“I was quite excited to see the full-sized model of the F-35 Lightning II at the Lockheed Martin stand…”
Victorian NYSF 2015 Alumni Hayley Houston and Dane Seaver were among the huge crowds at the Australian International Airshow at Avalon Airport in February / March, which featured aerobatics and battle re-enactments.
This year’s Airshow celebrated the Centenary of ANZAC, saluting the heroes of the sky.
2015 alumna Hayley Houston says she has always had an interest in flight and hopes to someday pilot an aircraft. So it was no surprise when she told the NYSF how much she enjoyed her day at the Airshow. “I am very interested in military planes and old bi-planes. I am keen to learn about the physics of flight. I am also fascinated by the sophisticated design and impressive manoeuvrability of military planes.”
NYSF major partner Lockheed Martin engineers and field support team led career discussions for students interested in learning more about careers in science, technology, engineering and maths at the industry stands during the Airshow.
Visiting the Lockheed Martin stand reminded Hayley of her experience at the NYSF in January 2015. “I was quite excited to see the full-sized model of the F-35 Lightning II at the Lockheed Martin stand at the entrance to the show. It reminded me of my recent lab visit as part of the Maxwell group at the Lockheed Martin HQ in Canberra during Session A.”
Hayley’s favourite performance of the day was the final flyby of the McDonnell Douglas F/A-18A Hornet. “The pilot flew a high-speed pass at approximately 0.8 of the speed of sound. The Hornet is known for its high angle of attack manoeuvrability, made possible by the lifting surfaces forward of the wings known as leading edge extensions. We also saw condensation develop for a moment over the wings due to low pressure.”
Images courtesy of Dane Seaver, Alumnus 2015.
Avalon Airshow image Dane Seaver Alumni 2015
Avalon Airshow image Dane Seaver Alumni 2015