The Athens Flying Week, the biggest air show in the Balkans with over 500,000 loyal fans worldwide, returned again for another exciting aviation weekend at the Tanagra Airport, on 2 & 3 September.
Flying at this year’s show at Tanagra north of Athens are, among others, Rafale from France, Eurofighter Typhoon from Saudi Arabia, F-16 ‘Dream Viper’ from Belgium, ‘Dannebrog 800’ from Denmark, the Fursan Al Emarat acrobatic team from the UAE, and American F-35 fighters.
You made us feel so proud today.
The Best Show today at #AthensFlyingWeek@fursanalemarat7 pic.twitter.com/C78PeQn9Np— Tarek Hamid (@Tarekhmeid) September 2, 2023
The show attracts thousands of visitors each September, including corporate customers, families with children, tourists from all over the country and abroad, and military personnel.
Visitors can witness the most famous aircraft’s takeoffs and landings, participate in aeromodelling demonstrations, explore the trade fair and splurge on unique purchases and learn about the various types of aviation training from aviation schools and aeroclubs.
ابناء زايد🇦🇪💚🤍🖤❤️
كل الحب
كل الفخر
The Best Show Today#AthensFlyingWeek@fursanalemarat7 pic.twitter.com/HBANOFqNbl— Tarek Hamid (@Tarekhmeid) September 2, 2023
The Athens Flying Week highlight was the F-35s
The highlight of the show on Saturday was the presence of three F-35 fighter jets of the USAF – led by a female pilot.
A fifth-generation American aircraft – which the Greek Air Force wants to include in its arsenal and already initiated the relevant procedures – flew at noon over the sky impressing thousands of visitors.
The audience was enthralled by the American F-35A Lightning II demonstration team and Squadron Leader Kristin “BEO” Wolfe in the cockpit of the state-of-the-art fighter who put on a formidable display of flying skills in front of thousands of spectators.
Wolfe is the commander of the F-35 Demonstrator Team, having followed in her father’s footsteps in the Air Force, but is now creating her legacy in the cockpit of America’s most advanced fighters.
Wolfe entered the military in 2011 after receiving her promotion from the Air Force ROTC program at the University of Alabama.
She serves at Hill Air Force Base in Utah after fighter training and operational assignments in Texas, Florida, and Virginia.
Wolfe oversees a crew that showcases the unique aerial capabilities of the Air Force’s flagship fifth-generation fighter and the legacy that led to this technological marvel.
Greece took one step closer to procuring the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jet in June after the prospective sale was approved by US Senator Jim Risch, the most senior Republican on the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.
In February, the committee’s chair, US Senator Bob Menendez, granted approval to the deal. Additionally, Republican co-chair Michael McCaul and Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the committee, have also expressed their support for it.
With the required approvals now secured, the next step will be for the US government to notify Congress about the sale of F-35s to Greece, initiating the prescribed procedure for the contract’s ratification.