August 11 and 12, 2007


This year’s International Air Show & Military Exposition at Kecskemet Air Base will be the biggest such event to date. Pilots from 23 countries* will demonstrate their aircraft’s capabilities. One of the highlights of the upcoming event is that besides solo demonstrations of combat aircraft, 6 formation maneuvers will also delight the Kecskemet audience.


Visitors to the Kecskemet Air show will have the opportunity to see the full range of aircraft used in the Hungarian Army, including the fourth-generation fighter, the JAS-39 Gripen in the air.

The list of international participants is equally as long. Among others, participants will include Patrouille de France, Patrouille Suisse, Turkish Stars, the Danish Baby Blue, the Croatian Wing of Storm, and the Serbian Flying Stars. Kecskemet has never before seen so many formations all at once, and this counts as a rare occasion even on a European scale.


Several interesting aircraft are expected to arrive to Kecskemet, such as the Greek Air Force’s tiger striped A-7E Corsair II type aircraft, the Polish Air Force’s Szu-22 fighter-bomber, and the Dutch Air Force’s Chinook helicopter.


The dynamic flight maneuvers will be equally as exciting, with demonstrations by U.S., Belgian, and Dutch pilots of F-16s, flight of the Swiss, Czech, and Hungarian Gripens, and the demonstrations by the Serbian Orao, Galeb, and Kraguj type aircrafts.


Civil aviation will also be represented at the Air Show, with the participation of aerobatics World Champion Peter Bessenyei and European Champion Zoltan Veres of Hungary, and Peter Podlunsek, National Champion of Slovenia. Malev Hungarian Airlines’ Boeing 737commercial passenger jet aircraft will also greet air show visitors from above.

Besides the aircraft demonstrations and expo, the Hungarian Army’s ground units will also exhibit their combat arms, and a number of other events will take place on the ground as well. Visitors to the Air Show should plan to spend the whole day and be entertained throughout.


Ground programs

07.30 Gates open

08.30 - 09.30

• Performances of Military Bands
• Musical routines by the Ceremonial Subunit of Honor Guards

09.45 - 10.00 Opening

08.00 - 17.30

• Static display of aircraft and helicopters
• Exhibition of the ground-, air-, and transportation equipment of the Hungarian Army
• Exhibition of the Ministry of Defense -- Military History Institute and Museum

• Light gun shooting-range
• Self-defense and close combat (HTH or H2H) demonstrations
• Demonstration of military recruitment and pilot training
• Exhibition of military maps, printing companies, and schools
• Introduction of armament industry companies and commercial exhibitors

• MOL, Nestle, Coca-Cola, OKO-Pannon childcare
• Signal dentibus child program (on August 12)
• Blood drive

• F1 exhibition of the Red Bull Racing Team

18.00 Gates close


On the Stage

08.00 - 08.30 Dub-Dub music and dance

09.40 - 10.00 Official Opening (Saturday)

10.00 - 17.00 Sponsors’ promotional quizzes and dedication

17.00 - 17.30

• Zsuzsi Volgyi and her band (Saturday)

• Hungarian National Folk Ensemble (Sunday)

NOTE:

• There will be no parking space available next to the Air Base. Organizers ask visitors to park their cars in the parking lots set up near highway E5 and roads 44 and 441, from where buses will transport guests to the Air Base. Please check your access route on the official page of the Air Show: www.repulonap.hu

• A minimum of 150 thousand visitors are expected to this event, and tickets are already on sale. There will be 4 child care facilities set up on the event grounds, and the organizers will set up tents for those who would like to withdraw from the heat for a while. A cooling tunnel will also be available.

Source: JETfly Magazine + Air Show flyer


* There is no mention of China on the 20-07-2007 updated list of participants

Up-to-date information: Air Show Home Page


Links

Ministry of Defense – Military History Institute and Museum – Hungarian

Hungarian National Folk Ensemble – Hungarian. For links to amazing video reports of their “Magyar Concerto” 2007 US-Canadian tour, click on ‘Amerikai turne 2007’ and then on ‘Filmek’