While thousands of servicewomen and men were marching on Anzac Day, a loyal band of Air Force personnel were busy pulling together 179 individual flypasts for the annual commemoration.
Aircraft from across Air Force coordinated 179 individual flypasts on Anzac Day to honour veterans, current service personnel and the Anzac legend in every state of Australia.
The planning for the annual commemoration started in late 2018 with the collation of requests from organisers across Australia and then verification against the Air Force’s operational flying program.
Air Commander Australia, Air Vice-Marshal Steven Roberton, said he was proud to see the Air Force deliver support all across the country from capital cities to regional centres and country areas for Anzac Day.
“I really take my hat off to everybody from the Air Command planners to the force element groups who are committed to the importance of Anzac Day flypasts and put in the long hours to make this high workrate happen,” Air Vice-Marshal Roberton said.
“It is important that we support as many Anzac Day services as we can to honour the memory of those who never came home, acknowledge those who continue to live with the scars of war and give our thanks to those who support us in our job.
“This year we have managed to cover every corner of the compass showcasing everything from our advanced training aircraft to air mobility platforms, maritime patrol and fast jets.
“These things don’t just happen and I am very thankful we have dedicated people that can plan and execute these important tasks while balancing the requirements of our very busy fleet of aircraft.”
Defence receives numerous requests to support Anzac Day commemorations, both domestically and internationally and we appreciate the Australian public’s understanding of the Australian Defence Force’s capacity to support activities in 2019.
A full list of the scheduled flypasts is at:
Story: Squadron Leader Pete Croce
