Wings over Illawarra (WOI), the largest air show held in the Sydney basin, will return in late April with substantial support from Australia's warbird, antique and defence communities, illustrating the importance the aviation community and the government put on the event.
Scheduled for the weekend of 30 April - 1 May at Illawarra Regional Airport (Albion Park) near Wollongong, the provisional line-up of display aircraft includes some of the best aircraft doing the air show rounds in Australia today.
Albion Park is home to the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS), so naturally the flying program includes some of their larger multi-engine aeroplanes such as the Super Constellation, Consolidated PBY Catalina and old-favourite DHC-4 Caribou.
Temora Aviation Museum is set to commit their Mark VIII Spitfire, Boomerang and Cessna A-37B Dragonfly and Paul Bennet Air Shows looks like bringing the best part of their inventory, with the Wolf Pitts, Grumman Avenger and Sky Aces routine set to have the crowd stretching their necks.
It looks like being a challenge between Bennet and Matt Hall's Extra 300 to see who can put on the most stunning performance, with a draw the likely result.
One machine that is only just starting its display career in Australia is also scheduled for WOI: the Raptor Aviation Focke-Wulf FW-190. A genuine Luftwaffe warbird, the 190 served in Europe towards the end of WWII. It was brought to Australia in July last year and now resides in Albury. Such a valuable addition to the air show circuit in this country cannot be over-estimated.
Several privately-run warbirds in CAC Mustangs, Harvards, L-39 Albatross, the Russian Roulettes, CAC CA-27 Sabre and Yaks will round out a very comprehensive line-up.
On the ground, HARS is also expected to open up some static aircraft for public access. This remarkable collection consists of the most iconic aircraft to see service in Australia: F-111, Hawker Hunter, Canberra, Douglas DC-4, C-47, Grumman Tracker and their latest pride-of-the-fleet, Boeing 747-400 VH-OJA.
And as with all air shows, there are promises of a significant defence contingent, but they just can't say what at the moment. Commitments and security come first, but for such a significant show so close to Williamtown and Richmond, the audience is assured of a pretty good show.
WOI has been plagued the last two years with bad weather that has made the full program impossible to achieve. In 2014 crosswinds of up to 40 knots ruined the show as most aircraft couldn't get airborne, and last year drenching rain made the ground unsafe.
Organisers Bright Events have persisted, and most certainly deserve a bumper year for WOI 2016. Certainly the flying schedule is of a quality high enough to attract a huge crowd.
For more information, go the Wings over Illawarra website.