On 10 August the IV “Air Festival” of ultralight aviation took place near the Mountain “Kozachiya”. This year, the Federation of the ultralight aviation in the Republic of Buryatia “Baikal wings” and the Republican Agency for Physical Culture and Sport with the support of the general partners – the Group “METROPOL” and the Fund for Protection of Lake Baikal – added to a traditional competitive part a rich entertainment program that drew more viewers to this festival.

At the official opening of the festival President of the Federation of ultralight aviation in the Republic of Buryatia “Baikal wings” Alexander Meshalkin, Vice President of the FPLB Bair Tsyrenov, Deputy Director of the FPLB Inna Krylova and organisation group leader of the expedition “Trans-Eurasia flight Leman – Baikal” Roman Afonin made a speech before the audience.

- We congratulate you on the occasion of the festival “Baikal troposphere” opening and we are delighted that every year it becomes more and more popular and significant event in the life of Buryatia – said in his speech B.Tsyrenov.

- We welcome the guests and participants of the festival and we are delighted to present to Buryatia pilots and their ULM that participated in the first season of the international expedition “Leman-Baikal”, organized by our Fund in partnership with the Fund Leman, RGS and numerous scientific institutions – noticed I.Krylova.

- This year we are presenting not only a new expedition project, but also a new ULM club of the Fund for Protection of Lake Baikal, the pilots of which came to the festival and will make demonstration flights of a new complicated program – said R.Afonin.

- This summer we were able to hold the festival of larged scale, thanks to the support of the Group “METROPOL” and the Fund for Protection of Lake Baikal. We have long dreamed about it – said A.Meshalkin. – This year, for the first time ULM Tanarg and balloon were presented.

During the festival competitions of parawings for landing accuracy and demonstration flights of ULM, parawings motorcycle, model airplanes and skydivers took place. Spectators and guests of the festival were able to make a tandem flights on parawings, to meet with members of the international expedition “Trans-Eurasia flight: Leman-Baikal”, who conduct comprehensive studies of Lake Baikal from the beginning of summer this year. “Air Festival” brought together more than 50 athletes from the Trans-Baikal Territory, Irkutsk and Buryatia, and also from Novosibirsk, Moscow and Yekaterinburg. For the whole day the festival was visited by approximately two thousand people.

Deputy Director of the FPLB Inna Krylova and organisation group leader of the expedition “Trans-Eurasia flight Leman – Baikal” Roman Afonin

FPLB Vice-President Bair Tsyrenov