There are very few occasions when an airport opens its doors and, without any controls, procedures or restrictions makes all its infrastructure and equipment available so that the interested public can get to know the otherwise self-contained aviation industry. This is especially important in Croatia, where spotters are very often reluctant to be seen, taking pictures of aircraft is prohibited, and curious observers along the airport fence are in most cases asked to move away.
However, events like Pula Airport open day are changing that premise for the better. Seeing the airport terminal and stand filled with visitors, entire families, children, and avgeeks was truly a wonderful sight. At the same time, we must not leave out the fact that they all had something to see, because the exhibitions, displayed equipment and various other programs were well planned, and the entire organization of this event was on a very high level.
Thus, visitors at the stand were able to see 6 PC-9M aircraft of the Storm Wings aerobatic group, helicopters OH-58D Kiowa Warrior, UH-60M Black Hawk, Mi-171Sh, Cessna 172 and Piper Seneca, firefighting equipment and equipment for servicing the aircraft, an exhibition of model airplanes, etc. All those interested could talk to the technical staff and pilots, they could watch real exercises of the intervention police unit and talk to cadets at the “Become a military pilot” stand, and to participants of the Police Academy as well as members of other branches of the Croatian Army.
The highlight of the program began around 2:00 p.m. with the performance of the paratroopers and continued with the penultimate-ever public flyover of the MiG-21bis supersonic aircraft. It was a bit emotional to see the MiG for the last time in Pula, that was home to those aircraft as part of the Pula Air Base until 2008. The program continued with the flyovers of the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior and UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters, followed by the aerobatic group Krila Oluje with their 20-minute performance. The program ended with a flyover of the Mi-171Sh helicopter. AvioRadar readers had the opportunity to follow the flight program right next to the runway, for which the organizer organized a special bus and transport of registered spotters across the runway to the designated place for monitoring the program.
Although Croatia still has a lot to learn about the promotion of aviation and technical culture in general, events like this certainly improve the situation. A piece of the atmosphere from the open day of Pula Airport is presented in the photo gallery below.
Photo © AvioRadar
