It was a party between the people and the military as had not been seen for a long time., almost remembering the 25 April. The Air Festival was a success, with an unusual human frame and an excellent organization, in and out of BA11.
“the skies, the asphalt and dirt of Beja and the Air Base (BA) 11 were the scene of a people's party in communion with our Air Force”, Paulo Arsenio's opinion, President of Beja House, generalizing the feeling of those who shared the emotions of the biggest Air Festival ever promoted in Portugal.
The day 3 July was an all-too-memorable day, to the 70 thousand people who went to BA11 to watch the “tear from the skies” by the dozens of aircraft that took part in the event, and that made the delights of big and small. The nostalgic note was given by the lack of the acrobatic left “Asas de Portugal”, that flew in the Alpha-Jet and that became extinct in 2010.
There 26 year old, from 26 May 1996 that an Air Festival of this size was not held and the entire organization was exemplary in accessing BA11 as well as inside. There was a sharing of wills and well-doing that had not been seen in our country for a long time and that showed the “Pride of Portugal”.
General Cartaxo Alves, Chief of Staff of the Air Force (CEMFA), mentioned that “70×70 (the FAP years and the visitors) were the festival's formula for success. we all needed this, from the Air Force to all Portuguese, after two years of great pandemic”, concluded.
To 00,00 hours of this Sunday six paratroopers from the Army's Book Drop Team, Os Falcões Negros” lit up the night skies of Beja and landed next to the city’s Sports Complex, before a human mole of five thousand people.
For the Air Festival that started at 10,00 hours, the doors of BA11 opened two hours before and many vehicles were already lining up that reached the 5 kilometers, and arrived at the intersection of IP2.
From the city of Beja, the buses of the various chambers of the district made a lane and came constantly. There were many car parks outside BA11 and inside the organization had a “military and good-doing” nature., with easy access to the exhibition area.
The four kilometers of the aircraft parking sign was always crowded with people to see the static display of aircraft and then the display of the various planes and aerobatic patrols., where Frecce Tricolori, of the Italian Air Force (na photos), stirred up a crowd that put aside the almost 30 degrees centigrade that were felt yesterday.
The curtain ran over the Air Festival, tomorrow is “school day” again at BA11, because friday continues the Real Thaw exercise 2022 with the military presence and aircraft of seven countries, including Portugal, and from NATO.
When Lidador News, the District Civil Protection and the GNR, made a “very positive” assessment of the operations set up by both institutions.
PEOPLE'S VOICES
Charles Fernandes, 68 year old, Lisbon: “I wanted to be a pilot, but the eyes did not let. We returned from France a year ago and we love these initiatives. We stayed overnight in Cuba and came early to the Base. an extraordinary festival, amazing. There 20 years in this same place we had lunch under the wings and an American B-1 bomber”.
Antonio Jacinto, 54 year old, Beja: “It is a different and important day for the city and the region.. very well organized. The whole family came by bus. The Alentejo, Portugal and Air Force, we can all be proud”.
Miguel “Maverick” Lopes, 15 year old, Montijo: “I come from an Air Force military family.. My sister is taking a commercial pilot course. I want to go to the Military Academy and be an aviator pilot. I hope to be here one day (air festival) to fly a plane”.
Antonio Courage, 52 year old, De Pera: “It is the first time that a festival of this type, I have no words to explain what I feel. They should do it more regularly to give more life to the region. let me ask you a question: What is made of the Asas de Portugal patrol ?. It's a shame to see the other patrols participating and the Portuguese one no longer exists. It is necessary to activate the Asas de Portugal”.
Teixeira Correia
(journalist)
