There is only a few wake-ups now until Avalon 2015 gets underway. Naturally, my inbox is taking a beating from PR departments. If they're any indication, Avalon is going to be a pretty comprehensive collection of everything aviation. There are a couple of highlights in the general aviation sector that alone would be worth coming for: the new Cessna M2 and TTx Corvalis come to mind as do the Sling 4, Cirrus SF50 Vision mock-up and TBM 900. The line-up of LSAs also looks like there's little missing with Tecnam, Brumby, Evektor, Jabiru, Just Aircraft, Pioneer and Foxbat all booking space.
Of course, there's a lot more to see than just the GA stuff, and lists of all aircraft scheduled for display are on the air show website.
Tentative Flying Program (use at your own risk!)
When you get a chance, drop in to see the Australian Flying team in the exposition halls. We're in Hall 2 Stand 2L1, just inside the main hall entrance to the right. A great spot to be and so easy to find!
Matt Hall came oh, so close to getting his first Red Bull Air Race win in Dubai last weekend. Beaten out of first place by a trifling 8/100ths of a second! Naturally, Matt was a tad disappointed, but the result was not enough to belt the optimism out of him. It's a long way now until the second race in Chiba, Japan, but he has more reason now than ever to think his team is on the cusp of a maiden win.
For the team at Angel Flight, the weeks since CASA released its discussion paper into community service flights must have felt like they had a spectre haunting them from the shadows. The decision by Mark Skidmore last week to kill the concept of demanding self-administering organisations has shooed-away the ghost, and according to CEO Marjorie Pagani has given them certainty for the future. Most notable was Pagani's contention that CASA already has oversight of private operations, which Angel Flight missions are, and that should be enough.
The Sport Aircraft Association of Australia has brought Ausfly forward one week to ensure Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss can attend. The does put it on a collision course with Fathers' Day on the Sunday, but obviously the SAAA thinks having Truss attend Ausfly is worth taking the risk that some fathers will stay home. As most politicians are notoriously unreliable when attending events not guaranteed to garner many votes, we have to hope this doesn't backfire on Ausfly.
May your gauges always be in the green,
Hitch