A FORMER Swan Hill pilot will feature in a Chinese airshow with an Australian flavour.
Glenn Graham will fly with the SkyAces at the Shenyang International Airshow next month, reportedly the first time Australians have flown at the annual event.
Graham grew up in Swan Hill where he became interested in aerobatic flying after his first solo flight at 16. He eventually joined Paul Bennet Airshows and now showcases his talents around the world.
After flying in China, the Aussies will head to Papua New Guinea and South Korea for shows before the end of the year.
The stunt pilots will be in the cockpits of their Pitts Special planes.
Graham has flown with Paul Bennet and his team for about seven years and said it took a special relationship between the pilots.
“Being part of a formation team, you have to have a special bond between you and your leader,” he said.
“We’re only flying a few metres apart and we’ve got to have a lot of faith in who’s leading us. We’re not focusing on where we are, only on the aircraft ahead of us.
“It takes a very unique and special bond.”
The 34-year-old and his teammates are among “a handful” of pilots who have surface waivers from the Civil Aviation Safety Authority, permitting them to fly as low as possible.
“We’ll come down to about 10 feet off the ground,” he said.
Graham said time in the cockpit was vital for professional airshow pilots.
“Aerobatics flying is tolerance-based, so the more you do it the better you get at it,” he said.
“I do aerobatics several times a week, so my G-force tolerance is at its peak.”
Graham said he had not considered how long his career as an airshow pilot might last.
“You could say it’s my dream job at the moment, so I want to keep going as long as possible,” he said.
Graham said the invitation to fly in China was exciting.
“It’s an international airshow and they look for the best acts around the world and we’ve been asked to come over,” he said.
“It’s a big honour for us.”
