Dęblin 2023-09-15
Farewell to the Biało-Czerwone Iskry team.
On July 27, 2022, the press service of the 4th Air Training Wing named after Brig. pilot Witold Urbanowicz, informed that at the military airport of the 41st Air Training Base named after Maj. pilot Eugeniusz Horbaczewski in Dęblin, a farewell ceremony of the PZL TS-11 Iskra MR training aircraft from the Biało-Czerwone Iskry aerobatic team took place. PZL TS-11 Iskra aircraft were withdrawn from the Polish Air Force training system on December 9, 2020. In the Biało-Czerwone Iskry team, it was decided to keep the planes in flying condition due to the already signed contracts for shows in 2021 and 2022.
According to plans, the last demonstration flight was to take place on August 15, 2022, during the parade in Warsaw. But the parade did not take place at that time, so the band's last show was intimate.
In 2022, at the military airport of the 41st Air Training Base in Dęblin, the farewell flight ceremony of the PZL TS-11 Iskra aircraft from the Biało-Czerwone Iskry aerobatic team took place.
Recently, the team had seven PZL TS-11 Iskra aircraft at their disposal. It was the first Polish structure powered by a turbine engine that entered production and service. The production of PZL TS-11 Iskra aircraft was carried out at the WSK PZL Mielec plant in the period 1963-1987. A total of 424 units were built. The last composition of the team is: Team Commander and Leader - Capt. Maciej Kopiel. The left one is led by Maj. Jacek Jaworek. Right led – Capt. Krzysztof Kłaczyński. The second left one is led by Lt. Mateusz Kubiak. Second right led and Soloist – Lt. Marcin Kossakowski. Closing officer – Lt. Sylwester Sobótka. Instructor Pilot (IP) – Lt. Col. Marek Stechni and Lt. Leszek Sokołowski. Camera operator – Lt. Paweł Wołczyk. Commentator – 2nd Lt. Maciej Drozd.
Written by Karol Placha Hetman