Gmunden (Austria)

Helidays 2018

7 - 9 September 2018

Credits: Lukas Kinneswenger, David Stevens.

From the 7th till the 9th of September it was again “cleared to land” for over sixty helicopters from more than nine European nations and 350 pilots in Ohlsdorf / Unterthalham in the district of Gmunden.

Helicopter pilot Daniel Ebner from Gmunden is the main organizer. The meadows in the vicinity of the gravel works of the company Asamer Kies- & Betonwerke, just south-east of Ohlsdorf, had been transformed to a huge airfield by a team from all areas of the helicopter scene which meets all aeronautical and safety requirements.

The company Asamer made their extensive premises available for a sufficient amount of parking for the visitors of HeliDays Austria. Dozens of helicopters arrived in Gmunden from 7 till 9 September 2018.

The only flyable Bristol 171 Sycamore visited HeliDays on the last day of the show. Free shuttle buses ran from 10:00 till 19:00 between Franz-Josef Platz in Gmunden to Unterthalham on the 8th. In addition to the many private helicopters, this year it was also possible to present aircraft in the static display of the Austrian Police Air Support Unit, the ÖAMTC, the Martin Air Rescue and the Federal Army as well as of civil helicopter companies.

On Saturday there was an opportunity to get first-hand information about military pilots training at an information stand in the area of the Austrian Air Force Agusta Bell 212. In addition to various demonstration flights, parachute jumps, pleasure flights (with An-2 OK-TIR and H130 OE-XCF) and a rescue exercise with two emergency medical helicopters, the demonstrations with model helicopters was also a headliner.

Also on board where the Flying Bulls, including the glider team Blanix. Bell took the opportunity to present its new model 505 Jet Ranger X to potential pilots and customers. The Helidays Austria took place for the ninth time - this time again in conjunction with the Gmunden Harbor Festival on the Traunsee, a lake in the Salzkammergut, Austria.

The combined event attracted tens of thousands of visitors again that weekend. Although we did not receive a log from the areal display held during the Harbor Festival, we did receive some photos that were taken at that time. All fixed wing aicraft taking part in the event were based at Wels Airfield, approximately 50 km north of Gmunden.

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