30.06.2016.
Marking the centenary of the existence of Moma Stanojlovic Aviation Institute
A formal ceremony has been held at the Yugoslav Drama Theatre tonight to mark the centenary of the existence of the Moma Stanojlovic Aviation Institute.The ceremony was attended by General Ljubisa Dikovic, Chief of General Staff of the Serbian Armed Forces, State Secretary Nenad Neric, Lieutenant General Jovica Draganic, Deputy Chief of General Staff, senior representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Serbian Armed Forces, as well as the guests and associates of the Institute.
On the occasion of the centenary of the existence, General Ljubisa Dikovic presented Colonel Despot Jankovic, Director of the Moma Stanojlovic Institute, with a Plaque of the Serbian Armed Forces. Congratulating on the jubilee, Chief of General Staff pointed out that the task of the Institute is to always operate for the purpose of ensuring the free sky over Serbia and safe skies of the world.
- A hundred years ago, an honourable Serbian officer Momcilo Stanojlovic was born, a national hero and a dignitary. Sometimes it is hard, I know, but we need heroes also today, as well as dignitaries, but these should be the dignitaries of work and order, military honour and discipline, General Dikovic said, wishing all the employees at the Institute success and happiness.
Reminding those present that it was at the same place three years ago that a centenary of the Serbian Air Force was marked, Colonel Despot Jankovic, Director of the Moma Stanojlovic Institute said that a century ago the Serbian Army at the Salonika front began to independently carry out repairs and overhauls of the aircraft.- It was primarily a technological step ahead of a nation that was still struggling with a lag caused by centuries of Turkish rule, Jankovic said, adding that the progress of aviation had to be accompanied by the development of the capacity for repair and overhaul of aircraft, and that since then, in workshops, whose tradition the Institute continues today, dozens of aircraft types were repaired and overhauled by generations of engineers, technicians and repairmen of different educational backgrounds.
He added that the progress, the first step to which was made on the Salonika front, was not broken until today despite the change of borders and ideological systems as well as the challenges.
- Despite the harm caused during the bombing in 1999, we managed to save the people and we have successfully restored the technological process, and despite all the ups and downs, the imperative of employees was and remained the safety of the flight and during the existence of the present Institute, not a single air accident has been recorded as a result of poorly performed overhaul and repair.Colonel Jankovic pointed out that today, although aware of the economic constraints, they are looking to the future without fear, being convinced of the unbreakable bond between the aviation and its Institute.
- In order to retain this bond it is necessary to employ new people and send them to training, to equip the Institute, introduce new technologies and make as close cooperation as possible with large international companies in this field, Director Jankovic said.
During the appropriate programme, after the official part of the formal ceremony, with participation of the Stanislav Binicki Artistic Ensemble of the Ministry of Defence and choir Archangel, a theatre play was premiered, following through several pictures the history of the Institute and the Serbian military aviation, with Nebojsa Dugalic in the lead role.
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