If you think of an airshow with a large variety of aircraft (both flying and on static display), but with an even more insane landscape, there are chances you think about Airpower!
Every 2 or 3 years, the Bundesheer (Austrian Air Force) organizes a huge airshow on one of its air bases: Zeltweg. In 2022 an edition of that Show took place. Dozens of aircraft from the Austrian Air Force and other air arms gathered to the Styria mountaines for a 2-days show.
The morning's opening was a farewell to the the Austrian Air Force Alouette III. Not less than 9 examples of this iconic helicopter performed a parade in front of the hundreds of thousands of visitors. A specially painted Eurofighter Typhoon performed a flypast, before three Pilatus PC-6 in waterbombing configuration dropped a load of colored water, representing the Austrian flag.
Solo displays from around the world, demo teams, and Austrian aircraft then followed each other. Even a Mig-21 came to perform a series of flypast from Croatia, probably one of the last public appearances of the type in a European air show. The visitors were also greeted with a flypast of a US Air Force B-52H Stratofortress.
The most notable visitor was the very first public appearance of a PLAAF (Chinese Air Force) Xi'an Y-20 in Europe. The aircraft which entered in service in 2016, came to take part to the static display of Airpower. Unfortunately its position made it difficult for pictures: the fence were close to the aircraft and there was no possibility to have nice pictures until it moved to another apron prior to its departure.
All in all, it was a great airshow with a very diverse line-up both in static and in the air. The organization of the flying program was great, without any pauses between demos. For a free entrance airshow, I have to say congratulations to the organizers. Next edition will be in September 2024 and it will surely be the same quality.
