The 8th Bulgarian International Air Festival will take place at Plovdiv between September 2 and 4.

It will mark the centenary of Bulgarian aviation and will proceed under the patronage of President Georgi Purvanov and Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, says General Ivan Parapounov (Ret.), who chairs the Bulgarian Air Force Foundation, a co-organizer of the event.

The helicopter base at Kroumovo and the civilian airport of Plovdiv will be playing host to the show. Ten countries will be involved in it, among them Switzerland, Russia and Germany taking part for the first time. This is also the first time that the Bulgarian government supports the festival.

Forty airplanes, ten helicopters and light aircraft will be featured in the show, Gen. Parapounov said. The Turkish Air Force will commit F-16 aircraft while Russia will demonstrate the capabilities of MiG-29 OVT. Eurofighter (Eurofighter Typhoon) and Gripen fighters will be featured for the first time. Bulgarian top-class pilots will fly MiG-21, MiG-29A, Pilatus PC-9M and C27J Spartan planes, and Mi-17 and Bell-206 helicopters.

Visitors will also be able to go to the only aviation museum in Bulgaria, which will be acquiring four more airplanes.

One hundred years ago, the Bulgarian government decided to set up a national air force which later also gave rise to the country's civil aviation service.