We got wet. That is the first thing that springs to mind about the 2009 Avalon Airshow. It was only a few minutes after leaving the car that it started to rain, and for two hours it was either raining or raining harder. Damped spirits would be an easy way to put things, spirits we washed out, drowned, in turmoil – all fixed by some hot chips.

I have put the images up here, just in case you’d like to look at the pictures and not read – ie, if your not in the mood for a long winded description.

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Photos taken by my brothers camera. Taken by assorted photographers, including Thomas, Roger, Byron, Wally and myself.

We left rather early for the Airshow this year, planning on checking out all the static displays before camping out and watching the show. I tweeted about the early getting up, and even about getting there – everything was looking grand, when things were taken down a notch, not by the weather but by my phone.

The three boys had joined us this year, all very excited to see some planes and when we had spent over an hour in the rain, with no planes flying, when we decided to head for the pavilion. They had them closed, obviously the one big undercover area of the show is where people headed in the rain – so they had kept everyone out. Quite a few people were crammed under the roof, and the boys and myself were undercoved, hiding out. Pa and the guys had gone for a walk, because standing in the rain isn’t much better than walking in the rain.

So after a while restlessness ensued, so we decided to go find the guys. At some stage during that, my phone had decided to find a loop and continue in that. Getting to the ‘turn phone on’ bit and resetting itself. So we were at the airshow with no contact with the guys – and they had the food. The bys were on the edge of cracking it, so we called a pitstop, grabbed two buckets of chips, and ate something warm.

It was fantastic, warm food in the rain. The boys got cherpier and my wallet lighter, $5 a bucket of chips. Ouch.

We went back to the tent, to see if the guys were going to come looking for us, but alas, they didn’t. So we asked one person to borrow their phone, and called. No answer. We walked out to watch some planes, that was exciting. And borrow another phone. Called and no answer. So I called home and left a message to get someone to call the guys at the airshow to come get us.

Finally they did and we enjoyed the day.

Highlights. The B-1b’s takeoff was just amazing, the sound of the four engines was just insane. Even better was when it had got past us and the wind blowing on us was warm – I had never had that happen before.

The four hornets were grand – its about time we saw some Aussie guys doing formation flying in high-powered aircraft.

The Super Hornet looked huge for some reason, I thought we had been moved closer to the airstrip. It was the same with the C-17, looked massive.

The F-16 as always was a highlight, even though the didn’t to the high altitude manuvers.

But the closing F-18 Hornet, I don’t know, it was great to see that thing been thrown around like it was. I am unsure if the pilot had been doing flying in the Super Hornet, but it was been thrown around like no-ones business.

I am so glad we got to stick around, get past the rain and enjoy the rest of the day. Being wet is one thing, but running away from an airshow that comes around every two years is another. Via la Airshow.