Mielec 2023-06-24
Podkarpackie Air Show – Mielec, June 24, 2023 year.
On June 24, 2023 (Saturday), the Podkarpackie Air Show took place at the airport in Mielec. A few years ago, the event was cyclical, but due to the Chinese virus pandemic and the war in Ukraine, the cycle was interrupted. This year’s event (2023) has been planned for one day. Entry to the shows was free. In addition, the city authorities of Mielec provided bus transport for spectators. The show was very popular not only with the inhabitants of Mielec, but also with many aviation enthusiasts from all over Poland. Thousands of spectators came to the show, most of them were young families with many children.
Unfortunately, the weather thwarted the plans a bit and some participants of the shows had problems with arriving to Mielec. Even during the shows, the shows had to be suspended for several minutes due to heavy rain.
Mielec is the aviation capital of Poland, where various aircraft have been produced for many decades; combat, transport, agricultural, as well as parts for other aircraft, such as doors for Boeing B-757 aircraft. Currently, in Mielec, the Sikorsky-Mielec company produces Black Hawk S-70i helicopters.
The gates of the show area opened at 10:00. Even before the official opening of the event, the spectators could admire the participants of the shows who were training before the main performance.
The main point that started the show was the landing of 10 parachute jumpers from the PZL An-2 aircraft, registration SP-KBA. The plane belongs to the White-Red Wings Foundation since 2017 and has been renovated by members of the foundation. In 2018, this aircraft was presented at the Air Show Radom. All jumpers who took part in the landing belong to the Association of Mielec Paratroopers.
In the air we could see a formation of AERO AT3 planes. It was the largest formation of these aircraft that could be seen in Poland so far. There were 6 planes in the air. The AERO AT3 planes belong to the so-called ultra-light, they take two people on board and are powered by ROTAX engines that work on automotive gasoline.
The main point of the show was the performance of the only helicopter at the event, Sikorsky-Mielec Black Hawk S-70i, registration SN-70XP, which belongs to the Polish Police. Currently (2023) the Police have three machines of this type. This helicopter was manufactured in Mielec. The helicopter crew gave two very interesting shows. The first demonstration was using a suspended Bambi Bucket tank, with a capacity of 1.5 cubic meters. This tank is used to extinguish fires, especially forest fires. The pilots gave a demonstration of precise piloting of a helicopter with a suspended Bambi Bucket tank, weighing nearly 2,000 kg, and finally demonstrated the discharge of water from this tank. The second show was a simulated rescue operation with taking the injured person on board the helicopter. All without touching down the helicopter. Departing from the show site, one of the rescuers was hanging on a rope about 20 m long, under the flying Black Hawk S-70i helicopter. The lifeguard swings like a pendulum and greets spectators by waving his hand.
The strong point of the show were two PZL M-18B Dromader aircraft. The first aircraft with registration SP-ZWG is yellow, typical of the first serial copies. The second aircraft with the registration SP-ZWA is in typical white and yellow painting. These aircraft are typical agricultural and firefighting aircraft. PZL M-18B Dromader is a single-engine low-wing monoplane, with a metal structure, with a fixed landing gear, with a chemical tank located in front of the cockpit, and it was produced in Mielec. To date (2023), 759 copies of the PZL M-18 have been produced, which have been sold to 24 countries around the world. Over 200 PZL M-18 Dromader aircraft have been exported to the USA. The greatest applause among the spectators was caused by the simultaneous drop of water from both planes, and the water, properly colored, formed the Polish Colors.
PZL TS-11 Iskra aircraft shows were very popular. We could see three planes in Mielec; TS-11 in the colors of India nb 60-W1760, TS-11 nb 1214 and TS-11 nb 1402. Airplanes for the shows took off several times. They flew solo, in duo and threesome.
There was also a North American T-6 Texan plane – Harvard registration FHI53 in the air, and its owner, Captain Jacek Mainka, was at the helm. There was a De Havilland Canada DHC-1 Chipmunk aircraft in the air, registration WD322, and its owner was also Captain Jacek Mainka.
An unusual event was the taxiing of the PZL I-22 Iryda aircraft, with Captain Piotr Maciejewski at the helm. The plane is owned by the White-Red Wings Foundation. The foundation aims to bring the aircraft to the level of a flying monument. Recall that the Masonic government of Donald Tusk, in 2008, sent 22 PZL I-22 Iryda planes for scrap, destroyed all plans and the template for the production of this plane. The remaining 6 aircraft were never completed. The first I-22 Iryda prototype took off on March 5, 1985, and already in 1992, three I-22 Iryda aircraft were in test operation at the Orląt School in Dęblin, with a good assessment of pilot instructors. The copy in Mielec miraculously avoided being cut for scrap and in 2021, it went to the Foundation. To date, the plane has only flown for 95 hours.
Viewers in the air could see the very well-known PZL Mielec M-28 aircraft, which is produced in Mielec. This multi-role transport aircraft is used in several countries around the world, as well as in the USAF.
The Albatros Oeffag D-III replica aircraft was demonstrated in the air. The aircraft was made in the painting from the period of the Polish-Soviet (Bolshevik) war and belonged to the 7th Kosciuszko Squadron, in which mainly American pilots served.
Another attraction for spectators were the performances of the Royal Jordanian Falcons, i.e. four Extra 330LX aircraft. They are operated by experienced military pilots.
For the first time in Mielec there was a night show with pyrotechnics. The show was given by the British formation AeroSPARX. Mr. Marek Choim (Extra 330SC) and Mr. Jakub Kubicki also presented themselves in the pyrotechnic show. Also Mr. Łukasz Czepiela presented aerobatics. On a daily basis, Mr. Łukasz is the captain of the Airbus A-320 airliner.
There were also planes in the air: PZL-104 Wilga, PZL-101A Gawron, PZL M-26 Iskierka, PZL An-2 "Wiedeńczyk", SB Lim-2, PZL Lim-2 and several gliders. The Drone Show was held at the end of the air show. It was a light spectacle with the use of about a hundred colorful drones. The vocal group "Dywizjon" from the General Aviation High School in Dęblin performed on the stage of the event. The end of the shows took place around 22:10.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman