Aeropark will welcome visitors on Saturday for its Night of the Airport event, offering an array of attractions from rare and vintage airport vehicles to interactive activities with pilots, air traffic controllers, and ground service crews. Running from 4pm to 1 am, the programme promises both daytime and evening highlights for aviation enthusiasts.
Among the special vehicles on display will be a snow blower capable of clearing 6,000 tons of snow from runways per hour and one of Hungary’s most remarkable fire engines, the 40-ton Rosenbauer Panther. Visitors will also have the chance to ride in a specialized de-icing vehicle, providing a unique view of the airport from above.
Marking the 75th anniversary of Ferihegy, the event will feature talks by leading figures in Hungarian aviation, including experienced instructors and ground service professionals. At the HungaroControl booth, guests can learn about the inner workings of air traffic control, while airport security units will showcase their work through live demonstrations. Attendees can watch detection dogs in action, visit the National Tax and Customs Administration’s recruitment stand, and meet HungaroMet meteorologists for insights into aviation weather forecasting.
One of the evening’s biggest spectacles will be the live start-up of a nearly 70-year-old Il-14 passenger aircraft’s 1,900-horsepower engine, taking place at 6, 8, and 10pm. Visitors will also see a small jet engine in operation and watch as the iconic Kamov Ka-26 helicopter, nicknamed the ‘worm bomber’, roars to life.
Popular social media personalities from the aviation world, including pilots, flight attendants, air traffic controllers, and airport planners will take to the stage for discussions about the unseen work that ensures every flight’s safety, the evolution of Ferihegy over 75 years, and the teamwork behind a successful journey.
Special airport tours will grant rare access to the Liszt Ferenc International Airport’s restricted areas, including Terminal 1 and the Aeroplex hangars. Scenic flights will also return, with trips aboard an Embraer 120 and the world’s only airworthy Li-2 aircraft, operated by the Goldtimer Foundation. The Li-2, now 76 years old, will once again take passengers on sightseeing journeys from Ferihegy, offering a flying experience steeped in history.
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