EPIC displays of death-defying acts and soaring speeds over the harbour left a contrail of success in their wake, with the Newcastle Air Show 2023 earning the city an estimated $19.5 million in economic benefits.
The event, partnered with the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), drew in around 100,000 spectators over the weekend of November 18 and 19, with hotels reporting a whopping 97 per cent occupancy rate.
Now, City of Newcastle lord mayor Nuatali Nelmes wants to look at opportunities for an industry air show like Victoria's Avalon event.
"I've had quite a few people ask me if we could have one every single year, and I would love to say yes, however the RAAF is on a schedule to go and do one of these events every second year at all of their bases throughout the country," she said at Tuesday night's council meeting.
"So on that estimate, we're likely to be able to probably entice them back in eight years' time, however I do believe with some pushing we might be able to one day secure an industry air show like Avalon here due to the success of this air show - so the future is bright in that space."
Work on the event started about 18 months ago and marked the first time the air show was moved from the Williamtown RAAF base to the shores of the city's beaches.
The RAAF holds a major air show in Australia every two years, with the last one held in NSW in 2010.
The major event saw NSW Police put on an extra 85 officers for Saturday's flying displays, while Transport for NSW scheduled extra trains, light rail, bus and ferry services at an estimated cost of $1 million in in-kind support.
Visitors came from all over to see the F-35A, Australia's fifth generation combat plane, complete with advanced radars and infrared sensors.
Williamtown is set apart as one of just two places in the country to have them, the other being Tindal, near Katherine.
On the Sunday, more than 20,000 people flocked to Williamtown for an exclusive look at the RAAF base - where aside from planes they could feast their eyes on military working dog displays, a defence force band and virtual reality sets designed to show people what flying is life.
The City of Newcastle billed the RAAF's display as the largest single-day event in the region's history, with preparations for as many as 100,000 spectators to see the two aviation displays on Saturday, ahead Sunday's ticketed open day at RAAF Base Williamtown.
The displays featured aeronautical acrobatics from the Air Force's Roulettes - a six-aircraft, seven-member display team flying the RAAF's Pilatus planes in formation - the historic Wirraway, as well as appearances by larger aircraft like the Spartan and the maritime patrol plane P-8A Poseidon.
Air combat jets - the F-35A, Super Hornet, and the menacing Growler - stole the show with gravity-defying aeronautical manoeuvres.
