ATHENS FLYING WEEK 2017 REPORT

The ATW 17 has confirmed a very interesting air show thanks to the european premiere of the Egyptian Silver Stars Aerobatic Team, great flying displays and well organization.

Athens Flying Week 2017 Tanagra
Egyptian Silver Stars Aerobatic Team during Athens Flying Week 2017.

On the weekend of 16 to 18 September 2017, Greece's biggest air show, the Athens Flying Week (AFW), took off from Tanagra Air Force Base for the second year in a row. The Athens Flying Week 2017 was crowned the Southeast Europe's best Air Show thanks to well organization and great participants list.

From 2017 the Air Show centre was being moved to the more audience-friendly site of the Tanagra airport. It ensured ample space and allowed the audience to experience the take-off and landing procedures of their beloved jets and the amazing spectacle of the acrobatic squadrons' synchronized taxiing, with smoke, from just a breath away.

Some of the best European Demo Teams have been part of the event such as the RAF Red Arows, the Polish MiG-29, F-16 Tiger and the Bialo-Iskry Team and the Belgian F-16 Solo Display.

Surely the highlight of the event was the "Silver Stars" Demo Team of the Egyptian Air Force. It presented its rare and totally synchronized flying display for the first time in Europe.

Naturally, the Hellenic aircraft were also at the top: the "Zeus" F-16 Demo Team and the T-6A "Daedalus" Demo Team of the Hellenic Air Force, along with other aircraft took part in the dynamic and static display. An F-16 and a Îœirage 2000-5 engaged and performed a choreography of advanced combat maneuvers in an epic dogfight. The two Fighters also performed low passes and approaches.

Thousands of Phantom fans have been gratified by the presence in air of two F-4Es. The Phantom IIs belonging to 338th Fighter Squadron took off from Andravida AFB to simulate a low altitude airfield attack and low passes over Tanagra AFB.

Among the other performers there have been Hellenic Apache, Chinook and Black Hawk helicopters, Canadair firefighting aircraft, the World Champions Johan Gustafsson from Sweden and Luca Bertossio from Italy and the beautiful media darling "Wingwalker" Danielle Hughes that danced on the wings of an in-flight Boeing Stearman.

Schaerer & Partner Red Bull from Switzerland and Dutch Rush Aerobatics from Holland also performed in Tanagra. Hellenic Skydivers, the oldest school of its kind in Greece, took the audience into the world of freeflying.

In addition to the flight display, the public was able to admire all the aircraft in the largest static display in recent years. Almost all fighters and helicopters seen in the air were also exhibited on the ground.

The AFW 2017 has confirmed a very successful event that every year attracts more aviation enthusiasts and we are sure it will become a landmark for air shows in Europe. Blog Before Flight is very pleased to have been a partner of the Athens Flying Week 2017.





























Written by Matteo Sanzani


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