Sport Aircraft Association of Australia (SAAA) National Councillor Russell Ford today reiterated that the main theme of Ausfly is to bring all sectors of general aviation together in one spot.
Speaking with Australian Flying ahead of Ausfly, which runs from 15-17 September at Narromine, Ford said that a COVID-enforced two-year hiatus for the event was fueling an enthusiasm to gather once again,
"This is the first opportunity for a lot of us post-COVID to be able to go somewhere and meet under one banner, where you've got interest right though from home-building to professional aviating in the one place," he said. "We're finally going to get together, and that's terrific."
The last Ausfly in 2019 attracted about 200 aircraft to the parking area, and a similar number of cars in the carpark. According to the SAAA, the 2022 event could eclipse those figures.
"We missed a couple of years with COVID, but we're back now, and we have nearly 250 respondents and industry, and we have a lot of public roll-up on the days, so it's looking quite promising. The numbers are now better than we had in 2019.
"We had thought the numbers would be about the same as 2019, but there's probably more interest now coming out of COVID than before.
"We've also got some good hightlights such as Matt Hall's flying display that are attracting a few people as well."
Although the Saturday afternoon isscheduled to be dominated by a flying display for both the aviation community and the general public, the balance of Ausfly is dedicated to an industry exhibition and a program of seminars ranging from CASA and AOPA Australia updates to EFB and technical seminars.
Ford says the seminar program is one of the main tools used to draw people to Ausfly.
"We asked for feedback from our members about what they're after in terms of seminars,' he explained. "We've only just recently done a survey, and whether it's about construction techniques or rules-based procedures, we try to construct the seminars to best suit the members.
"That's the way we attract people to Ausfly, so it's important that we get that right."
Although the SAAA takes the lead on Ausfly on most levels, the event is actually organised by the Australian General Aviation Alliance (AGAA), which is a co-operative initiative of the SAAA, AOPA Australia and the Aviation Maintenance Repair and Overhaul Business Association (AMROBA).
"There has always been a pretty good relationship there," Ford pointed out. "There have been some challenges in co-ordination leading up to this event whilst COVID has been happening. The relationship is building again now that we're coming out and I hope that we can push forward and act as one industry.
"If we can be representative of the industry rather than just the SAAA, we're probably ticking all the boxes. We try to encourage a broader aviation group to participate; to get strength in numbers and drive efficiencies when we can."
According to Ford, one of the highlights of Ausfly 2022 is the culmination of a project of the SAAA's Young Aviators program.
"We have a good level of interest in the Young Aviators' program," he said. "That's where young enthusiasts have been building aeroplanes with schools, and there is a high level of interest in that younger group nowadays. "People can come to Ausfly to see the result of what a number of schools around Australia have put together over the past two or three years.
"That's culminating at Narromine where we'll see the Van's RV12 they've put together."
Ford calls on the aviation community to show-up to Narromine next week, emphasising that aviators of all types are welcome and may find something on the program to pique their interest.
"Ausfly is an opportunity to come and see what's current in the broader aviation world, whether it's to do with CASA rulesets, building techniques, technical information, ADS-B surveillance; there's a number of different opportunities to come together in one place.
"And that applies not just to sport aircraft. Whether you're recreational aircraft or general aviation; you might fly a balloon, you might fly a parachute.
"It doesn't matter, there is always something there for everyone at Ausfly and it's important that we get the message across that we're trying to be as one and bring everyone together in one place."