“Flying. Freedom. Enthusiasm.” is the motto under which the 11th AirPower took place, according to some figures the largest military air show on European soil. In two days, 250,000 visitors (not counting those who spectated the program outside the fence of the Hinterstoisser base in Zeltweg) could watch the performances of more than 200 aircraft in the air filled with the smell of kerosene and the sound of the sky tearing apart. Visitors and pilots from more than 20 countries gathered in an idyllic Austrian town to enjoy together a show that could leave few people indifferent. A spectacle was promised, and we can personally confirm that it was realized. Few aviation enthusiasts, including AvioRadar’s reporters, could follow the program without getting goosebumps or feeling a stronger heartbeat, for example, at the moment when the F-35 roared overhead.
First of all, the organization deserves all the praise. Although they are doing this for the 11th time, the organizers have not lost their motivation to improve AirPower. Perhaps the key is simplicity, because the only main organizer is the Austrian army, with the help and support of the region of Styria and Red Bull. As many as 6,200 employees prepared this year’s airshow, of which 3,793 are employees of the Austrian Ministry of Defense, which includes 3,351 soldiers and 846 members of the military police. This is exactly how the event was organized – military style. From the first signposts already on the highway, prepared police checkpoints where the policemen directed visitors to free parking lots, to pedestrian crossings built especially for that occasion across the roads, so that even those from more distant parking lots could reach the airbase safely and without stopping traffic. Everything was taken care of, and visitors were guided to the appropriate entrances by traffic lights prepared just for the occasion. Many Croatians also went to this, as we affectionately called it, air pilgrimage, and some on specially organized buses. It was impossible not to hear the Croatian language even in the horde of 150,000 visitors inside the base and an estimated 10,000 more outside the fence.
As it happens at these kinds of events, there are definitely some organizational challenges due to the crowd of visitors (e.g. waiting in line for food, drinks or toilets), but the organizers did their best to minimize such waiting and inconvenience. It is our feeling that the fewest visitors were in the area around entrance 1, while the other areas were quite crowded. Here we must highlight the excellent organization of the media rooms and the press center, which unexpectedly surprised us with an elevated platform for monitoring the program. It didn’t take long to decide where to point our lenses.
The aviation program was awe-inspiring. Non-stop flights from 09:00 until 17:00. Without gaps in the program, without breaks and stops, flight after flight in a perfectly orchestrated aviation symphony. We visited Zeltweg on Saturday, and the program was almost identical to the day before. First, a formation of Diamond aircraft flew over, after which the Czech Air Force arrived on the air stage with Flying Bulls, Gripen, and W-32 SAR. In the morning, we eagerly awaited the first sensation, which was the flyover of the Messerschmitt Me262, followed by the entry of the Eurofighter Typhoon of the German Air Force and the C-27 cargo helicopter of the Italian Air Force. The comment was that the Me262 is the oldest and one of the quietest performers of this airshow because immediately after it, the Eurofighter shook the visitors from below with its penetrating noise (i.e., melodious sound).
At 11:00 the Swiss F-18, The Flying Bulls Dario Costa with Luke Czepiel, the Spanish Patrulla Aguila, and the Austrian DA40 PC7 formation flight and PC7 solo performance. The program continued at noon with flyovers by Italian T346s, an interception demonstration by C130 aircraft of the Austrian Air Force, a Dogfight demonstration by Austrian Eurofighters, a solo performance by the S70, Flying Bulls Blanix, and the descent of paratroopers. There is no need to waste words on our enthusiasm for the performances we saw, and we were a little surprised by one of the performances above. Namely, during the performance of the Flying Bulls Blanix sailboat, we wanted to go for lunch, thinking that this particular performance would be one of the more boring ones. However, we were surprised by the aerial acrobatics of these very gliders.
At 13:00, a real treat followed: a performance by the F-35 demonstration team and a formation flight with three P-51 Mustangs. Excellent aerial acrobatics and a perfect combination of aircraft from the Second World War and the modern F-35. We were especially pleasantly surprised when the announcer announced that there was a female pilot at the controls of the F-35 and that fighter jets do not necessarily have to fly “on testosterone”. After that, the Slovenian solo performance of the Pilatus PC-9 showed its capabilities, followed by the Flying Bulls helicopter. Every time at air shows like this, we are almost shocked by the acrobatics that the helicopters are ready to perform.
Our team waited with special impatience for 2 PM, because then the best flight block for us followed. First, the Boeing 787 9 of Austrian Airlines arrived and made two flyovers: One higher in which he waved his wings to greet the audience, then turned around and made a flyover at, as the announcer said, only 50 meters above the audience. After the only civilian commercial aircraft in the program, the appearance of the Greek F-16 followed, and after that, the heart began to beat stronger, because Lieutenant Bruno Bulum, the commentator of our Wings of the Storm (Krila Oluje), arrived on the commentary platform, which was right next to our media platform. Our pilots honored the audience with their full 21-minute performance, which, perhaps subjectively speaking, cheered the fliers a little louder. We watched the performance in one breath, and nothing that day could surpass the feeling of pride when Croatian Air Force Pilatus made their split, and our team in the press center began to be congratulated by their fellow media on a great performance. In the program, the reaction of the audience was particularly striking at the moment when the planes performed the bell in formation, in the audience, and among the media we could hear “Wow”, “Mein Got”, sighs, and a few “Wtf”. We honestly didn’t even experience the performance of the Hungarian Gripen that came after them, although we are sure that it was at the level of the others.
At 15:00 we followed the performance of the German Tiger helicopter, the Finnish F-18, the German A400 (every time we see it in flight we admire the size and surprising maneuverability of that aircraft), and the Swiss Patrouille Suisse. If you want to see a jet alternative to Wings of the Storm, check out Patrouille Suisse’s performance. The excellent alignment, amazing maneuvers, and penetrating sound of the F5-E aircraft, all “like a Swiss watch”, could be heard in the audience.
At 16:00 the Italian Eurofighter Typhoon appeared (although there were several of them that day, there are never enough Typhoons), a formation flight of the Flying Bulls, and a German NH-90. As the program drew to a close, we got used to the mesmerizing sounds of fighter jets, which, at least for us enthusiasts, are a feast for the ears (although we recommend some kind of hearing protection for children and the sensitive). The flight program closed at 17:00 with overflights of Austrian army aircraft with 3x DA-40, 3x PC-7, 3x PC-6, 1x EFT, 1x C130, 4x OH-58, 1x AW-169, 4x AB- 212, and 3x S-70. After the last plane had gone silent, it was a bit sad to leave Zeltweg, but the audience who wanted could stay for the performance of the Austrian military band or the screening of the movie Top Gun: Maverick.
The organizers later expressed their satisfaction with this year’s AirPower at the press conference: “AIRPOWER24 was visited by a total of 250,000 visitors over the two days of the event here at the exhibition center. On Friday, 100,000 guests visited us despite the adverse weather conditions, and on Saturday, 150,000 visitors attended in perfect conditions. One very important thing to emphasize is that AIRPOWER24 is by no means an event organized by the Austrian Air Force alone but by almost all areas of the Austrian Armed Forces and the Central Command. With their profound preparation and realization, all participating units and forces of the land and air forces create the conditions for an unprecedented major event, namely Europe’s largest airshow. Just one comparison: Over the past few days, we have jointly organized the logistical basis for the influx of the population of the whole of Salzburg into a town of just under 7,000 inhabitants – and also in important sub-areas such as sanitation, catering, waste management, and medical supplies. AIRPOWER24 represents great training value for the deployed militia, the medical services, and the logistics of the Austrian Armed Forces”, said Brigadier Wolfgang Prieler, Project Manager of AIRPOWER24, presenting the official visitor figures.
It should be noted that during the entire time the base was open, visitors could view the static display of aircraft, which included the A400, DC-3, DC-6, Gripen, F-16, F-18, etc. We recommend the souvenir stands to aviation enthusiasts of almost all air forces that took part, especially the store of the Austrian Air Force. Yes, the prices are a bit higher, but you won’t find these kinds of souvenirs almost anywhere.
When leaving the base, we came across the last piece of statistics that delighted us: 75 doctors and 190 paramedics took care of the visitors’ health care, and Styria as a region earned an additional €10 million due to increased demand and accompanying services accumulated from AirPower. Truly amazing numbers.
In the end, we can recommend to all enthusiasts that it is worth visiting AirPower in two years, and feel free to bring the whole family with you because this is truly a family event. It is especially emotional to see how aviation and the work of the Air Force are brought closer to the public in this way, from the youngest to pensioners in wheelchairs. From those who brought deckchairs with them and gazed in awe at the sky to those who were nailed to the fence waving at the airplanes taxiing to the runway, we believe that everyone enjoyed themselves and that they take home only good memories and experiences with them. Finally, allow us to express our hope that in the next edition of AirPower, we will also see the CRO Rafale in addition to the Wings of the Storm.
Photo © AvioRadar
