Tribune International Report
MELBOURNE (Australia) – The Australian International Airshow, also known as the Avalon Airshow, kicked off at the Avalon Airfield in the city of Lara on Tuesday. The biggest flying event which opens to the public on Friday is expected to bring in 180,000 attendees.
From advanced military hardware to corporate jets to the 600 or so trade exhibitors, the Australian International Airshow promises to have something for everyone.
This year will be the 12th airshow at Avalon Airport just outside Geelong in Victoria and airshow chief executive Ian Honnery says the program has been designed with everyone in mind, from the aviation enthusiast looking forward to the flying displays to the owner of an Australian SME keen to become a part of the global aviation/aerospace supply chain.
Royal Australian Air Force F-18 Hornets will perform at the Avalon Airfield near Lara southwest of Melbourne on February 24, 2015.
Australia’s largest and most comprehensive aviation, aerospace and defense exposition, which runs from Tuesday February 24 to Sunday March 1, is divided into two parts. The trade and industry component is held over the first three and a half days of the event, with the doors opened to the general public from 2pm Friday onwards.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) is also taking part in the 12th Australian International Airshow and Aerospace and Defence Exposition with three F-16C fighter aircraft, two Super Puma helicopters and two PC-21 trainer aircraft.
The Dassault Aviation is presenting its Falcon fleet of large cabin, long range business jets at the Australian International Airshow. The exceptional flexibility, operating economy and comfort of Falcon business jets make them ideal in a country of continental proportions dotted with small hard to reach airfields. Australia has been a key market for Dassault for almost half century. The company’s first business jet, the Falcon 20, entered commercial service ‘Down Under’ in 1967, barely two years after its service introduction in the United States. The Falcon 20 entered the inventory of the Royal Australian Air Force the same year.
Australian International Airshow 2015 director general Air Commodore David Pietsch said the showcase would be “an attack and extraction sequence” with Army parachutists jumping out of C-130J Hercules, the landing of a C-17 Globemaster heavy lift aircraft and other flying displays including air-to-air refuelling.
The air show marks the first international appearance of US Air Force Global Hawk, RQ-4 Global Hawk, Block 30, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) surveillance aircraft. The high-altitude, long-endurance system Global Hawk UAV made its international airshow debut at the Avalon Airshow.
Ten Falcons are currently in operation in Australia. The fleet includes all in production Falcons, including the Falcon 7X, Falcon 900 (EX model) and the Falcon 2000LX, and is particularly active in the tourism, wine and mining sectors.
Among the vintage equipment that will converge on Avalon were 10 World War One full-sized replicas from New Zealand that included French Nieuport 11, a Sopwith Camel, a SE-5a, an RE-8 bomber and a Bristol F-2.
The Australian International Airshow has scheduled public sessions on the afternoon of Friday 27th February and then all day Saturday and Sunday.
The Australian International Airshow is a major national and international media event.
