A mass flypast over Sydney this Sunday, 11 May, will mark 100 years since the first seaplane flight in Australia.
Seaplanes will gather east of the entry to Sydney Harbour at about 0845 and around 0900 will enter the heads in groups according to performance. They will fly along the northern shore of the harbour and make a turn at the Harbour Bridge and fly down the southern shore of the harbour.
At Rose Bay the aircraft will all make at least one missed approach and the larger aircraft will touch down at Rose Bay and taxi to the beach.
Aircraft expected to make the flypast include Super Petrels, Searays, Lake Buccaneers, and a Cessna 180. Sydney Seaplanes is also expected to send their Cessna Caravan amphibian along.
Formalities to mark the occasion are planned for the shore at Rose Bay, including the French Consul-General, M Berti, and representatives of local government and the aircraft groups that are involved.
The first seaplane to fly in Australia belonged to Lebbeus Hordern, of the family who had established Anthony Hordern and sons, the largest department store in Australia.
He imported a Maurice Farman seaplane and in May 1914 visiting French aviator Maurice Guillaux and his team assembled the aircraft and flew it from a specially built facility at Bay Street, Double Bay.