Folk Festival on Flight Day – Swedish Armed Forces

The police and armed forces estimated that about 190,000 people attended this year’s Aviation Day, which was held on Saturday, August 27. The event was organized by the Uppland Air Fleet, and the last time a Luftstridsskolan was held in Uppsala in 2018, an estimated 140,000 visitors came.

Saturday morning started with gray clouds and drizzle, which means the itinerary should start an hour later. But since the program itself was carried out in the morning and afternoon, visitors still have the opportunity to see all the points of the program.

Notable events included, for example, the first advanced air show with the Jas 39 E, bridges with American strategic bombers and the Finnish display group Midnight Hawks. Visitors also saw military, civilian and historical aircraft and helicopters in the air and on the ground.

Focus on defensive information and recruitment

The job of the Swedish Armed Forces is to show the public what the power is doing, and an event like Flying Day is an excellent opportunity to demonstrate the capabilities of the Air Force. Other authorities were also on site to present their activities and report on the work being done to Swedish citizens. The event is also an important opportunity to recruit new employees and to report, for example, about conscription as well as specialized officer training and officer training. In the recruiting area, visitors learn more about civilian and military career opportunities in the armed forces.

One of the most popular attractions was the entry to the Boeing C-17 Globemaster from the International Airlift Wing (HAW). Other international guests were the United States of America, Finland, Germany and Great Britain who participated in aircraft and personnel during the day.

After Air Chief Karl-Johan Edstrom welcomed the visitors, a tactical battle took place with US B-52 strategic bombers, Finnish, British and Swedish fighter jets as well as helicopters and paratroopers. The goal was to show how the Air Force and others can use their resources in realistic scenarios.

important cooperation

The armed forces have close and long-term cooperation with other authorities such as the police, the Uppsala municipality, emergency services and health care. So Flight Day was also a good opportunity for the actors just mentioned to practice cooperation and different forms of crisis management.

Magnus Almerfors, Operations Coordinator for the Police in Uppsala, expressed his satisfaction with the implementation.

– It’s Sweden’s only one-day event with this many people, and despite that, we’ve only had minor illnesses and no serious disturbances. We’re grateful we didn’t have to use some of our backup plans. There was a wide range of age groups with happy and expected visitors, he says.

Before the implementation, the armed forces, police and local authorities urged visitors to walk, cycle or take the free buses from Uppsala Central Station, and many followed the call. Seventeen free buses operate the shuttle service from Uppsala Central Station, which was a significant increase over previous years.

However, over 31,000 parking spaces were full, and when many chose to leave at around the same time in the afternoon, it resulted in long queues. So the entrance to the car parks was closed an hour earlier, they chose to extend the itinerary and invited visitors to stay in the area for a while until the traffic calmed down a bit.

– We knew that traffic was the biggest challenge because the infrastructure is not designed for many cars and this is something we have to look at in the evaluation with the armed forces. Police Magnus Almerforce says that despite the waiting lists, we haven’t had any reports of traffic-related accidents.

Before and during the day of the flight, the Swedish Armed Forces worked closely with other actors and authorities.
Photo: Harry Norbach/Swedish Armed Forces

Visitor numbers show that there is a strong interest in our business. This bodes well for the growth the Air Force is facing.

– I can mention we had a great day flying with so many interested visitors, young and old alike. Through air shows and ground exhibitions, we have presented the various activities and professions of the Armed Forces, which are open to all Swedish citizens to apply. During the day, attention was also paid to other civilian authorities, organizations and international partners with whom the Swedish Armed Forces are building security together. I was honored to host this wonderful event and would like to thank all the visitors who took the time to come to our flight day. I would also like to extend a big salute to all the personnel involved who contributed to this memorable day, says Head of the Uppland Air Fleet, Colonel Pernel Ondine.