Krakow May 17, 2019
The airport in Powidz is 2019
At the beginning of the article, there is a photo report from the Open Day at the Powidz Airport on 17 May 2019.
The 3. SLTr and 33.BLTr Command Day – Open Barracks Day in Powidz
This was our next visit on the Open Day of the Barracks in Powidz. And as usual, we were not disappointed. The event was organized perfectly, and since it was not raining, it was very interesting and pleasing.
At the moment, 33. Transport Aviation Base is part of the 3rd Wing of Aviation Transport. The largest Polish Lockheed C-130 E Hercules transport planes with a lifting capacity of 33,000 kg have been stationed here since 2009. Also based here are: PZL M-28 Bryza planes, Mi-17 TU helicopters, Mi-24 W helicopters, PZL W-3 Sokół and PZL Mi-2. 33. The base is also the home of the 7th Special Forces Squadron, which has helicopters that support the special forces. With these machines commandos can be moved to any region of the country.
A big advantage of the 33rd Base is a huge field of take-offs with two runways (RWY), on which every transport aircraft used in the world can land. For many years, 33. The base is being systematically expanded for the operation of the Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft. A "light" passage for the C-130 hangar and a normal hangar were erected. The PPS was laid out and built from scratch. The taxiways and both RWY (DS) have been renovated. A new MPS was built. Some of the funds for modernization came from the NATO investment account.
In spring 2019, the Ministry of National Defense announced that a large base of combat and technical equipment of the US Army would be built near the 33rd Transport Aviation Base.
Open Barracks Day in Powidz on May 17, 2019
From 2010, in Powidz, the open days of the barracks were returned. On May 17, 2019, our estimates indicated that Powidz Airport was visited by over 10,000 people. The case is all the more remarkable that it was Friday and to get to the Airport hidden among the forests of Wielkopolska, it was necessary to come by own means of transport, traveling along side roads. A lot of organized groups came. Among them many trips from schools that have uniformed classes. Most were families with small children, especially grandparents and grandchildren.
Words of appreciation belong to the organizers who organized a lot of parking spaces in one of the former zones of middling Sukhoi Su-22 aircraft and in the part of the landing field. The organizers ensured entry through two farm gates and efficiently indicated appropriate parking spaces.
Comments for future remarks at the Powidz Airport. The take-off area is on the south side, so pictures of aircraft in flight can be carried out under the sun. Good pictures come out on planes when the sun illuminates them. However, access to aircraft is open, there are no barriers, so it is difficult to take pictures without other people in the frame. All aircraft were open, so you could take a seat in the cabin and cockpit. The time of the event is long enough and there are a lot of airplanes and helicopters in the air that making around 1,000 pictures is not a problem.
On a stand
The static exhibition was dominated by two USAF helicopters: the Black Hawk in the medical version and the Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter. The M-978 tanker truck, built on the Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (HEMTT) chassis, an eight-wheeled heavy truck truck manufactured by Oshkosh Corporation, aroused great interest. The vehicle was developed in 1981. The main user of the vehicle is the US Army.
In an air
From 13:00 the shows in the air began. First, Lockheed C-130 Hercules nb 1503 appeared in the air. Then, the PZL M-28 nb 0214 plane climbed into the air. Later there was a dynamic demonstration of two Mil Mi-17 helicopters. Another CASA C-295 M transport aircraft was in the air. A dynamic demonstration of Mil Mi-24 combat helicopter was next. There was a momentary silence in the sky, when suddenly from the back of the spectators, just above the trees, Lockheed F-16 D Hawk nb 4076 appeared with a loud bang. It was a very dynamic show with several times the use of flares. Then, in the air, we could admire the government aircraft Boeing B.737 BBJ nb 0110. The demonstrations in the air ended the air rescue team with the PZL W-3 Sokół helicopter, which presented the air rescue demonstration.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman