Avalon airshow numbers just keep on flying
THE three industry trade days at this year’s Avalon airshow reported a total attendance of 38,952, an increase of more than 5000 on 2017’s event.
The Australian International Airshow and Aerospace and Defence Expo set new exhibitor and attendance records, attracting 698 participating companies and 161 official industry and government delegations.
By comparison, in 2017 there were 664 participating companies, 158 delegations and a total attendance of 33,922.
The fleet of 371 aircraft on display this year was also a new record, as were the 2591 attendances at 36 associated industry conferences, seminars and briefings, which covered topics from airport development to business aviation, law enforcement aerial operations, defence aviation maintenance and unmanned systems.
Visiting delegations and guests included 15 service chiefs, nine national armament directors and 24 Chief of Air Force representatives, from 30 countries. There were 94 military aircraft in attendance from six nations.
Attendances across the entire event, held at Avalon Airport, totalled 171,830.
And while weekend hot weather softened public attendance figures compared with the 2017 event, the 132,878 public day attendances in 2019 were in line with the Airshow’s historical average.
Avalon 2019 “firsts” included the inaugural Space Industry Association of Australia Reaching for the Stars — Growing Australia’s Space Economy conference and the first Australian Helicopter Industry Association “Rotortalk” conference. The event also provided a Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths education platform for more than 1700 students.
Avalon 2019 chief executive Ian Honnery said the airshow provided a dynamic platform for interaction between industry, government, academia and defence and “once again it showcased Australian industry to the world”.
Mr Honnery said ongoing support from the Royal Australian Air Force, the State Government and the City of Greater Geelong had contributed to the event’s position as one of the world’s great airshows and global business events.