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Updated: |
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09/24/2008 |
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As
part of the celebration of Ecuadorian Air
Force's 86th anniversary, took place the Air
Festival 2006, a traditional open house at Simon
Bolivar Air Base in Guayaquil, home of Search
and Rescue 22nd Wing. This festival has been
established many years ago and since two years it is
held alternatively in the two most important
cities Quito and Guayaquil. This
time, thousands of visitors could visit the many
stands for the occasion and took a closer look
to commercial and military aircraft from the air
force, navy aviation and the army. Many kids
could have the chance to fly over the city for
their first time ever in a DHC-6 Twin Otter, a
C-130B Hercules and a HS.748 Avro. One of
the main attractions was the display of an international
paratroops team. Over 20 jumpers demonstrated their
abilities in a vertiginous descend with a smooth landing
making more than one spectator to hold his breath for a
while. One of them had an emergency with a malfunction
of his main parachute and was forced to use the
alternate. Spectators were terrified seeing this
jumper fall freely way beyond the other's
opening altitude. He landed safely. |
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There
were some additions to former festivals, with the
display for the first time of two Kfir CE's and two
Mirage F.1JA's. Worth to mention than one of the CE's
was not other than FAE-905, originally a C-2 converted
in the new standards, used by Cap. Mata during the Cenepa war, where he shot down with this aircraft a
Peruvian A-37B Dragonfly. Now has been modernized, but
retaining the kill markings. One of the Mirage was Maj.
Carlos Uscategui's aircraft, the same that shoot down a
Peruvian Su-22 in the same day and war. Additionally was
present a T-34C Turbo Mentor with new provisional colors
of the Air Force Flying School. Other participants were FAE's Strikemaster, A-37B Dragonfly, A150L, C-130B
Hercules, two HS.748 and two helicopters with new
camouflage patter (yes...a new one). TAME airlines
presented an old Fokker F.28-4000. |
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The
Navy participated with another T-34C Turbo Mentor, both
Bell helicopters model 206 and 230. For the first time
they presented a CASA CN.235M-100 transporter, and this
time the T-35B Pillan and King Air's were not
participating. |
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As
usual, the Army aviation was present with a small
delegation, just a SA.342L Gazelle and a MT-7 Skyrocket
that was partially covered most of the time. For those
good observers during the show, there was an Army Arava
in white, orange and black colors, parked outside
Army hangars on the other side of the runway. This
beauty and definitely a rarity, could have been part of
show. |
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Finally,
on Sunday 5PM the show was closed and the tradition of
all military aircraft departure created great
expectation. It is breath taking and spectacular to see
the take-off run of Kfirs and Mirages at full
afterburner, for returning later for a low, high
speed pass over the crowd and perform a steep climb near
the vertical to finally disappear in the clouds with a
great pursuit of both types, simulating a combat
engagement. |
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