The delicate sound of
Thunder
In the space of less than one lifetime, a distant dream became a spectacular reality.
ABPH Kade Rogers was at the seventh Avalon Airshow to record a celebration of mankind’s greatest achievement.
Flight.

Photos: ABPH Kade Rogers

The sky was ablaze as 200,000 eager spectators descended upon the Australian international airshow at Avalon airport in Geelong recently.

Over 800 aircraft and 200 flying displays were on show over the weekend, as well as a dazzling fireworks display on the opening night of March 18 that culminated in the eyebrow-singeing brilliance of the Wall of Fire (main picture).

Included in the RAN displays were a Seahawk from 816 SQN, piloted by LCDR Pat Davitt performing a Search and Rescue demonstration, followed by the affectionately titled “Squirrel Dance” at sunset.

The “Squirrel Dance” is a precision aerobatic display involving two Squirrel helicopters from 723 SQN.

Among the equipment on display was a collection of armoured vehicles and troop carriers, artillery pieces and missile launchers, and a massive glass-fronted dive tank, complete with Clearance Divers from AUSTCDTONE. in it’s short history, it has expanded to become the fourth largest airshow in the world.

Almost 30 countries represented themselves at the Airshow, with a record number of foreign delegations attending. The largest of which were military, trade and government representatives from the United States.

Other participating countries included the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa, Fiji, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan and the People’s Republic of China.

Mainland Europe was also well represented with delegations from Germany, Italy, Russia and France.

India and Pakistan also sent delegations to the Airshow, as did their Middle Eastern neighbours Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar.

 

.