongside its propeller driven SR22
cousin, and others from Cessna and
Australia’s own Brumby Aircraft.
Business jets on display will
include the heavy-iron G650 and its
smaller G280 from Gulfstream, a
bevy of Embraer jets and the mock-
up of the Pilatus PC-24, the Swiss
manufacturer’s first foray in to the
business jet market. The PC-24
follows on from its PC-12 turboprop
cousin in being a niche aircraft,
designed from the start to operate
from unprepared airfields and with
a large cargo door on the port side
making it ideal for special operations
such as aeromedical flights.
Australia’s Royal Flying Doctor
Service is the launch customer for
the PC-24, just as it was for the PC-- Pilatus has seen unprecedented
demand for the aircraft. With the
first example rolled out only in
August 2014, Pilatus already has
85 orders. Cessna representative
Aeromil Pacific will also have the
M2 and Sovereign versions of the
evergreen Citation range on hand.
And for the helicopter enthusiasts,
Australia’s first new MHR-60R
Romeo anti-surface and anti-
submarine warfare helicopter will
make its first appearance, fresh
from initial training in the United
States where the combined training
fleet surpassed 1000 hours of flying
experience in October last year.
It will be joined by a Firescout
rotary wing UAV and the Bell
407GX utility helicopter, plus the
Eurocopter EC135, as selected for
the Australian Defence Force’s
Helicopter Aircrew Training
System program in 2014. The first
Australian Helicopters Agusta
Westland AW139, which is one of
six destined to operate helicopter
emergency medical services under
a new contract for Victoria, will
also be on static display.
For those who wish to fly their
own helicopter to Avalon, the Air
show 2015 team has provided the
Australian Helicopter Industry
Association (AHIA) with two
helicopter parking areas, one known
as the Heli-Park in the centre of the
static display area, and another withinwalking distance from the exhibition
halls, allocated when it quickly
became apparent that the designated
Heli Park area would overflow.
AHIA will also have a Helicopter
Meeting Place tent located close to
the area so rotary people and their
families can catch their breath as they
view the trade show, static displays
and flying displays.Warbirds
and antiques
Warbird enthusiasts will also be
well catered for. In keeping with the
Heroes Of The Sky theme and 100th
anniversary of the Gallipoli campaign,
the Avalon fleet will include no fewer
than 16 World War One replica
warbirds, some of which will make the
journey from New Zealand.
The NZ contingent will bring
five German aircraft and five allied
fighters and bombers, all full-sized
replicas reproduced in painstaking
detail. They will include a Sopwith
Camel, an SE5a, an RE8 bomber and
a Bristol F2, all of which were flown by
the fledgling Australian Flying Corps.
The five German fighters will include
a Pfalz and four Fokkers, among them
the legendry DR1 triplane as flown
by the famous Red Baron. A single
French Nieuport 11, one of the most
successful fighters of World War Oneaustralianflying.com.au 29
March – April 2015 AUSTRALIAN FLYINGMAIN: They come with the
sun. Huge crowds are virtually
guaranteed when Avalon turns on
weather like this.
RIGHT: Don’t be shy with the air
show performers; they love the
contact as much as you do.AMDAExhibitions such as Avalon are
a crossroads for the aviation
and aerospace industries.