11.06.2012.

SAF at airshow in Denmark

By parachute jump in Aalborg in Denmark an international air show started yesterday. At the biggest display of air crafts in that country, about 50, 000 spectators could see planes and helicopters used by armies around the world. Although the air show is scheduled to take place from 10 to 16:00, the base gates were opened as early as 8 a.m. to avoid crowds and lines, and the visitors after the official program could tour the aircraft display.

The program consisted of two parts - stationary and flying part. Not even constant rain, could dampen the enthusiasm that the acrobatic group from Denmark-Baby Blue, Swiss-Patrrouille Suisse and-Croatian Wings of Storm sparked among spectators, as pilots once again demonstrated their ability and the ensuing flight program sparked greatest ovations of aviation enthusiasts. Besides them pilots flew different aircraft and helicopters in the skies over AAlborg during the six-hour program. The F-16 Demo Team from the Netherlands and the L-39 Albatros from Estonia drew the attention of the audience, while the Acro-group from Turkey-Turkish star, which was the expected to be the highligght of the program, gave up performing because of bad weather.

The aircrafts crew on the airport that participated in the stationary part of the program opened the doors of their aircrafts to many visitors. The most interested were certainly children who had the opportunity to be photographed next to the aircraft.

Ministry of defense and the Serbian Army took part in the stationary part of the transport plane Antonov - 26 as a six-member crew of our aircraft had many visitors as this was an only such model in this year's air show. In addition to AN-26 crew, which arrived in Aalborg and a three-member delegation from the Ministry of Defense and the Army of Serbia led by Assistant Commander for Aviation Operations Colonel Zeljko Bilic also arrived. According to him, the air show in Denmark was a unique opportunity to see how a century of military aviation is organized., an anniversary, which the SAF marks this year as well.

- The crew, led by Lieutenant Colonel Pavlovic took part in the static part of the air show, and we had a chance to see how Danes organized the jubilee we are yet to celebrate. Unfortunately, the weather here was bad, but these two days we have managed to hold meetings with a number of delegations –as colonel Bilic said, and he expressed hope that the Belgrade air show weather would be better and we will then have the opportunity to present a better program.

In the stationary part of the Danes have shown the greatest interest in NATO's E-3A AWACS-, Danish GR4 Tornado and an American C-17 Globemaster III. The rows in front of the aircraft, even in the rain, were stretched up to several tens of meters.

This year's event brought together the largest number of participants who responded to the invitation of the Kingdom Denmark together to commemorate 100 years of military aviation. The first aircraft "GLENTEN" arrived in the Navy on 25th March 1912, and on 2 July the Army Air Corps was formed. Back in 1959, the Royal Danish Air Force was the first to organize "open day" at airports. With shorter intervals, this tradition has maintained today, but as of 2005 it grew into an air show with the aim of reaching an international character.