Ministry of National Defence
Press release No. 156 13.07.2015
20 July the Day of the Aviation and the Air Force

The Air Force Staff organizes a series of events in all its military units on the Day of the Aviation and the Air Force, according to the following program:

Over July 14 to 31, from 09.00 to 16.00 the National Aviation Museum organizes the exhibition Arta in aviatie [Arts in Aviation], consisting of paintings and drawings with aviation themes, most of them signed by Ion THaralunga, objects and documents belonging to the artistic creation of pilots, sculptures, statues, caricatures on aviation themes.

Over July 6 to 18, the models of Vlaicu-glider, Vlaicu I, Vlaicu II and Vlaicu III aiplanes will be exhibited at Henri Coanda Air Force Academy of Brasov, Aurel Vlaicu Air Force School of Application and Traian Vuia School of Warrant Officers and NCOs of Boboc, Buzau County and the 90th Gheorghe Banciulescu Air Lift Base of Otopeni.


On Saturday, July 18, the 90th Gheorghe Banciulescu Air Lift Base of Otopeni will host the Day of the Open Gates from 09.00 hrs. On this occasion, visitors will be able to watch demonstration flights of IAR-330 Puma helicopters, C-27J Spartan, C-130 Hercules, Antonov AN-30 and IAR-99 Soim aircraft; the Day of the Open Gates at Giarmata Airfield, Timis County from 09.00 hrs. there will be demonstration flights of IAR-330 Puma helicopters, combat aircraft MiG-21 LanceR and air lift aircraft C-27J Spartan.

A wreath laying military and religious ceremony will be held in Bucharest in memory of aviation heroes, at the Monument of Air Heroes in Aviatorilor Square, on July 19, over 09.00 to 10.00 hrs. During the ceremony, IAR-330 Puma, IAK-52, C-27J Spartan, Antonov AN-30, IAR-99 Soim and MiG-21 LanceR aircraft as well as aircraft of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Romanian Intelligence Service, the Romanian Air Club, the Higher Civilian Aviation School and TAROM National Airways carrier will fly during an air show.
At 10.30hrs, the 71st General Emanoil Ionescu Air Base of Campia Turzii hosts the Day of the Open Gates when visitors will have the opportunity to watch demonstration flights with civilian and military aircraft as well as tactical air exercises carried out by MiG-21 LanceR, IAR-330 Puma, IAR-99 Soim, IAR-316B and C-27J Spartan aircraft, parachute launching and an air show.
The National Museum of Romanian Aviation in Bucharest organizes the Day of the Open Gates, on Sunday, from 10.00 to 17.00hrs, with an exhibition consisting of items of interest from the history of Romanian aeronautics: military aircraft, radar stations, air defence artillery, ground-to-air missiles, replicas, uniforms, decorations and library documents.
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The Romanian Aviation and Air Force Day is celebrated each year on July 20, on the day celebrating St. Elijah the Prophet.
Today, the Romanian Armed Forces, as part of the strongest collective defence system of the world, develops according to a new concept and acts according to the policies outlined in the National Security Strategy of Romania. As a unitary and dynamic structure, the Romanian Air Force is a modern, consistent and tactically effective component of the national defence system, in terms of tactical, operative and strategic system.

The missions of the Air Force consists in defending the national air space, assisting the other military services and local authorities in removing the consequences of natural calamities and intervening in civil emergency situations, air recce, material, medical and food as well as evacuating injured and sick people from affected areas.

The Air Force go through a bottom up review of its main combat units at the end of which the multirole F-16 Fighting Falcon would be integrated and assimilated. This new squadron will be organized according to the already tested model of any NATO similar squadron, in the modern facilities of Campia Turzii and Fetesti, now under construction.

At the beginning of the year, the last C-27J Spartan aircraft was delivered, thus ending a cycle of aquisitons that give a new dimension to the air lift capability of the Air Force.

The common and multinational exercises, the missions carried out in Iraq, Western Balkans and Afghanistan proved each time the professionalism of the Air Force personnel.

Integrity, devotion and tenacity are the lasting values of the Air Force.

MoND Press Office