Latest news with #AvalonInternationalAirshow
7NEWS
21-07-2025
- Health
- 7NEWS
7NEWS Spotlight: How Glenn Collins is getting back on his feet after Avalon Airshow crash
Glenn Collin's survival was nothing short of miraculous. The Sky Aces aerobatic pilot was flying at 300km an hour when he crashed at the Avalon International Airshow in March. With the support of his devoted wife, Tracey, and his loving family, Glenn is pushing the boundaries of his physiotherapy to get back on his feet.. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Cockpit footage of Avalon Airshow crash And it won't be too long before he and Tracey are heading back home to the Hunter Valley. However, their life will look different on their return with the pilot's spinal injury meaning there will be multiple lifestyle changes. These include renovating their house for accessibility. 'You need to allow for your worst days and my worst days might be that I'm not on my feet, so we need to make the house suitable for that,' Glenn acknowledges. Despite the ordeal, Glenn remains as positive as he can be and realised it could have been much worse. 'I'm one of the very, very lucky ones where my spinal injury is low, so I will hopefully be able to walk again,' he said. 'Many people don't.' For Glenn and Tracey, there are so many people who they want to thank. Among those are the pyro crew - Phil, Jay, Brooke, and Todd - whose rapid response in getting Glenn out of the wreckage to be treated by paramedics was critical. 'They are very much heroes. They saved my life,' he said. A long list of healthcare practitioners also contributed to keeping him alive and then helping with his recovery. From paramedics, to doctors, nurses and numerous other hospital staff; dozens and dozens of caring individuals helped put Glenn back together. Tracey feels particularly strongly about the regular Australians who donate blood. 'Glenn was revived using bloods and fluids, which saved his life,' she said. So, on the anniversary of Glenn's fateful flight, their whole family will donate blood themselves to mark the occasion. It's obvious that there's a deeply emotional connection between Paul Bennet and his crew member Glenn. After all, Paul is the one who straight away, initiated the GoFundMe page for the Collins family. Glenn recognises how valuable this will be in his getting him back walking - and maybe even back in the sky! 'It's amazing what he's done there, looked after me. And it'll also pass on through the family,'
7NEWS
20-07-2025
- Entertainment
- 7NEWS
7NEWS Spotlight: Cockpit footage of the Avalon Airshow crash that left pilot seriously injured
When Sky Aces aerobatic pilot Glenn Collins crashed at the Avalon International Airshow in March, everyone feared the worst. The four-time champion was flying at 300km an hour, making the force of the impact so horrific that it looked impossible to survive. Within seconds, the atmosphere changed at the country's biggest airshow. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Cockpit footage of Avalon Airshow crash The excitement of the crowd, and the noisy roar of the planes, was gone. Suddenly, the mood was one of shock and reverence. Thousands of people stood still, in silence, with their eyes fixed on the wreckage of Glenn's Pitts Special. Everyone was hoping for a miracle, no one dared to believe it would friend, Angela Stevenson, was in the commentary box, utterly devastated by what she'd just witnessed. Believing there was no way he could have survived, Angela buried her grief. She steeled herself to turn on her microphone and make the necessary emergency announcements to the crowd. Just as she'd finished, Angela was told there was one more message to deliver. The incredible news, Glenn Collins was alive. Tonight on Sunday, for the first time, we'll reveal the full story of what happened that day. With permission from Glenn Collins and Sky Aces leader Paul Bennet, we take you inside the cockpits of all four planes, to experience exactly what they did, as the tragedy unfolded. Moment by moment, it's confronting and raw. To excel at formation aerobatics requires precision skills, honed over years of practice. Every time they go up, the pilots hold each other's lives in their hands. This story takes you inside that world, to understand what it takes to be right up there, with the best in the country. It demands a certain mindset, and that mindset is what makes Glenn Collins so extraordinary. Doctors agree his survival is a miracle. He now faces a long recovery and Glenn's family has set up a fundraiser to help cover his medical expenses. As you'll see tonight, making it out of that wreckage alive was the first of many. His story is the kind that will stay with you, for a long time. It's high-octane and some moments are difficult to watch. But in the next heartbeat, there are heroes. It's also an incredible love story. Even on the ground, Glenn's journey is full of twists and turns. It's inspiring and deeply moving. A wild ride that, on this rare occasion, ends in triumph. But you'll notice Glenn's courage takes many forms.
News.com.au
05-05-2025
- Health
- News.com.au
‘Nothing short of extraordinary': Pilot Glenn Collins gives update after horror Avalon Airshow crash
A pilot who was critically injured in a horror crash at the Avalon International Airshow says he is 'giving his all' as he continues his recovery. Glenn Collins, a pilot from the Paul Bennet Airshows, was performing a four-plane stunt with the SkyAces Formation Aerobics Team at the event between Geelong and Melbourne on March 28 when his plane, the Pitts Special, crashed in front of a crowd. Mr Collins, the sole occupant of the plane, suffered critical injuries to his upper and lower body as a result of the crash, and underwent several surgeries. Giving an update on his condition five weeks after the horror crash, the pilot said it was a 'great comfort' to be closer to home and his family after being transferred from Melbourne to Sydney. 'Recovery is ongoing and still uncertain in many ways, though I'm thankful for every step forward,' he wrote online. The pilot said while most of his 'general' injuries were healing well, he had also suffered spinal damage. 'I've been lucky to be in the care of amazing medical teams in both (Melbourne and Sydney). Their skill, compassion, and dedication have been nothing short of extraordinary,' he said. 'While I can move my legs – which I'm incredibly grateful for – I don't yet have full feeling in my legs or waist,' he said, 'Ongoing rehabilitation will be key, and I'm giving it my all.' Mr Collins thanked his wife, family and the medical professionals who aided in his recovery, as well as those at the Avalon Airshow who 'acted so quickly and bravely to get me out of the wreckage'. 'This road I'm on is one many have travelled before – waking up to a new reality after life-changing injuries,' he said. 'While my future is still uncertain, I remain hopeful and grounded in gratitude, surrounded by care and love.'
Perth Now
05-05-2025
- Health
- Perth Now
‘Giving my all': Pilot speaks after horror crash
A pilot who was critically injured in a horror crash at the Avalon International Airshow says he is 'giving his all' as he continues his recovery. Glenn Collins, a pilot from the Paul Bennet Airshows, was performing a four-plane stunt with the SkyAces Formation Aerobics Team at the event between Geelong and Melbourne on March 28 when his plane, the Pitts Special, crashed in front of a crowd. Pilot Glenn Collins' plane crashed at the Avalon Airshow in March. NewsWire / David Caird Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Collins, the sole occupant of the plane, suffered critical injuries to his upper and lower body as a result of the crash, and underwent several surgeries. Giving an update on his condition five weeks after the horror crash, the pilot said it was a 'great comfort' to be closer to home and his family after being transferred from Melbourne to Sydney. 'Recovery is ongoing and still uncertain in many ways, though I'm thankful for every step forward,' he wrote online. He was the sole occupant of the plane, and was critically injured during the crash,. Credit: Supplied The pilot said while most of his 'general' injuries were healing well, he had also suffered spinal damage. 'I've been lucky to be in the care of amazing medical teams in both (Melbourne and Sydney). Their skill, compassion, and dedication have been nothing short of extraordinary,' he said. 'While I can move my legs – which I'm incredibly grateful for – I don't yet have full feeling in my legs or waist,' he said, 'Ongoing rehabilitation will be key, and I'm giving it my all.' The pilot has returned to Sydney for further treatment. NewsWire / David Caird Credit: News Corp Australia Mr Collins thanked his wife, family and the medical professionals who aided in his recovery, as well as those at the Avalon Airshow who 'acted so quickly and bravely to get me out of the wreckage'. 'This road I'm on is one many have travelled before – waking up to a new reality after life-changing injuries,' he said. 'While my future is still uncertain, I remain hopeful and grounded in gratitude, surrounded by care and love.'
9 News
05-05-2025
- Entertainment
- 9 News
Pilot speaks after suffering 'life-changing' injuries in airshow crash
Your web browser is no longer supported. To improve your experience update it here Experienced pilot Glenn Collins was performing a multi-plane stunt when his aircraft crashed just a few hundred metres from crowds in Victoria on March 28. Collins was left with spinal damage but said he is now "healing well" after spending over a month in hospital, he shared in a message on Facebook. Pilot Glenn Collins shared an update on his long recovery with a photo alongside his wife. (Facebook/Paul Bennet Airshows) "Recovery is ongoing and still uncertain in many ways, though I'm thankful for every step forward," he said in a long message posted to Paul Bennet Airshows' Facebook page. "After five weeks in Melbourne, I've now been transferred to Sydney – closer to home and family, which is a huge comfort." Collins said that he can still move his legs despite the spinal injury but he hasn't regained full feeling in his legs or waist yet. He will continue rehabilitation said he remains positive about his long recovery. "There are so many people I'd like to thank. To the pyrotechnic team who acted so quickly and bravely to get me out of the wreckage – thank you for your courage," Collins added. "To the healthcare professionals who continue to care for me with such skill and kindness – your dedication is deeply appreciated." Collins went on to thank his children, grandson, extended family and his wife. Collins crashed during a demonstration flight at Avalon International Airshow in Victoria (9News) He described his wife as the "most remarkable person I've ever known". "This road I'm on is one many have travelled before - waking up to a new reality after life-changing injuries," Collins added. "While my future is still uncertain, I remain hopeful and grounded in gratitude, surrounded by care and love." Collins' accident played out in front of thousands at Australia's biggest airshow at Avalon Airport, when a performance involving four aerobatic planes took a terrifying turn. Collins, a member of the Paul Bennet Airshows team with decades of experience, is also champion of multiple competitions. The experienced pilot was left with life-altering injuries. (Paul Bennets Airshows) He has more than 2700 hours of flying experience and has previously won aerobatics competitions throughout his career, according to a biography on the Paul Bennet Airshows website. Paul Bennet Airshows said in a statement following the crash that it will "no longer be performing at the Avalon Australian International Airshow but we hope the public continue to enjoy the world class event". Victoria Plane Crash plane accident Australia Melbourne national CONTACT US
