Veteran pilot ready to dance with a Rebel for Up in the Air

Veteran stunt pilot Glenn Graham has been flying for more than 20 years, but he still gets butterflies before every airborne show.

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“If you’re not somewhat nervous before every display, then you’ve become complacent,” he said.

“We operate under extreme G-forces that will exceed nine times the force of gravity, at very low altitudes. We must practice regularly to keep our G-tolerance up and our hand-eye coordination sharp because at this altitude, you can’t afford to have a bad day.”

Graham and his incredibly agile Rebel 300 aircraft will be among the stars of Sunday’s inaugural Up in the Air Festival at Rathmines Park, pushing his machine to its limits above Lake Macquarie.

“It really is a rocket-ship. The Rebel has a fantastic power-to-weight ratio. It’s powered by a 330-horsepower, six-cylinder engine, but has an empty weight of only 525kg,” he said.

“So you can expect to see manoeuvres that really defy the laws of physics and see things that people believe are impossible by an aeroplane, like flying backwards.”

Up in the Air will also feature aerobatic displays by a WWII-era Grumman Avenger, a T-28 Trojan and a Pitts Special biplane.

Graham, a pilot with Paul Bennet Airshows, said he was looking forward to “expressing myself in three dimensions and becoming one with the machine”.

“It’s a lot like dancing, only faster,” he said.

“Expect plenty of smoke, noise and speed.”

Sunday’s festival also includes classic car displays, live music, roving entertainment, smart science interactive shows for kids, magic shows and market stalls.

Lake Macquarie City Council Manager Arts, Culture and Tourism Jacqui Hemsley said Up in the Air was an exciting new fixture on the City’s events calendar.

“Some of these planes will be flying just metres above the lake’s surface, only 200m or so from shore,” she said.

“It’s going to be a spectacular day, and plenty of fun on the ground for people of all ages.”

Entry is $8, and free for children aged 15 and under.

Go to lakemac.com.au/upintheair for more information and tickets.