It was the expected aviation festival: while the weather was a spoilsport on the first day of “Airpower 2024” – at least at times – the skies over Zeltweg were at their best on the second day of Europe’s largest airshow. The sun was calling – and a total of 250,000 spectators came to the Hinterstoisser airbase on both days (-> “Airpower 2024”: 250,000 visitors in Zeltweg).
And the fans also experienced an “Airpower” premiere: the world’s most modern fighter jet, the Lockheed F-35 Lightning II of the US armed forces, flew a demonstration for the first time. In the cockpit: Melanie “Mach” Kluesner (-> Interview with Militär Aktuell). The young American pilot was among the pilots of the Flying Bulls and the Armed Forces and their historic aircraft were undoubtedly among the most photographed motifs at “Airpower 2024”. https://militaeraktuell.at/major-anna-kaiser-ist-neue-afdru-kommandantin/ Around 200 aircraft, including 26, practically the entire fleet of the Flying Bulls, were on display at Hinterstoisser Air Base in Murtal over the two days of the event. The Flying Bulls not only pulled out all the stops on the ground, but especially in the air: whether it was the spectacular “Lift-off Legends” of the helicopters, “Dynamic Sky” with the Czech extras and the Gripen, the whisper-quiet “Wings of Silence” Blanix, the elegant “Aces of Aerobatics” or the historic “Vintage Parade” at the end – they rushed from one highlight to the next and delighted the spectators, including many families.
“Two wonderful days at ‘Airpower 2024’ are coming to an end for us. We often call it a ‘home game in the Murtal’, but it’s much more than that – it’s two days of demonstrations at the very highest level. Airpower’ is a real celebration of aviation, as you can see from the joy and enthusiasm of the spectators. When we look out of the cockpit and see a sea of fans – including many families on picnic blankets and deckchairs – it’s something very special for us too. These are impressions that you never forget and the positive feedback from the spectators is the greatest reward for us Flying Bulls,” summarized Chief Wing Pilot Raimund Riedmann from the Flying Bulls.
Riedmann added: “On behalf of Red Bull and the Flying Bulls, I would especially like to thank our partners – the Austrian Armed Forces and the province of Styria – for the great cooperation in the run-up to the event and, of course, during ‘Airpower 2024’. And of course once again to our fans: thank you very, very much!”
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