Crisis a world away from Avalon’s airshow city

Andrew Mathieson
THE financial crisis gripping many industries around the globe seems a world away from the upcoming Avalon Airshow.
Organisers yesterday boasted of expanding the airshow site more than 50 per cent for the March event from 10,720 to 16,120 square metres to buck gloomy trends amid the impact of the crisis on businesses and job cuts.
The organisers unveiled work on creating an “airshow city”, including the erection of 292 temporary buildings, the use of 72 portables, 62 toilet blocks, a further 95 portaloos and 68 on-site generators.
Workers have poured more than 1500 tonnes of crushed rock and 720 tonnes of asphalt to build the exhibition pad site.
Airshow spokesperson Laureen Deale marvelled at the scale of the project.
“The airshow city is, effectively, when we say a city, a massive structure of buildings and pavilions, chalet lines and grandstands,” Ms Deale said.
“You almost have to see it from the air to understand how big it is.”
Construction of the site started in July, with organisers expecting finishing touches to be complete just days before the international event from March 10 to 15.
“To be honest, we can’t even estimate the number of hours that has gone into it,” Ms Deale said.
Ongoing interest from exhibitors had prompted the increase in the size of the biennial airshow this year, she said.
Ticket sales were also in line with the same period before airshows in recent years.
Ms Deale said the Avalon Airshow had been fortunate to have so far escaped the worst impacts of the financial crisis.
“Obviously, economic times are uncertain at the moment and we’re certainly monitoring the potential impacts on the airshow for 2009 very closely,” she said.
“We’re very comfortable at the moment and, because the airshow is an event that is planned well in advance, a lot of exhibitors have also planned their attendance well in advance.
“We’re already established on the international industry calendar.”