The legendary “Air Bandits” return
“Kaunas and aviation are inseparable. This is where an important part of Lithuanian aviation history began, and the S. Darius and S. Girėnas aerodrome remains a place where our country’s flight tradition is alive. Every year we strive for the Aviation Festival to grow, to amaze, and to bring to Kaunas what you won’t see every day in the Lithuanian skies.
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This year, viewers can look forward to an exceptional international program, historic aircraft, and an impressive twilight show. I invite you to meet in Aleksotas on July 25 and see it all with your own eyes,” said Kaunas Mayor Visvaldas Matijošaitis in a press release from the Kaunas municipality.
The festival will officially start at 3 p.m. The “Air Bandits” – Jurgis Kairys, world aerobatic champion Ramon Alonso from Spain, and pilots from Romania Ioanas Postolache and Danas Stefanescu – will take to the Kaunas skies again after many years.
The international aerobatic group created by J. Kairys became famous in the aviation world for its unconventional, dynamic, and theatrical performances.
Unlike traditional aerobatic groups aiming for perfect symmetry and precise formations, the “Air Bandits” choose surprise, interaction of different aircraft, and each pilot’s individual style. Close maneuvers, sharp turns, and unexpected elements turn their performance into a kind of aviator spectacle in the sky.
From historic aircraft to NATO fighters
Throughout the afternoon and evening, high-level pilots from Lithuania, Poland, Finland, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Romania, Spain, Italy, and Greece will take turns in the aerodrome skies.
Viewers will see the legendary American fighter “P-51 Mustang,” the historic bomber “Douglas A-26C Invader,” and other exceptional aircraft.
J. Kairys, Igoris Lobanovas, Arturas Kielakas, Lukasz Czepiela, and other world-class pilots will demonstrate their skills.
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A special place in the program will be occupied by the performance of the historic aircraft “Bellanca CH-300 Pacemaker” and the aerobatic group “ANBO.”
A flight of NATO fighter jets conducting the Baltic air policing mission is also planned in the Kaunas skies.
One of the brightest spectacles this year will be the show “Ragnarok” by Swedish pilots Sus Jan Hedén and Jacob Holländer, combining aerobatic flights and breathtaking acrobatics on the wing of a flying plane. Another exceptional performance will be by “Red Bull” athlete, powered paraglider pilot Dimitris Kolliakos from Greece.
Entertainment on the ground
During the festival, visitors will have the opportunity to get up close with the activities and equipment of the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ Air Force. The exhibition will feature helicopters, transport aircraft, airspace monitoring systems, rescue and repair equipment, drones, light weapons, and armored vehicles.
Children and families can look forward to creative workshops, educational activities, and other entertainment.
The musical program will be complemented by Raigardas Tautkus’s Kaunas Champagne Choir and the group “Šeškės,” and the festival’s climax will be two twilight performances.
At 10 p.m., the Kaunas skies will be illuminated by the main stars of the evening – the “Air Bandits” with J. Kairys. The group’s pilots will take to the sky in different aerobatic aircraft – the “Juka” created and improved by J. Kairys, two “Su-29s,” and a “Yak-50.”
The festival evening will conclude with an impressive twilight performance by the Swedish “Ragnarok” team.
