The new air show season in Central Europe opens this coming weekend in Plasy, the Czech Republic. It has already become a tradition that Den ve Vzduchu (Day in the Air), organised every year on the last weekend of April, is not only the biggest air show event in the West Bohemia region, but also the season opener.
Although some airfields in this part of Europe have already opened their doors to visitors, Den ve vzduchu is the first regular air show event to welcome aviation enthusiasts. This year, the show will take place on 25–26 April at its regular venue, the Plasy airfield.
As usual, the gates of the airfield will open at 09:00, inviting visitors to enjoy a variety of side and warm-up events. These will include several attractions for children and families, sightseeing flights, and talks with participating pilots. In addition, spectators will also have the opportunity to take part in a competition and win a familiarisation flight.
The flying programme is scheduled to begin at 13:20. This year’s participants will include a broad range of aircraft types, from gliders, through iconic jets to modern training aeroplanes. Among the event’s highlights, a set of flying displays performed by legendary warbirds must be mentioned.
Regular visitors to Den ve vzduchu will certainly remember the formation of three biplanes belonging to the Bücker Bü 131 Jungmann family, a popular German training aircraft from the 1930s and 1940s. These aircraft already took part in the 2024 edition of the show and were among the most applauded displays that year (2024 air show season opener – Den ve vzduchu in Plasy). In 2026, the Bücker formation will go a step further and present a group of four elegant biplanes of that type to the spectators in Plasy.
The famous Czech aerobatic pilot and Red Bull Air Race World Champion, Martin Šonka, will come to Plasy with a premiere performance. On a daily basis, Šonka works as a flight instructor at the Centrum Leteckého Výcviku (Flight Training Centre – CLV) in Pardubice. Therefore, it is no surprise that, in addition to his usual high-end aerobatic display with an Extra aircraft, the Czech champion also participates in domestic aviation events with the aeroplane he uses at work. For several years, this was the Zlín Z-142, but this year Šonka is going to visit Plasy with one of the newest CLV acquisitions, the Zlín Z-242 Zeus. Certainly, spectators will also have the opportunity to enjoy Šonka’s second display, this time flown in his aerobatic special.
The aforementioned CLV will also present one of its historic aircraft in Plasy, the iconic Let C-11.
The 2026 edition of Den ve vzduchu will be marked by the world premiere of the Retro Fouga Team. This newly established French display team flies two well-known Fouga CM.170 Magister jet trainers. The Fouga already visited Plasy in 2024, making its Czech debut performance back then.
Two further premiere displays will be performed by iconic Cold War warbirds – the North American OV-10B Bronco and the Bell 47 helicopter. Although both aircraft have previously performed in the Czech Republic in previous years, this will be the first time spectators can see them at Plasy airfield.
These Cold War icons will be followed by another local premiere, this time dating back to the Second World War. The aircraft to make its debut at Plasy will be the Stinson AT-19B, belonging to the Classic Trainers collection based at Plzeň-Líně airfield.
The list of warbirds participating in Den ve vzduchu 2026 will also include two other famous aircraft – the Bell AH-1S Cobra helicopter operated by the Cobra Demo Team / HeliCzech from Hradec Králové and the North American P-51D Mustang “Little Rebel” fighter from the aforementioned Classic Trainers collection.
The next local premiere will be performed by the TTake Aerobatic Team. Based in Italy, the team flies two Yak-52 aerobatic aircraft.
The flying programme of this year’s edition of Den ve vzduchu will also include several other participants well known to regular visitors to the show. Among them will be the Piper L-4 light aircraft, the Yak-55 aerobatic special, and the Bemobox formation, flying four Zlín aeroplanes.
