Vex the paragliding shepherd dog shares limelight with NATO jets at Tartu air show
A paragliding dog threatened to upstage the best of NATO fast jet pilots at a Tartu County airshow over the weekend.
The ideal weather – Sunday for instance brought sunshine and temperatures up to 24C in the Tartu region – meant the aviation days at the Estonian Aviation Museum went ahead with a full program.
This brought out hobbyists and aerobatic pilots as well as jet displays from pilots from several NATO member states.
But it was a Central Asian Shepherd dog named Vex who gave perhaps the most memorable performance, paragliding in tandem with his owner in a specially made harness. This was not Vex's first jump by any stretch, "Aktuaalne kaamera" reported.
"When the owner flies, what choice does the dog have? So, he flies with me in a tandem paraglider. I think he has flown with me in at least seven countries. Every year he joins me on long trips through Europe and into the mountains. We mainly fly in the mountains, but we also fly in Estonia," said Jaano Rässa, Vex's owner and head of the Keelutsoon flying club, based near Paide.
Another of the most anticipated spectacles at the aviation days was the appearance of fighter jets from Portugal, Poland, Finland, and Sweden, which performed low-altitude flybys. The planes on display included Saab JAS 39 Gripen and McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornet.
"Visitors always look forward to seeing allied fighter aircraft. They're fast, loud, and powerful—that's the main attraction. The Swedes are coming with Gripen fighters, the Finns with F/A-18 Hornets, the Portuguese with F-16s, and the Poles with their Italian-made light jet aircraft," said Mati Meos, head of the museum.
The displays went ahead under a special permit, and the planes were flying at altitudes a little under 100 meters.
The clear skies made things ideal for spectators and aerobatic pilots alike, too.
"It went very nicely. When you have a blue sky like this with little puffs of clouds, it's really wonderful to look at. Of course, I'm an amateur pilot, while the others here are professionals. I perform simpler aerobatic maneuvers—the kind that any pilot can do if they spend some time training," said aerobatic pilot Jüri Kaljundi.
Some visitors also found enjoyment in the museum's static aircraft collection, and the usual treats and entertainments for children were laid on too.
The Estonian Aviation Museum (Lennundusmuuseum) is situated in Lange, just south of Tartu.
The original "Aktuaalne kaamera" segment is below.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Marko Tooming
