Avalon Airshow and Land Forces both postponed

The Australian International Air Show at Avalon and the Land Forces Conference in Brisbane have both been pushed back to the second half of next year because of COVID-19.

FILE PHOTO: A C-17 Globemaster III at Avalon. Photo by Brian Hartigan

Land Forces Conference naturally scheduled for 1-3 September 2020 is now rescheduled for 1-3 June 2021 [UPDATE: Now confirmed for 1 to 3 June 2021].

The Australian International Air Show at Avalon originally scheduled for 23-28 February is now pushed back to [UPDATE: Now confirmed for 23 to 28 November 2021].

AMDA Foundation Limited, the not-for-profit that organises both events and a few others, said today it had become clear that the impacts of COVID-19, including on lengthy logistical lead times and uncertainty as to when international travel might resume, posed unacceptable risks to Avalon 2021 in February.

Avalon Airshow 2021 was to have played a uniquely central role in the celebration of the 31 March Centenary of the Royal Australian Air Force – and undoubtedly still will – but belatedly.

AMDA CEO Ian Honnery said that, deferring Avalon Airshow 2021 to November would ensure the event served its purpose as a powerful promotional and industry-engagement forum on the way to business recovery and as a spectacular celebration of 100 years of the Royal Australian Air Force.

Mr Honnery said deferring Land Forces to June next year would provide greater certainty for all involved and allow exhibitors, participants and stakeholders to focus on managing the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, knowing that a deferred conference would have greater probability of proceeding.

“It is our aim that Land Forces should proceed as soon as practicable and, at this stage, mid-2021 is considered the earliest realistic timing that optimises certainty,” he said.

“However, we cannot know what future course the COVID-19 pandemic will take, so we will continue to monitor developments closely and will undertake a further comprehensive review to clarify the situation by December this year.

“If the forward prospects at that stage remain problematic, then, in order to maximise advance notice for exhibitors and participants, a decision may be taken to delay until the following year in resumption of its regular biennial cycle.”

Pacific 2021, another AMDA-organised event, is currently scheduled for 18-20 August next year – leaving Mr Honnery and his team facing a very full dance card in the latter half of 2021.

Other AMDA-organised events to keep an eye on:

• ROTORTECH 2020, Brisbane pushed from June, currently scheduled for 14-16 October 2020; and,
• CivSec2020 currently unchanged in Brisbane from 1-3 September.

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