“[We] are thinking of Glenn Collins, who remains in hospital, and his family at this time,” the company said on social media.
“We would like to acknowledge the extraordinary level of support from medical staff as well as messages of support received from here and around the world.”
The plane Collins was flying in, a Wolf Pits Pro, is capable of reaching speeds of up to 414km/h.
A friend of Collins who asked not to be named told this masthead he was an “amazing pilot” and the tight-knit aviation community was behind him as he recovered.
“Hang in there Glenn, we’re all rooting for you,” he said.
Saturday’s crowd size didn’t appear to be diminished by the crash, nor by the blustery weather. Aviation enthusiasts, families, children and seniors poured through the entrances to view the display aircraft and find seating to watch the aerial show.
Emergency crews respond after the crash at Avalon Airshow on Friday.Credit: AAP
The six-day airshow event is scheduled to run at the airport, north of Geelong, until March 30.
An announcement over speakers at the event on Saturday said the aviation community was wrapping their arms around each other after the plane crash.
“We are just hoping, praying and wishing that he pulls through and that he will be in the cockpit again,” the announcer said.
Student pilot Taj Cooper was toward the front of the crowd watching the airshow and said he could not believe Collins survived after his plane plummeted following a solo barrel roll.
“He was a lot lower than he was supposed to be, and as he was about to pull up … unfortunately, he hit the ground, and he hit it pretty hard,” he told this masthead on Friday.
“Everybody was covering their mouths, just in disbelief at what happened.”
The Australian Transport Safety Bureau is investigating the crash.
It’s the second incident at Avalon Airport in the past month. On March 6, a teenage boy armed with a gun boarded a plane at Avalon before being disarmed by passengers. He has since been charged with terrorism.
With Brittany Busch
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