Malta International Airshow (MIA) 2016 was characterized by a serious of difficulties and challenges faced by the Malta Aviation Society (MAS) due to the relocation of the flying display from the airport to Smart City, a location in the south east part of the island over the sea. This abrupt change of venue, together with financial issues related with running the event effected the airshow in a negative way, resulting in less aircraft participating and less people attending the static display held at apron 4 at the airport.
Despite these challenges MAS still managed to attract some star items to the show, the ultimate highlight being the attraction of the Ukrainian Air Force in the form of two Su-27 flankers for the flying display and an Il-76 to act as support for the flankers in the static display. This was the first time Ukraine participated in the Malta International Airshow and the first time a Sukhoi Su-27 flanker participated in the flying display of the Maltese airshow.
Besides the Ukrainian Air Force, the Polish Air Force was also going to send three Su-22 fitters to participate in the flying display, in what was going to be a truly Russian fest of military hardware in the flying display. However, in the week preceding the show, unfortunately the poles had to cancel. Despite this cancellation, the Polish Air Force still sent team Iskry for the flying display as well as a Polish Air Force Airbus Casa 295 for the static display. In addition, the Polish Navy also sent an M-28 Bryza to participate in the static display.
Other highlights included the presence of a Portuguese air force Casa 295MPA Persuader in the static display, that arrived on Saturday afternoon during the flying display as well as the first ever appearance of a Boeing P-8 Poseidon in the Maltese Islands, participating in both the static display and flying display. This was also a great coup for the airshow to attract a flying display by a P-8, something which had only occurred recently at the Farnborough airshow in 2014. Besides the US Navy Poseidon, the French Navy made a welcome return to the Maltese Islands with the participation of a Dassault Falcon 50 Surmar in the static display.
Adding flair to the flying display were the pioneer team, an Italian display team founded in 2005 by the will of a group of pilots and flight instructors, Franc Borin, Corrado Rusalen, Claudio Fogli, Marco Gioria and thanks to the availability of some ex Frecce Tricolori pilots which gave their support to give the team the right training. They performed in the early hours of the evening with pyrotechnics, giving aviation enthusiasts a unique taste of the spectacle that arises when aircraft and fireworks are displayed simultaneously.
AFM was also present in full force with many of their aircraft participating in the static and flying display of the show. The flying display was interesting as AFM displayed again their duo demonstration, with the king air and the AW-139 together for some initial fly pasts, followed by a break sequence towards the crowd centerline. Each aircraft then performed a solo demonstration consisting of a series of passes.
In addition, MIA 2016 saw the last ever display of the Italian Air Force AB-212 SAR demo, on their final year of deployment in Malta, working alongside the armed forces of Malta. The good thing about the location of the flying display was that the Maltese public got the see a realistic impression of the SAR duties that the Armed Forces of Malta and the Italian Air Force contingent carry out in the Maltese Islands. The airshow line up was complemented as usual by the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, firm loyal supporters of the show. Even though RAF and RN participation was very low this year, MIA still managed to attract two aircraft for the static display in the form of an RAF King Air B200 ‘ZK459’ and a Royal Navy Avenger ‘ZZ502’.
All in all, it was a great show in which the Malta Aviation Society managed to attract some star items despite the many difficulties encountered. In the case of MIA, it was truly an example as a ‘quality over quantity’ show.
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