Australian International Air Show

@ Avalon Airport

Australian International Air Show 2009, a massive airshow. 400-500 aircraft on static displays, and flying displays that lasted for more than 5 hours. Arrived at Avalon airport in the morning but was greeted by dark cloud and strong wind, which eventually rain. Was just started with the static display when it rain, stayed in sheltered area for 2 hours before the rain stopped. The flying displays started as soon as the rain stopped, and it ended about one hour before the airshow closing time. Missed most of the static displays. However, just for the flying displays, I managed to snapped 700+ photographs. My Alpha-700 had withstood more than 6 hours of light patchy rain, which is still working fine.

Viewing the flying displays was mind-blowing experience as the airplanes were landing and taking off about 75 metres away from you.

Just to give an idea where Avalon Airport is located.

Watchkeeper Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicle by Thales

Strong wind & dark cloud and you know what happen next...

Just to illustrate how close it is between the view area and the runway where the aircraft land and take-off.

C-130 performing a low fly pass with the loadmaster waving to the crowd.

C-130 approaching at steep angle to simulate landing during combat.

Australian Army Aviation's Black Hawk low fly pass with Australian Commandos.

Australian Commandos fast-roping from Black Hawk

F/A-18A Hornet flying display.

F/A-18A Hornet flying display.

F-16 Fighting Falcon with afterburner.

F-16 Fighting Falcon touching down.

Guess what the pilot is doing while he lands!

1950s Lockheed Super Constellation owned and restored by Historical Aircraft Restoration Society(HARS).

F/A-18F Super Hornet preparing to take-off.

F/A-18F Super Hornet taking-off.

F/A-18F Super Hornet performing a low fly pass while retracting its landing gear.

F/A-18F Super Hornet

F/A-18F Super Hornet

F/A-18F Super Hornet landing.

One big fat aircraft, C-17 Globemaster III, not very photogenic from this angle.

F-111 Aardvark taking-off.

F-111 Aardvark taking-off on full power, the sound was incredible!

F-111 Aardvark performing a low speed fly pass with the wind slightly swept.

F-111 Aardvark performing a high speed fly pass with the wind swept, while performing dump-and-burn.

F-111 Aardvark performing dump-and-burn.

F-111 Aardvark performing a low speed fly pass with the wind slightly swept.

F-111 Aardvark performing dump-and-burn.

F-111 Aardvark landing.

F-111 Aardvark has a cockpit with side-by-side seating.

B-1 Lancer preforming a 180° turn at the end of the runway. Also known as "BONE" because B-ONE.

B-1 Lancer taking-off producing huge amount of heat and sound.

B-1 Lancer performing low speed fly pass with the wind unswept.


B-1 Lancer performing high speed fly pass with the wind swept.

B-1 Lancer with afterburner.

B-1 Lancer is the last variable-sweep wing aircraft remaining in U.S. military.

B-1 Lancer landing.

Jet pack demonstration. It is powered by hydrogen peroxide which has a max flight time between 30 and 45 seconds.

Jet Star plane landing. The Avalon airport hosted the airshow but never stop their normal operations. So commercial airplane arrive and depart while the airshow is going on.

Professional photographers at the other of the runway. 3 from Canon camp VS one Nikon guy.

Mike from Monster Inc aslo visited the airshow!