World’s top aerobatic pilots head to Porto for AIR INVICTUS

Northern Portugal is preparing to host what organisers describe as the largest aviation and aerospace event ever staged in the country, with the inaugural AIR INVICTUS festival set to take place from June 19 to 21.

Spanning the municipalities of Porto, Vila Nova de Gaia, Maia and Matosinhos, the three-day event will combine high-speed air racing, aerobatic displays, military and civilian aircraft exhibitions, concerts and a potentially record-breaking drone show.

Organisers say AIR INVICTUS aims to establish Portugal as a major destination on the international aviation events calendar, bringing together some of the world’s leading sport aviation pilots and attracting thousands of spectators to the banks of the Douro River.

The official opening on June 19 will focus on younger visitors with the launch of the AIR INVICTUS Expo at Maia Aerodrome under the theme “Your wings begin here” (As tuas Asas começam aqui), designed to promote aviation and aerospace careers.

Later that evening, attention will shift to Praia do Titan in Matosinhos, where a free public programme will feature live entertainment, including the popular Revenge of the 90’s music show and what organisers hope will become a new European record for a drone light display.

The centrepiece of the festival will take place over the weekend as elite pilots compete in timed air races above the Douro estuary.

The course, marked by air gates and buoys between Porto’s Arrábida Bridge and the iconic Dom Luís I Bridge, recreates the dramatic setting that previously hosted stages of the former Red Bull Air Race World Championship.

Among the headline competitors is Czech pilot Martin Šonka, who won the final Portuguese Red Bull Air Race event on the Douro in 2017 before going on to claim the world championship the following year.

He will be joined by fellow Czech Petr Kopfstein, French pilots François Le Vot and Daniel Genevey, Spain’s Juan Velarde, Italian record-holder Dario Costa and French aviator Mélanie Astles, one of the most recognised figures in international sport aviation.

Costa is particularly renowned for his Guinness World Records and extreme aviation achievements, while Astles has become one of the sport’s most prominent ambassadors.

The competitive programme will be complemented by a series of aerial acrobatics demonstrations featuring both Portuguese and international pilots. Veteran Portuguese aerobatics specialist Luís Garção is among those confirmed to participate.

On the ground, visitors will be able to explore a wide range of aviation exhibits, including historic and contemporary aircraft from the Portuguese Air Force, which has been an official partner of the event since its inception.

Several military aircraft from different eras will be displayed along the riverfront areas of Porto and Gaia, offering visitors a rare opportunity to see some of Portugal’s aviation heritage up close.

Organisers have also scheduled concerts, DJ battles and family-friendly entertainment throughout the weekend, creating a festival atmosphere extending well beyond the aerial displays.

With 15 separate events planned across four municipalities and a warm-up programme beginning in Espinho, AIR INVICTUS is expected to draw aviation enthusiasts from across Portugal and abroad.

If successful, the festival could establish itself as one of the country’s flagship tourism and sporting events, combining aviation excellence with the spectacular backdrop of northern Portugal’s Atlantic coastline and the Douro River.

Source: Kiosque da Aviação