Australian International
Airshow 2007
BREAKING THE BARRIERS
Story and
Photos by Ed Anderson
Click
for photo gallery
Billed as the largest Airshow and Aerospace &
Defence Exposition in the Asia-Pacific region, this
year's biennial event, was again hosted by the City
of Geelong at the Avalon Airport in Victoria, March
20-25.
Airshow Friday
greeted us with record 39 degree Celsius heat, and
fierce winds, gusting and churning dust everywhere,
in advance of an approaching storm, bringing rain
overnight to a long parched land.
It wasn't a
particularly successful day for media photographers
given nature's adverse attitude. A lot of us found
shelter in the large accommodating Media Center
tent, that in itself appeared at times wanting to
lift from it's well secured frame and lines and
ride the wind. Thankfully, there were breaks when
the winds settled, motivating us to venture out
with our covered camera gear on the hunt for
aeroplanes.
. Australian
Internaional Air Show Web
Site
Those attending the
industry-only Exposition events earlier in the
week, fortunately had better tempered weather,
which nicely accommodated delegations from over 20
countries, including Canada, and some 600
participating exhibitor organizations. Too, there
were upwards of several hundred display aircraft,
and apparently that many again, flown in and out of
the show during its six days of operation.
Organizers likewise expected upwards of 600
accredited journalists, and photographers, from
news outlets around Australia, New Zealand, and
overseas, reporting on all aspects of the week's
events concerning Civil Air Transport, General
Aviation, Aviation Safety, Military Defence,
Aviation Facilities, Equipment and Services, and
ending with one of the world's most highly regarded
air shows, which in itself drew large crowds.
Official attendance numbers for the Exposition and
Airshow were said to have been just under
185,000.
This year's
gathering, the eighth since 1992, of the Australian
International Airshow, themed "Breaking the
Barriers", also celebrated the 60th anniversary
since man broke the sound barrier. And, who better
to be the guest of honour at Avalon, than the first
man to fly at supersonic speed, Brigadier-General
Charles E. "Chuck" Yeager, 84 years of age, still a
keen eyed flyer, and a continuing proponent of
aerospace.
Saturday morning
came early. Heavy overnight rain left the airshow
grounds damp and dotted with mud pots, and the
temperature down to a chilling 16-18 degrees
Celsius. Tinder dry hot one day and New Zealand
cool the next. Kick off to fall in Australia! Go
figure!
Aside from a some
far off dark clouds, the day was ripe for a good
airshow. And, good it was, but not without a few
wet and windy cold interruptions as the day moved
along. An ambitious air program schedule was in
progress when I arrived. The Australian Defence
Force Training School six-place formation aerobatic
team "Roulettes", flying Pilatus PC-9/A turboprops,
were just finishing up their formation flying
routines. Regardless, I had caught the first part
of their performance the day before during the big
dust-up. That alone was impressive piloting
handiwork, but with this day's quieter sky they
were at liberty to really display their impressive
flying skills. Beforehand, I was told, a mass
parachute drop from a twin engine Alenia
Aeronautica C-27J Spartan, opened the air program,
following the traditional Flag Drop. Annoyed me to
no end that I missed it. Should have caught the
earlier train out of Melbourne. Anyway, snooze, you
lose!
Fast and thunderous
jets were in abundance, parked for show and
hot-side. The Royal Australian Air Force BAE Hawk,
lead-in jet fighter trainer, kicked things off with
a solo aerobatics demonstration. Others that
followed in this regimen included an A-37B
"Dragonfly" (VH-AZD) handled by Gary Criddle, a
United States Air Force F-16C 'Fighting Falcon',
flown by Maj. Jon Plasterer, a United States Navy
F/A-18F "Super Hornet' with Boeing Chief Test
Pilot, Ricardo Traven at the controls, an RAAF
F/A-18B Hornet, handled by FLT. LT. Aaron Ward, an
USAF F-15C 'Eagle' with Capt. William Bierenkoven
aboard, out of Kadena Japan with two sister ships,
an RAAF Hornet flight of four in a simulated ground
attack with thundering pyros. A B-52 Stratofortress
from of Guam, also thrilled the crowds with weekend
flyovers. Last but not least, centre stage was also
given Australia's elder and foremost primary strike
bomber since 1973, the famous swing-wing F-111
(Aardvark). A constant crowd favorite and the only
'Dump and Burn' military airshow act in the world
today. The Royal Australian Air Force presently
has, according to the latest AW&ST Aerospace
Source Book, 28 operational General Dynamics
F-111s, mostly the "C" model, several Gs, and four
reconnaissance RF-111Cs, all attached to the RAAF's
historic No.1 and No.6 Squadrons. Current plans
call for retirement of the huge aircraft in 2010,
to be replaced by 24 Boeing F/A 18F 'Super Hornets
now on order, pending ultimate arrival of the
Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike
Fighter in about 2020, if not earlier.
Helicopters as well
came in numbers, either as synchronized,
coordinated, or sole demonstrations. A pair of
Royal Australian Navy Squirrels (AS350 Eurocopter)
of the 'Taipans' precision flying team, performed
their well known Squirrel Dance, a Royal Australian
Army simulated battle sequence showcased a combo of
a CAC 206 Kiowa, a Sikorsky S-70 Blackhawk, and a
newly acquired Eurocopter Tiger ARH. A RAN Sikorsky
Seahawk was the lone solo, although more of the
overall fleet of rotary and fixed-wing aircraft
were flown in for static display. Impressive
stuff.
Other military
types on the flying program were the heavy lifters,
an RAAF C-130H Hercules, and a USAF C-17
Globemaster III, of which the RAAF has now received
their first delivery of four examples. The
venerable and remarkable DHC-4 Caribou STOL
tactical transport, backbone of the Royal
Australian Army Tactical Airlift capability since
the war in Vietnam, was also in the air at the
show. There are 10 Caribou's on strength with the
38 Squadron Air Lift Group, which are due for
replacement in the next few years. To this end,
there is a fresh agreement in place between
aircraft manufacturers Alenia Aeronautica of Italy
and Boeing, Australia for a possible successor. The
probable choice appears to be the C-27J Spartan.
This aircraft type is already on order or in
service with Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Lithuania,
and Romania, with possibilities for acquisition by
the United States Air Force and Army Joint Cargo
Aircraft Program.
Also there were
plenty of historical aircraft or so called Golden
Oldies. Upwards of 200 of a mixed assortment,
static show and fly-by participants, included
pristine antiques, classics, five DC-3s, a J-4
Jenny, a Sopwith Pup, Austers, Chipmunks,
Grasshoppers, Tigermoths. Later military types
included a Winjeel, a Wirraway, T-6
Texans/Harvards, P-51 Mustangs, CJ6 Nanchangs,
Yaks, and a fresh rebuild, ex-RNZAF
P-40N-1'Kittyhawk' (VH-ZOC). Special visitors like
the Lockheed Super Constellation, (VH-EAG), a
PBY-6A Catalina (VH-PBZ) and a P2V-7 Neptune
(VH-IOY) were from the Historical Aircraft
Restoration Society (HARS), who also have several
other notable vintage, airworthy aircraft. Numerous
other rare warbirds scheduled for appearance did
not show, largely due to the unstable
weather.
Civilian Aerobatic
Performers from overseas included; Jim Leroy
(Bulldog Pitts), Bob Carlton (Alisport Silent J
Sailplane), Rich Gibson (Rich's Incredible Pyro),
Jurgis Kairy (Juka), Rob Fry (SU-26), Yoshichide
Muroya (Yak 50). OZ sky dancers consisted of;
Southern Knights (Harvards 4), Paul Andronocos
(Extra 300), Chris Sperou (Pitts S-1S), Pip Borrman
(Edge 540), and Warren Stewart
(Debonair).
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