Bucharest, Romania

[Starman]

Those of you considering a visit for the BIAS Airshow on Fri 30th/Sat 31st Aug should bear in mind that both the local Aviation Museums are shut. At the Military Museum (Trolley bus 85 from city centre) the Mig-15 & IAR330 can be seen from the road, as can the IAR93 through the windows of its building. Unless you are a serious military history buff, no need to enter the museum. The Bucharest Aviation Museum is having a long term rebuild but many frames can be identified from Bulevardul Dimitrie Pompeiu (unless you have a top floor room at the Marriott Courtyard) to the north of the museum area - be aware, most of the aircraft have been moved around since the Google map was created, they are not in two parallel lines and many of the previously "inside" exhibits are also outside now.

[Optimus]

Just returned from a work trip to a scorching hot Bucharest, some notes:
- at Otopeni, the Northern runway was undergoing maintenance, so check if it is open again by that time if you intend to stay at the airport's Holiday Inn. Romanian Air Force aircraft (C-27s, C130s and An26 "810") were doing regular flights and touch & go's at both Otopeni and Beneasa. Scattered around the field were a number of vintage BAC1-11s: 2 at the runway 26L threshold and 2 at the Air Force hangars.
- at Baneasa, views were limited on the stored/derelict airliners, but around the Medevac-ramp with S-70M's, the now defunct Mil-8/17s were parked either next to the hangar, or in between the trees a bit further East from the ramp. Watch out for agressively driving truck drivers to/from the nearby construction site.
- from Baneasa to the West, there is the police training facility, where an Antonov 24 can be seen while peeking over a wall. The fuselage of the last unfinished ROMBAC1-11 should also be nearby, but was not noticed.

Happy hunting,

Kees

[f4phantom]

Strangly enough Antonov 26 810 was supposed to be retired at the end of 2023.
Its still flying these days