Baneasa Airport to host Romania's biggest air show on August 31

Over 100 civil and military aircraft, as well as over 150 pilots and paratroopers from 13 nations will participate on Saturday, August 31, in the 14th edition of the Bucharest International Air Show & General Aviation Exhibition (BIAS) Romania's largest air show celebrating the 20th anniversary of Romania's NATO membership, the Bucharest National Airports Corporation (CNAB) reported on Wednesday.Hosting BIAS 2024 will be the Aurel Vlaicu Bucharest Baneasa International Airport.Special guests this year are the air acrobats of Baltic Bees, a Latvian team with a unique piloting style in the world, performing artistic manoeuvres of maximum difficulty on L39 C Albatros aircraft.The Romanian Air Force will stand out at BIAS 2024 for its firsts. Spectators will have the opportunity to admire the spectacular performances of military pilots, who will provide genuinely artistic demonstrations of supersonic force on F-16 Fighting Falcon, IAR-99 OIM, IAR-99 STANDARD aircraft, C-27J Spartan transport aircraft, C-130 Hercules, IAK-52 training aircraft, IAR-330 and IAR-316 B helicopters.Also, spectators can watch air policing and air landing support exercises.At a static exhibition, the Romanian Air Force will showcase the F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, IAR-99 IOM, C-27J Spartan, IAR 330 helicopters, a TPS-79R low/medium altitude radar, a HAWK surface-to-air missile launcher, an M903/PATRIOT missile launcher, and an EOD special vehicle.The U.S. Air Force will parade their Blackhawk and Sea Stallion helicopters, and the German Air Force their F-2000A Eurofighter Typhoons and Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallions."The French Air Force will put up 'Rafale Solo Display,' that will showcase their Dessault Rafale supersonic combat aircraft. Poland will praticipate with two supersonic Mig-15s. Also hailing from Poland will be paragliding team Flying Dragons Team, which stands out for fireworks and laser effects. The Greek Air Force are sending their Daedalus Demo Team - Beechcraft T-6 Texan II. The Dutch Air Force are bringing C-130 Hercules. Hungary will be dispatching a Lisunov Li-2 aircraft, of the Goldtimer team, and also the Mil Mi-2 helicopter of Heliforce. The Slovenian Armed Forces will be flying Pilatus PC-9," according to CNAB.The Czechs of Flying Bulls will fly in a formation of 4 XtremeAir Sbach 342 aircraft, and the Croatian Air Force's performance will feature Black Hawk and Kiowa helicopters.Rounding up the air show will be the aces of the Romanian Aeroclub: the Hawks of Romania, The Pelicans, and White Wings, along with the paratroopers of the Blue Wings team, and the famous Acrobatic Yakers, unique for their air shows that include fireworks, music and lightworks, will be performing on three Yak-52 aircraft at sunset."This year too, the famous Lithuanian pilot Jurgis Kairys, multiple world acrobatics champion flying a Sukhoi Su-31, will be in the mix," according to CNAB.On Friday morning, on August 30, the General Aviation Exhibition opens at Baneasa Airport, where aircraft manufacturers and owners, as well as general aviation service providers exhibit dozens of civil aircraft, from ultralight aircraft to business jets. The exhibition stays open to the public on Friday and Saturday.According to CNAB, the Romanian contribution to the history of world aeronautics will be celebrated by exhibiting in the static display area life-size models of the aircraft of the Romanian pioneers Vuia, Vlaicu and Coanda, as well as the first commercial aircraft model built entirely in Romania, BAC 1-11/400, renamed ROMBAC 1-11.