Barossa Airshow 2023

 For the first time since COVID hit, the Barossa Airshow took place on Sunday. It was a good mix of old and new, planes and helicopters, with some regulars and also some unusual planes taking part.  Luckily the rain held off, though it was very blustery making for some interesting flying.

The show was officially opened by the RAAF Roulettes. They were reduced to three aircraft plus a solo display due to sickness but still put on an impressive display.  Later in the show, the Roulettes pilots returned in "Rescue 1" to meet the crowd and sign posters etc.

Displays from an ex British Army Gazelle helicopter, and an Aerotech firebomber were followed by the amphibious Super SeeBee, and the incredible Pitts Super Stinker of Chris Sperou, a former multiple Australian aerobatic champion, still flying well into his eighties!

This was followed by a piper cub (including a one wheeled run), the local aerobatics team "The Silver Sharks", and the Australian built Boomerang fighter from the end of WW2.

 The next contribution was a flypast by an RAAF P-8 Poseidon from RAAF Edinburgh.

Another interesting aircraft was the 1940's vintage Ryan which was evacuated to Australia by the Dutch air force in World War 2. This was followed by a glider from the Adelaide Soaring Club at Gawler, and some De Haviland aircraft including this Chipmunk trainer.

The show was rounded out by a display of competition aerobatics and the Siai Marchetti S.211 fast jet trainer 

The girls at Barossa Helicopters had a busy day with their helicopter rides going for most of the day

A great day. roll on 2025 for the next one

Adelaide International Kite Festival 2023

 The Adelaide International Kite Festival is one of my favourite events.  It has been missing the last couple of years due to COVID, but was back this year.  When I arrived it was nice and sunny, but almost calm.  Slowly the breeze started to increase and a couple of small kites were soon flying

After a while, more and more kites took to the air.  There were traditional shapes:

Lots of sea creatures

Some birds and reptiles

And some mythical dragons

Even Tom and Jerry, SpongeBob SquarePants and a few super heroes made an appearance

By lunchtime to sky was full of kites.

RV Australia Fly-in Goolwa

This morning I drove down to Goolwa (about an hour south of Adelaide) for the RV Australia Fly-in.  

These planes are sold in kit form and shipped to and assembled by the customer.  The company was started by Richard VanGrunsven in a shed in Oregon as a "one-man band" in 1972.  The RV- type numbers refer to his initials. Over 10,000 RV-
aircraft have been assembled all over the world, and the company is now wholly owned by it's 70+ employees. There were examples of many of the aircraft in the range on the ground at Goolwa.

The earliest models were the RV-3 (19-8732) and RV-4 VH-DAX

Some types are available in both tail-dragger and tricycle variants like these RV-6 (VH-YUY) and RV-6A (VH-RHV), and RV-7 (VH-VSR) and RV-7A (VH-XJL)

Later models are the RV-8 (VH-VRV), RV-10 (VH-XIO), RV-12 (19-8207) and RV-14A (VH-VFB)

Aldinga and Adelaide Biplanes

 My last trip down to Aldinga was a bit of a wash out as the airfield and Café was closed

Today it was nice and sunny, so off I went.  The airfield was quite busy with plenty of planes coming and going.  Amongst the planes were a couple of Evektor Harmony light sport planes,  a Vans RV-8 and an Aeronca Champion

Adelaide Biplanes rums the airfield and the café here.  They have a number of vintage aircraft which they use for joy flights.  All of their planes were operating today. They are a Waco Great Lakes, a Waco Classic, a DH-82 Tiger Moth and a Boeing Stearman

Laratinga Wetlands

 The other morning I took a quick trip down the South-Eastern Freeway to Mount Barker and Laratinga Wetlands.  The water levels were still very high and the sun was very bright which reduced the opportunity for photos because of the glare.

I spotted these Pacific Black Ducks resting with one showing off it beautiful blue/green speculum

A little further on i watched an Australian Grebe feeding.  Each time it surfaced the water droplets rolled off it's back.  I couldn't decide between these two photos so you get 2 for the price of 1!

I was hoping to get some photos of the secretive Spotted Crake, but the water was so high it remained hidden behind the grass - seen but not photographed.  There were a couple of Grey Teal resting in the sun. Their speculum is a white and black bar

I haven't been here for a few years, but there was always a Superb Fairy-wren territory by the path, and the bird wasn't scared by people walking past.  Sure enough, there was a male happily feeding by the path, maybe the son or grandson of the bird I saw years ago.

Another regular spot was a partly submerged tree trunk that always had turtles loafing on it. Only one this time, a Maquarie Turtle

I won't leave it so long before my next visit