O.P.
PARKING!!!! PARKING!!!! PARKING!!!!
Major changes since 2023:
Not free anymore (and in previous years it was $10)
MUST buy prebooked via Ticketek. If you dont have a pre booked ticket and after arguing with the staff at the gate you will be told to go away
Only limited spots at the gate parks at $65 a pop plus booking fee.
2 Park and ride spots near the highway with shuttle bus to the gate. If you come from Melbourne you park on the west side and vice a versa for Geelong. $35 plus booking fee per car.
Follow the signs and not your GPS.
Option is to catch a train to Lara and get a shuttle bus from there.
They hope with dedicated lanes that people wont be forced to walk from the train station or wait hours to get out of the car park – still will happen biut.
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That’s insane
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Would love to go, but the hassle of getting there is not worth it. Easier to just rock up to Darwin RAAF open day, and stay for the Mindil beach display
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GA ticket has gone up $10 from last show as well.
Looking at between $135 – $170 before you even walk through the gate.
Probably better value to book a cheap jetstar flight and watch from the terminal
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Looks like parking is no longer included for Gold Pass tickets either.
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this post was edited
Midnight_Poet writes...
Looks like parking is no longer included for Gold Pass tickets either.
Nor is early entry on Friday plus the stands are further back again.
News has been a bit light on attendees though. But then it is about a month later than last time. Unsurprisngly the F22 is confirmed, plus the RAAF contingent is standard but less seem to be flying (Wedgetail isn't for example).
Rumours are flying that the F15EX is coming. Only hint is that the organisers have said a US aircraft that hasn't been before is coming. F15EX fits that bill, but others could be F35 (as the US haven't sent any F35 to Avalon) and the B2 of course (which there are always rumours about..hopefully one day will come true), plus a few other aircraft...
But I think F15EX seems most likely given how hard Boeing is trying to sell it. Plus Boeing do have a two aircraft demo team now. Also, Boeing have sent the Super Hornet before (granted that Aus was buying them which isn't on the cards for the F15EX). Anyhow we won't have too long to find out for sure.
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O.P.
B2 needs a lot of preparation before take off? Probably a flyby only
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Andypandy writes...
Probably a flyby only
If by some small chance it does come, then I think that is most likely. Like the B52 flyby last time...Well, B52s have been on static at Avalon airshow though. Just AFAIK they haven't done a flyby etc at Avalon when departing from Avalon.
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Subscribing. Planning on going again this year, I haven't missed one yet...
Andypandy writes...
MUST buy prebooked via Ticketek. If you dont have a pre booked ticket and after arguing with the staff at the gate you will be told to go away
I can't find this specified on their website, am I missing something? They do say pre-book, but they don't say turn-ups will be refused – is it just that the only way to get in is via pre-booked parking or shuttle? Like to avoid Ticketek/Ticketmaster due to fees but probably can't any more.
I'm thinking I'll go shuttle, am coming down from central Vic. Last time I parked at the Lara VLine station and shuttled in from there.
Seems like it's not a bad idea to re-jig the parking situation, it's terrible to get in/out of the facility. But this now makes it a fair bit more expensive day.
dougals writes...
Rumours are flying that the F15EX is coming.
Would be great to see one. They've had the F-15 a few times, mainly in the mid-2000s. I vaguely recall watching it fly, it's great to watch but the EX would be a bit different. Wish they would get an F-14 out of retirement and fly it, or just ask the Iranians to come! haha. Seems the military lineup is reduced this year, but there's still a month to go. They have been quiet on announcements, I'm subscribed to their emails but only get the occasional "buy tickets" emails. Glad to see the F-16 still on the flight display lineup, though.
I'm unsure about bringing camp chairs, but so many people do and it must be nice and comfy. But then you need to lug them around to go look at static displays, get food, etc.
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resonance writes...
Wish they would get an F-14 out of retirement and fly it
I don't believe anyone other than Iran has any, IIRC the US destroyed all the airframes and key parts, right down to the engineering drawings and tooling once they retired them.
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As usual there's rumours still flying around. No official word on the F15EX. But still living in hope it does come.
So far the lineup is certainly down on previous years. There's a fair few Aussie military aircraft that usually fly are listed as only static this time. E.g Wedgetail, nothing Aussie army, C17. This means the usual combined forces display won't be happening. Which is a real shame as that's often a highlight.
Plus HARS is not there at all, and generally less historic aircraft. I've always liked the historic aircraft, especially jets like Sabre, Canberra, Dragonfly... So a real shame.
Other military is only static, A300, RNZAF 757 and C130J, US Apache, Singapore Chinook (so far no word of RSAF jets). Would have been great to get RNZAF flying displays... Even better would be RSAF jets flying. But IIRC the only time that ever happened was the two F16s from their aerobatic team. Plus I live in hope will see an Apache fly.. Best chance is 2027 with an Aussie one.
Having said that, there's still a good lineup of fighter jets. F35, Super Hornet, F-16, F22.
We're less than a month out so there's still more time for further announcements. But whilst it's still a good enough lineup to still go I think, it's certainly looking down on previous years.
One thing on my mind, with the cost cutting carnage in the US now. I wouldn't be surprised if there's a last minute cancellation by all US military... Hopefully not, but it's a possibility...
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Having previously flown down from BNE using my QF points to attend the Airshow and obtained free parking with our Gold Passes, my wife and I were looking forward to visiting Melbourne again this year.
However, with the cost of parking now excluded this year from Gold Passes and the delay in opening the gate on Friday until 12noon, we will give it a miss and spend our money attending the Pacific Airshow on the Gold Coast from 15 – 17 August this year.
It will be a lot cheaper.
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It does seem that the F15EX isn’t coming now. That is a shame. So far, the list of aircraft doing displays (which really is why people go to air shows) is quite a lot lower than previous shows. I guess a sign of the times….pay more for less.
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this post was edited
I last went to the air show in maybe 2011, so I'm looking forward to it.
Back then parking was a nightmare. I had four people in my car and it took well over an hour to get out of the car park. Not moving for 10 minutes was common.
This time I plan to catch the train from Southern Cross to Lara and walk to the show. Any problems with that plan? I hope 5000 people won't have the same idea and I'll need to wait hours for a train.
EDIT: Okay, just checked Google Maps. It says a 7.6km walk. Yeah, no. Shuttle bus it is.
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cluster2 writes...
I had four people in my car and it took well over an hour to get out of the car park. Not moving for 10 minutes was common.
I use the end of the show after the displays to wander around the static displays. It does mean can't go inside anything, but I don't really care about that. Do this for an hour to hour and a half. Then go to car. By the time that is all up the insanity of the traffic leaving has usually subsided. Not totally, but enough to have enough flow to leave without too much stress.
On Friday evening the viewing statics is not so practical. So I just have a snooze in the car, or read a book until it looks like cars are moving ok. That also usually takes at least an hour.
Whilst I get home a little later, at least I am not spending the hour or so just sitting in a jam with engine running. Much less stressful.
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dougals writes...
I guess a sign of the times….pay more for less.
Like I said.. if you want to see fighter jets, RAAF Darwin Open Day and Mindil beach.. last year also had a good selection of EU aircraft as well as US. Was awesome and costs way less than the airshow.
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Psuedo writes...
RAAF Darwin Open Day and Mindil beach.. last year also had a good selection of EU aircraft as well as US. Was awesome and costs way less than the airshow.
Would love to go there to see that. But I live in Melbourne...not Darwin. So the total cost of seeing that is far, far in excess of what I pay for Avalon. e.g flights, accom etc.
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dougals writes...
So the total cost of seeing that is far, far in excess of what I pay for Avalon. e.g flights, accom etc.
Yeah fair point.. I was just making the point though on number of aircraft vs what you pay for. RAAF Darwin Open Day there was nearly 40 different jets on the tarmac to check out, and 30 or so on the beach flying display. Was pretty impressive.
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Psuedo writes...
I was just making the point though on number of aircraft vs what you pay for
Oh yes, you are totally correct on that. Well, if looking at jet fighters purely. Avalon has a much wider variety of aircraft. I am primarily interested in the fighters. But I do like seeing pretty well everything there...well, that flies. Such as transports, choppers, civilian aerobatics, historic aircraft and so on. I do like the good mix Avalon has...I just wish this year Avalon would have more flying displays.
Maybe next Pitch Black I will head up there for a week to see the comings and goings etc. It is something I have wanted to do for some time.
Many years ago I lived in the UK at a place that was right under the low flying route used by RAF, USAF etc. So on a daily basis we would get Tornado, Jaguar, F15s, A10s etc fly over at tree top height. Plus the F15s would sometimes be doing their dogfighting in the skies above the farm. That was never boring ;)
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Just been an announcement that the USAF C17 is performing. But also that's the last aircraft announcement.
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