Avalon - who's going and when?

[Adam the Akrodude]

I'll be there Friday and Sunday. Lots of new stuff to look at. Of most interest to me will be the RAAF's new Growler and F-35. Seeing the F-22 do it's thing will be very cool as well. TAM is there with some of their warbirds. I know one guy doing a aerobatic routine in a Super Decathalon - he'll have his work cut out vying for attention from the great unwashed!

I will post pic's next week.

Happy Avalon everyone!

[oz rb fan]

i'll be there Friday and Saturday

[tor lives]

Probably Thursday.
TOR

[Cap'n Wannabe]

Definitely Thursday for me

[RayS]

With great regret I will not be there, I usually make it to a trade day and was going to be there Friday this year. But alas since I am jumping on QF3 a week later I have other priorities.

The F-35s are arriving at around 11:15 - 12:00 on Friday and departing Sunday arvo.

The pictures I have seen so far on FB look good. I see that Dassault are peddling the Falcon 8X as a VIP replacement.

[tor lives]

Bugger......I now won't be able to make the airshow, and it's apparently the best one in years
TOR

[Adam the Akrodude]

My bad! Went to the city to look for a new or second hand zoom lens - something that would not break the budget. Found a decent 2nd hand lens at a good price, but also bought a new camera body - I think my credit card just exploded!

Well, I better shoot some decent pics - to be uploaded early next week.

[RayS]

Looks like the F-35 is flying Saturday ad Sunday now.

[oz rb fan]

i was there for the arrival.........made a shit load of noise




looking forward to tomorrow's display

[Adam the Akrodude]

So, who had fun at Avalon? I'm totally shattered today - like an ol' dog getting outta bed this morning! The good ol' two hour drive home sure didn't help. I took my middle kid along for her first ever Avalon and that was a thrill. Poor kid had both me and a ol' mate adding to her sensory overload with our "facts" on all the winged thingy's there! Brilliant chat to a retired RAAF instructor at the PC-21s - oh to be young (and smarter!) again! The RAAF is entering a golden age with all these new goodies on the way. Not many warbirds at Avalon this year. TAM put on a great appearance as usual. F-35s didn't launch on Sunday, which was a bummer but understandable. To see this 21st Century killing machine really is something - but as you all know I am a little biased! I am very glad I got to witness the arrival on Friday - something very special. Overshadowed in some respects unfairly I guess is the new P-8, Growler and PC-21 at this Avalon. Seriously, the RAAF is spoilt with choice for new goodies! I also had a great chat to a P-8 crew member (ex-Pommie) and a Growler EWO (also a ex-Pommie) regarding these two new extraordinary systems. With all this new gear networked together, the RAAF will have capabilities like no other air force in our region - and beyond for that matter.

I kinda drooled a bit seeing that lovely little Sonex jet - Daddy wants one! http://www.sonexaircraft.com/subsonex/. It did seem like it needed the curvature of the Earth to take off, but once it got some speed up - WOW!