All new Aldinga Airshow promises thrills and inspiration
The Aldinga Airfield will host the biggest civilian airshow in South Australia on Sunday, with organisers hoping it will inspire people to take up flying.
Red Bull pilot Matt Hall will headline the Aldinga Airshow.
Red Bull pilot Matt Hall will headline the event which will feature near non-stop flying and aerobatic displays from 10:30am to 4pm.
This is the first event of its kind to be held at the Aldinga Airfield.
“I’ve been to air shows all around the world and Aldinga is certainly a very special and beautiful backdrop,” Hall said.
Airshow organiser Patrick Normoyle said the amateur and professional pilots participating in the displays range from teenagers to those in their 80s. Four of the pilots are women.
“It’s giving girls and young people the idea and the hope that ‘I could’, it’s not just a dream,” Normoyle said. “You can learn to fly.”
Matt Hall and colleague Emma MacDonald are bringing two Red Bull aerobatic aircrafts to Aldinga.
Three $5000 scholarships with local flying schools will be on offer, with recipients to be announced at the Airshow.
Normoyle is excited for “three young people to start their flying career and get to a certain point where they can fly the aeroplane on their own in the training environment”.
Visitors can experience the Royal Flying Doctors Service Simulator and the F4 Phantom Jet Cockpit displays and get up close and personal with other aircraft while chatting with the pilots.
Paid helicopter rides will operate throughout the day as well.
The event has plenty of grounded entertainment, including a jumping castle, farm animals, and stallholders providing food, drink and local products.
“Everyone will have something that they’ll really enjoy,” Normoyle said.
“Come down and enjoy the aviation spectacular, savour the local food and wine, there’s freebies, rides, thrills, Air Force cadets, Scouts – you name it, it’s all happening at Aldinga Airshow.”
Red Bull pilots Matt Hall and Emma MacDonald will perform solo and their formation two-ship display.
“We will be flying at speeds up to 400kph and between -4G and +12G, so it’s pretty dynamic flying to witness,” Hall said.
They’ll be joined by Paul Bennet Airshows, The Silver Sharks aerobatic team and local flying legend Chris Sperou.
Sperou is a 13-time Australian Aerobatic Champion, performing this year at the age of 84 in his Super Stinker aircraft.
Alecia Hayes, 17, will also take to the skies in her grandfather’s 1978 Bellanca Citabria. She completed her first airshow display at 16.
“If we can inspire even 20 people to consider any aspect of aviation, that would be fantastic,” Normoyle said.
The Aldinga Airshow is happening at the Aldinga Airfield on Sunday, 7 April. Tickets start from $30 per adult, $15 per child and $75 for a family. Children under 5 years are free.
