Nowy Targ 2023-07-08
XII Nowy Targ Aviation Picnic. 2023.
After a four-year break, the aviation picnic in Nowy Targ returned, which greatly pleased aviation enthusiasts, residents of the city, as well as visiting guests. It was the twelfth edition of the Nowy Targ Aviation Picnic, which took place on July 8-9, 2023.
This year’s show in Nowy Targ was very successful. The weather was great, and especially the spectators. It is estimated that there were about 30,000 spectators over the two days. The organizers of the event aspire to make the Nowy Targ Aviation Picnic the largest aviation event in Southern Poland. The more so that for several years there have been no air shows in Bielsko Biała (airport in Aleksandrów) and in Katowice (airport in Muchowiec).
The Nowy Targ Show gathers very good pilots flying individually and in teams, on various types of aircraft, from Poland and abroad. The main organizer of the event was the Nowy Targ Aeroclub. The organizers have provided parking spaces for the audience in a separate part of the landing field. For motorists, there was also the possibility of parking in the City of Nowy Targ and a 10-minute walk through the common and the footbridge over the Biały Dunajec River to the Airport. Many spectators came on bicycles and motorbikes. Admission to the event was free.
At the show there were numerous stalls, company stands, gastronomic stands, an amusement park for children, youth and slightly older. As every year, there was a stage where music bands performed and competitions were held. Toilets and a medical point have not been forgotten. Heavy equipment was demonstrated by the Polish Army.
Throughout the show, two Cessna 172 aircraft performed sightseeing flights; the first Cessna 172M Skyhawk II registration SP-ATW – white, and Cessna FR171H Reims Rocket registration SP-ANT – yellow.
The shows began with a simulated rescue operation using the PZL W-3 Sokół helicopter, which belongs to the Police. The helicopter is stationed daily in Krakow, on the premises of the Polish Aviation Museum. Police officers demonstrated the concept of a victim boarding a helicopter using a winch. Interestingly; during the picnic, the helicopter actually took off to help the victims of a road accident on the well-known "Zakopianka" road. Halfway through the shows, this helicopter was placed on a static display.
The gyrocopter MAGNI GYRO, registration SP-XPAR, was demonstrated in the air. It is a two-seat aircraft with tandem seating. The gyrocopter is white.
Pacific P-750 Xstol PAC aircraft, registration SP-NTS. The P-750 XSTOL aircraft is a conventional, all-metal, low-wing, low-wing aircraft with a fixed tricycle landing gear. The aircraft has been produced since 2001 by Pacific Aerospace. It is powered by one Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 turboprop engine, which drives a four-blade propeller. The range is 2,183 km. Top speed 315 km/h. Cruising speed 259 km/h. Take-off weight 1,410 kg. The aircraft is characterized by a large lifting capacity. Access to the hold is provided by a large door located on the left side. During the shows, the plane participated in the landing of parachute jumpers twice, taking 10 jumpers on board each time.
The VL-3 Evolution aircraft, also called the Aveko VL-3 Sprint, is a Czech ultralight aircraft, designed and initially manufactured by Aveko of Brno. The project is currently produced by JMB Aircraft of Choceň. For an ultralight aircraft, the VL-3 Evolution has a very long range, 1,600 km, and a very high cruising speed, up to 380 km/h. Cruising speed, economical 270 km/h. Maximum range 2,000 km. The aircraft is approved for day and night flights. The plane takes two people on board. The seats are side-by-side. The aircraft is powered by a Rota 912 ULS engine (100 hp) or a Rota 915 IS engine (140 hp). The airframe is made of composite. The standard equipment is a rescue parachute. There was a VL-3 Evolution aircraft in Nowy Targ, registration SP-RITE.
The Boeing Stearman nb 714 plane, known from many shows in Poland, was at the show.
There were two demonstration aircraft of the Bush Cat type in Nowy Targ; the first Bush Cat bears the registrations SP-SMIB (painted white), the second Bush Cat bears the registration SP-SMON.
There was a Yakovlev Jak-18 aircraft, registration SP-YYY, which belongs to the Polish Aviation Museum in Krakow and is a flying monument.
There was a PZL An-2 "Wiedeńczyk" aircraft No. 1G7447, registration SP-MLP, which is looked after by the Polish Aviation Museum in Krakow. The Viennese was handed over to the Polish Aviation Museum in 2012, thus definitively ending its service at the 8th Transport Aviation Base in Balice.
Former SZD 50 "Puchacz" gliders, registration SP-4015 and SP-3480, on which glider aerobatics of the Nowy Targ Aeroclub were demonstrated.
Aerobatic aircraft Extra 330 SC registration SP-YMS. On this plane, Mr. Mariusz Szarawara showed his skills.
There was a historic flying glider called "Wrona bis" registration SP-GKTM, which took off for a flight pulled by a car. The glider is under the care of the Polish Aviation Museum in Krakow.
As usual, a beautiful show was given by the formation from Krosno – Cellfast Flying Team. This time we could admire the performance of four planes.
Two historic Albatros D-III aircraft, replicas, from the period of the Great World War were demonstrated in the air.
Two Piper Cub L-4H aircraft were also known from many shows. There was a Seneca plane, twin-engine, equivalent to the PZL M-20 Mewa.
The Polish aircraft PZL M-26 "Iskierka" SP-DIC aroused great interest. The presented copy, after production, went to the USA, where it served its owner for many years. Years later he was sold and returned to Poland.
There was a RWD-8 replica aircraft, registration SP-AMD.
Then there was the Firebirds aerobatic group in the air. At some point, Mr. Łukasz Czepiela joined the group on the EDGE 540 plane.
There was a Hatz Classic biplane aircraft registration SP-YHW. There was a ROBINSON R-44 CADET helicopter, in red painting.
There was a Bolkow Bo-105 helicopter, registration SP-YBO. Mr. Maciej Dominiak sat at the controls of the helicopter. The helicopter is equipped with pyrotechnics. It was another performance of Mr. Maciej Dominiak in Nowy Targ.
Former Tulak aircraft registration SP-YET.
A very good show was given by Retro Sky Team from Slovakia. This group has planes; Zlin, Yak-52, PZL An-2. These planes are characterized as planes that took part in the Second World War; American, British and Germanic. The group was created many years ago for feature films and documentaries set during the Second World War. Pilots and mechanics liked this work so much that it was decided to organize a demonstration group for Air Show events. This group has already performed in many countries, including several times in Poland. The scenario of these shows is a fight between pairs of enemy fighter planes. There are usually three pairs of combat aircraft. From the loudspeakers, the audience hears bursts of machine guns. At some point, the attacked plane releases a black one, which proves that it has been hit. The defeated plane descends and hides behind the forest, disappearing from sight. In the sky we also have a bomber plane (PZL An-2), which from time to time comes over ground targets and "drops bombs". Explosives placed on the ground are detonated. Charges create large amounts of black smoke.
This year (2023), the show of the Retro Sky Team group ended with the aerobatics of the Yak-52 aircraft. The Yakovlev Yak-52 is an aerobatic aircraft whose history began in 1971. In 1971, the Yak-18 T aircraft was developed, which was powered by the Vedeneniev M-14 engine, with a power of 221 kW (300 hp). On the basis of this aircraft, a typical aerobatic aircraft was developed, which was designated Jak-50. The requirements for the aircraft were developed by the DOSAAF organization. The Yak-50 made its first flight in 1974. After some time, the aircraft received the M-14 P engine, with a power of 265 kW (360 hp). The Yak-50 aircraft received a retractable landing gear with a rear wheel. The Yak-52 aircraft received a retractable landing gear with a front wheel.
The Aero L-29 Delfin is a training aircraft of Czechoslovak production, which was developed at the end of the 1950s. The first flight was made on April 5, 1959. Two more similar aircraft were created in communist countries: the Soviet Yakovlev Jak-30 and the Polish PZL TS-11 Iskra. In 1961, in Moscow, during comparative tests, the Polish TS-11 Iskra turned out to be the best, but for political reasons, the Aero L-29 Delfín aircraft was chosen. Poland stayed with its TS-11 Iskra aircraft and even exported 50 copies to India. The Yak-30 aircraft was underdeveloped, with numerous faults. In addition, the CCCP industry could not build even 100 aircraft, because the entire industry only built combat aircraft. The Aero L-29 Delfín aircraft was introduced to the armament of the entire communist camp, which is why it was built in the number of 3,665 copies. Despite this, a new, better Aero L-39 Albatros aircraft was developed already in the 70s. The show of the Aero L-29 Delfin aircraft in Nowy Targ was the first, but the aircraft was already demonstrated in Poland in Leszno in 2022. Both airports have ground (grass) RWYs, which is why the take-off and landing of the plane was so interesting.
Curbon Cub is the plane on which Mr. Łukasz Czepiela presented himself. Mr Łukasz Czepiela is the first Polish Red Bull Air Race pilot. Mr. Łukasz made himself famous by landing on the Sopot pier with the Carbon Cub plane, and in March 2023, he landed on a helipad on a skyscraper in Dubai. The pilot flies the EDGE 540 TK aircraft. The Edge 540 TK aerobatic and racing aircraft is the most powerful aircraft of this class in Poland: weight 640 kg, 350 HP, 1 Max speed 410 km/h, rotation speed around the longitudinal axis of the aircraft is 420 degrees/sec. The only Edge 540 in Poland, used for Red Bull Air Races. The aircraft was imported to Poland in March 2017.
The last point of the air show was the launch of hot air balloons.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman