Punctual take-off and sunny conditions

Thousands of fans have been flooding in to the AirPower09 show ground since the early hours of the morning in order to make the start at 9am on the dot.

An Alpha Jet from the Flying Bulls' fleet, followed by three Saab 105 OEs and then the flag parade by a formation of nine helicopters of the Austrian Armed Forces and the Flying Bulls (AB-212, AI III, OH-58, AB-206 and Cobra): this spectacular vanguard marked the opening of AirPower09 at Hinterstoisser air base in Zeltweg at 9am, accompanied by sunshine and breaking cloud.

Brigadier Karl Gruber, project manager of AirPower09, is anticipating "two perfect days for flying and massive attendance". Head of tourism for the Murtal region, Karl Schmitthofer, is expecting "50,000 overnight stays in the region" during AirPower09. And the visitors, who are travelling in from all over Europe as well as from the USA and Japan, are in for two action-packed days of aviation.