Avalon 2023

[nuuumannn]

Hi Guys, aside from a busy summer on placement and study season well underway, I stole some time away to Australia to go to the Avalon Airshow. I was working there and was a guest of several major aerospace companies, including Airbus, Dassault and Honeywell, which I'll detail in later posts. Anyway, on with the show. From the 28th February through to 2nd March were trade days only, with public days being 3rd to the 5th March. I spent the trade days working, so didn't do much airshow watching or photography, although I met with a mate on 2nd March for a photo session in the afternoon. Saturday 4th March I was able to spend time photographing, as I left the airshow on Sunday, and I'll go into that in a separate post.

A synopsis of the airshow, firstly. For those of you not sure, Avalon is an aerospace industry exposition, like Farnborough or Paris, with the major industry firms being represented, with the RAAF taking centre stage and using the event as a marketing tool. For a major airshow of this nature, the flying display was disappointing, despite there being a quantity of fast jets and heavy military material to keep lovers of that stuff interested. By far the highlight was the USAF F-22, followed by the Republic of Korea Air Force Black Eagles aerobatic display team. There was a good reason why RoKAF took the Black Eagles to Avalon, the RAAF is looking at replacing its Hawk 127 fast jet trainers and KAI is marketing the T-50 Golden Eagle, publicly announcing a sale of the type to Poland during the show. Boeing spoke of the T-7A Red Hawk but missed a trick in not even shipping the static mock-up it took to Paris in 2019. Anyway, the flying comprised a lot of civil aerobatic displays, which leave me disinterested, so I avoided those and picked out times for breaks when they were on. Mine, and seemingly everyone else I spoke to's biggest complaint was the lack of warbird content, just a rather tame fly-by by a Spitfire and P-51, although there were a few light military trainers and an English Electric Canberra, which was great to see. This was disappointing as Australia has a big warbirds contingent and they all shied away from Avalon like the plague - insider talk speaks of airshow management being responsible for that. Anyway, some flying photos spread across the two different days when I was able to get out and use my camera.

USAF F-22:

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The image sizings are a bit odd as they are done that way for instagram, yes, I'm one of those, now... IG tag #that_tall_fella_with_the_hat

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In conjunction with Lockheed Martin, the RAAF brought out its F-35s at every opportunity. A small selection.

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I haven't been through all my Superbug images yet, but this was a popular view.

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The Royal Australian Navy had a starring role in demonstrating its MH-60R Romeos, with the NH/MRH-90 Taipans getting a lot of bad press at the moment as air forces around the world abandon the type. The army had a single Taipan in the static, whereas the navy has gotten rid of the type altogether.

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More to come...

 

[nuuumannn]

Next, the Koreans demonstrated a flair for the dramatic as the only foreign aerobatic display team. The RoKAF Black Eagles made a big splash and were rapturously received, displaying every day of the show. The overcast weather highlighted the colour of their routine, I think.

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And now for something different. The RAAF is retiring its C-130Js and the government announced a requirement to replace them, to which it has openly demonstrated a preference for the C-130J (!), naturally, but that hasn't stopped Airbus from bringing two A400Ms to the show and making a song and dance about the type - I spent an afternoon as a guest of the firm and got dragged around the two aircraft, speaking with both Luftwaffe and Royal Malaysian Air Force personnel about the type - , but an unexpected challenger appeared from left of field... Not for the first time, the Japan Air Self-Defence Force brought a Kawasaki C-2 transport to the show, which is currently being marketed by the firm in the hope of foreign sales. It made a good comparison with the USAF C-17, which performed a routine, but whom I have yet to produce images of, and here it is.

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Still more to come...

 

[rochie]

wow Grant, great shots mate

 

[nuuumannn]

wow Grant, great shots mate

Cheers mate, thanks. Been experimenting with different colours, tones etc during editing.

 

[rochie]

second F/A 18 shot is a winner !

 

[nuuumannn]

One of the big highlights for me was the Canberra, a big bird with a big personality, and while it didn't have the whizz bang of the fast jets, it was graceful and menacing looking in the dull sky with its Viet Nam-era RAAF colour scheme. This aircraft is not an Australian built B.20 and never served with the RAAF, it was built by Handley Page and spent its entire career with the RAF. Still, it looks great in Aussie markings.

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The flying display comprised of fast and slow flypasts, nothing too strenuous for this old girl.

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Beautiful Cyclone-engined DC-3 did some charter flights, bringing guests to the venue from Melbourne International Airport.

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The only Kiwi participation wasn't participation at all, the RNZAF brought its B757 with a load of folk aboard and parked at the Avalon passenger terminal, not even partaking in the display as it had done at previous Avalons.

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That's it for now. I have yet to do more flying display photos, but I'll knock out some static aircraft here in the mean time. See yas from the Southern Hemisphere...

 

[Snautzer01]

Nice series.

 

[Airframes]

I agree, great selection of pics Grant.

 

[GTX]

I was there for the trade days but it was all work with virtually no time for looking at aircraft.

A synopsis of the airshow, firstly. For those of you not sure, Avalon is an aerospace industry exposition, like Farnborough or Paris, with the major industry firms being represented, with the RAAF taking centre stage and using the event as a marketing tool.

Avalon is the biggest Air show / Aerospace trade event in Australia

There was a good reason why RoKAF took the Black Eagles to Avalon, the RAAF is looking at replacing its Hawk 127 fast jet trainers and KAI is marketing the T-50 Golden Eagle, publicly announcing a sale of the type to Poland during the show. Boeing spoke of the T-7A Red Hawk but missed a trick in not even shipping the static mock-up it took to Paris in 2019. _DSC3710 ig

AIR6002 is the Hawk Replacement project but it has essentially been postponed until the EO the decade following the decision to upgrade the Hawks with new engines. Thereof KAI are somewhat premature with their T-50 push. The T-7 is still likely to be the favourite. Decision probably won't be made until 2030ish with aircraft not expected until 2032ish.

The RAAF is retiring its C-130Js and the government announced a requirement to replace them, to which it has openly demonstrated a preference for the C-130J (!), naturally, but that hasn't stopped Airbus from bringing two A400Ms to the show and making a song and dance about the type

The RAAF/Govt has already decided to acquire 24 new C-130Js - announced last year.

Nice photos BTW

 

[Gnomey]

Good shots Grant!

 

[nuuumannn]

Avalon is the biggest Air show / Aerospace trade event in Australia

I know, I was there and have been reporting on this stuff for awhile now.

AIR6002 is the Hawk Replacement project but it has essentially been postponed until the EO the decade following the decision to upgrade the Hawks with new engines. Thereof KAI are somewhat premature with their T-50 push. The T-7 is still likely to be the favourite. Decision probably won't be made until 2030ish with aircraft not expected until 2032ish.

Yes, but the Koreans made it clear that's why they were there.

The RAAF/Govt has already decided to acquire 24 new C-130Js - announced last year.

Yup, I covered that in an article at the time the announcement was made in November, but final comments closed on the 28th February, the first day of the trade show. Airbus oddly are keeping mum about their intentions, but are clearly interested as when the question as put to them, the rep refused to answer directly, he didn't say no, which speaks volumes. The Japanese are the same, the Kawasaki team is hoping to earn sales from the C-2, but, like at Avalon 2019 when it made its first appearance because it was being aimed at the Kiwis looking to replace their C-130Hs, it's a long shot the C-2 will get foreign sales. Given ADF's statement I was curious as to why Airbus were pushing the A400M, but from the way the presentation was worded, it was obvious what was going on.

 

[GTX]

Yes, but the Koreans made it clear that's why they were there.

That may be but some of the people advising them don't have a clue - I speak from personal experience with them.

Airbus oddly are keeping mum about their intentions, but are clearly interested as when the question as put to them, the rep refused to answer directly, he didn't say no, which speaks volumes.

Given ADF's statement I was curious as to why Airbus were pushing the A400M, but from the way the presentation was worded, it was obvious what was going on.

Airbus are desperate given their opportunities in Australia are rapidly vanishing - it is very obvious when you speak to the Airbus folks. The way things are they will either be reduced to being a second tier supplier to the likes of BDA, NG or LM or just purchased outright by one of these for their staff. Even in AIR7404 it looks like Airbus will be sub-tier to LM...if they are lucky.

 

[Micdrow]

Awesome shots there Grant

 

[nuuumannn]

That may be but some of the people advising them don't have a clue - I speak from personal experience with them.



Airbus are desperate given their opportunities in Australia are rapidly vanishing - it is very obvious when you speak to the Airbus folks. The way things are they will either be reduced to being a second tier supplier to the likes of BDA, NG or LM or just purchased outright by one of these for their staff. Even in AIR7404 it looks like Airbus will be sub-tier to LM...if they are lucky.

I have similar personal experience. As for Airbus, indeed that's the case. They don't stand a chance, the A400M, regardless of how hard Airbus push won't get a sale in Australia and won't get a second look through Air 7404. The A400M is suffering supply chain issues and minor mechanical niggles that should be easily rectifiable but press exposure and the UK MoD's own botched procurement programme is contributing to the type's image issue. I attended a brief in the Airbus chalet and spoke with the Luftwaffe and Malay guys about their aircraft, they were keen to talk it up, but I caught one of the Luftwaffe guys asking the A400M project manager if the parts supply backlog was going to change anytime soon, to which I quickly said "I heard that!"