Such is the nature of the Avalon airshow that no matter how long you spend inside the gates you will leave having missed something. And quite often you will be in the traffic queue before a sudden jerk of memory tells you what you forgot to check-out … frustrating given that there is nothing you can do about it now.
The base issue here is that there is so much crammed into the airshow grounds that it takes practised skills to leave there having maximised your eyeball time on the important things.
To give you a leg-up with this, Australian Flying has compiled a Top Ten list of things to help you get the most out of your Avalon visit.
1. Plan ahead. Decide what you are really there to see and go there first. If you’re genuinely interested in seeing what new GA aircraft are out and about, head straight there. The show layout usually has them close to each other, which makes life a lot easier.
2. Reconnoitre first. Try doing a lap of the display area first and note some things that you would like to spend more time with later on. There is nothing worse than someone coming up to you after the show spouting the joys of something you somehow didn’t know was even there.
3. If it’s warbirds you want, come on the public days. Tuesday through Thursday are for industry only, and there is not a lot of interest in antiques and warbirds, so the best ones are only there for the public Friday to Sunday.
4. Come prepared with good equipment to support what you want to do. If you intend to spend the day at the crowd line, get a good chair and plenty of water. If walking around is your thing, deep-six the chair, but have good, comfortable shoes; it’s a long day on your feet.
5. Don’t forget the exposition halls. There is some really good stuff on display and you might even get to play with some very sophisticated sims and other equipment.
6. If you can, think about flying in. The line of traffic down Geelong Road can be very frustrating, so why not put yourself above all that? Just check the AIP and notams first.
7. Arrive at the show gates early. It will make parking easier and give you time to have a look at the static displays before the flying program starts.
8. Engage the stall holders. Talk to them, sit in their aeroplanes, immerse yourself completely in the atmosphere of the airshow. You’re there to talk flying, so don’t pass up the opportunity.
9. Don’t buy anything in the days leading up to Avalon. Many suppliers of aviation kit have airshow specials going, and you might pick up something at a good discount.
10. Check out the website before you go www.airshow.net.au. It will give you a heads-up on what to expect and help you plan ahead.
May your gauges always be in the green,
Hitch