There will be a mass formation flypast of up to 20 F/A-18F Super Hornets over the Gold and Sunshine Coasts, Brisbane and Ipswich, this Friday (21 Oct) as part of the welcoming ceremony for four new Super Hornets.
The arrival of the four new aircraft completes the Australian Super Hornet fleet to 24 aircraft.
Sixteen aircraft will depart RAAF Base Amberley between 10 am and 10.30 am and will fly in a loose formation to a point off North Stradbroke Island, where they will form up and fly south, crossing the coast at Southport before flying down the Gold Coast to Tweed Heads.
The armada will then fly out to sea and reform at a point off the Sunshine Coast where it will join with the four new Super Hornets.
The 20-strong formation will fly south from Noosa Heads down the Sunshine Coast to Brisbane where it will then fly over the CBD en route to Ipswich and RAAF Amberley. It is expected to pass over the base at 11.30am.
The formation will be accompanied at intervals by up to two Hawk Mk127 lead-in fighters.
The final number of aircraft flying will depend on operational and training tasks for the aircraft.
The mass formation flypast of up to 20 aircraft will be not only an historic event which may not be repeated, but an important training exercise for operational planners and aircrew.
A more detailed itinerary is as follows:
Outward leg including Gold Coast
Up to 16 x F/A-18F Super Hornets
10.00 am 16 x F/A-18F Super Hornets commence their launch from RAAF Amberley.
Amberley
1018 Springwood
1021 North Stradbroke Island
1023 South Stradbroke Island
1025 Southport
1026 Surfers Paradise
1026 Burleigh Heads
1027 Coolangatta
1028 Tweed Heads.
Sunshine Coast
Up to 20 x F/A-18F Super Hornets
1104 Noosa Heads
1106 Coolum Beach
1107 Maroochydore
1108 Caloundra
1111 Bribie Island
1113 Redcliffe
1114 Fisherman’s Islands
1115 Manly
1116 Wellington Point
1117 Southern Tip Moreton Island
1119 St Helena Island/Brisbane – Ipswich
Up to 20 x F/A-18F Super Hornets following the Brisbane River
1120 Lytton
1121 Balmoral/Hawthorne/Kangaroo Point/Botanic Gardens/Captain Cook Bridge
1122 Highgate Hill/St Lucia/Indooroopilly/Kenmore
1123 Jindalee/Moggill
1124 Ipswich
Note: The aircraft will fly at approximately 2000 feet (609 mtrs) and up to 350 knots (648 km/h)
Times and locations may vary dependant on the weather.
Further information: Paul Lineham, Defence Public Affairs - 07 3233 4210 or 0408 972 329
