Airshow celebrates centenary of aviation

NATIONAL Aerobatic Champion Paul Bennet will take to the skies over Nhill Aerodrome during celebrations to honour the town’s century of flight on Saturday, 2 November.

Bennet enthralled crowds at Avalon earlier this year with breathtaking aerobatics by his Sky Aces team.

A crammed Nhill Airshow program includes aerobatics, sky-diving and vintage aircraft displays.

Nhill Aerodrome, is the venue for the spectacular event expected to attract about 4500 people. Sky diving is available all weekend along with Tiger Moth, helicopter and DC3 joy flights.

The program also includes displays of vintage cars, military vehicles and flight simulators, as well as photographic displays, a community market, fashion parade and food stalls.

Airshow Secretary Jenny Creek said more than 100 recreational planes are expected to fly in, including an original DC3 from Essendon Airport.

In November 1919 a de Havilland 6 landed in a paddock on the outskirts of Nhill to the delight of onlookers. Later, famous aviators including Charles Kingsford Smith, Bert Hinkler and Amy Johnson stopped off at the town. During World War Two the aerodrome became a RAAF Base as part of an Empire Air Training Scheme, and later an airline passenger terminal. It is now home to Nhill Aero Club, Nhill Aviation Heritage Centre, an emergency aircraft base and recreational craft.

Airshow Visitors will have free access to the Heritage Centre to browse displays of Nhill’s rich aviation history. Gates would open at 9am visit nhillairshow.com.au or call 0417 014 278 for more information.