The Association for advancement in aviation AVICON from the Macedonian capital of Skopje, has an event to be proud of. Third year in a row, AVICON with support from the City of Skopje, organized what has now become a traditional educational aviation fair.
At the Shkolka location in the Skopje City Park, SKOPJE AIR FAIR was held on October 28th 2023, starting from 11 am and ending at 4 pm. This year’s edition was a true festival for aviation lovers.
The high school and university students from Skopje got a chance to talk to aviation professionals, to become informed about diverse aviation professions, and to become acquainted with the educational path of becoming such professionals. As the years before, AVICON prepared the Occupational Handbook and AVICON’s members talked to everyone interested. But let us introduce all of this year’s participants:
- The Civil Aviation Agency, TAV as official Aerodrom operator of both Skopje and Ohrid Airports, Aeroclub Skopje and sports airfield Stenkovec, The Macedonian Air Traffic Controllers Association, the scale modeling club “Major Mihajlo Ivanovski – Miks”, the Military Academy, Dronebuzz – first certified training center for flying drones, the Helicopter Unit by the Ministry of the Internal Affairs, Rimin Air- pilot training center and sports airfield Shtip, Ad Verbum – the TEA test certified center for Aviation English, The Association of Aeronautical Meteorologists, The training center for hot air balloons MIMAKS, Narodna Tehnika and the Macedonian Aviation Federation.
- There were also guests from the region. The European Aviation Institute from Bucharest, Romania was there, as well as the Aviation Academy from Belgrade, Serbia. Those are now traditional participants to the Skopje Air Fair, but there was also the TAE Academy from Athens, Greece which is a participant for the first time.
The number of visitors was three times greater than the last year, and many high school students took part and great interest. This was due to the additional support from the Sector of Education within the City of Skopje who directly contacted all the high -school -principles and emphasized to them the importance of this event.
Before the official starting hour of SKOPJE AIR FAIR 2023, a police helicopter Bell206 landed successfully in the park and performed a true first time endeavor for the helicopter unit. It was worth all the effort because the parked helicopter was a true sensation for the visitors. At the end of the Skopje Air Fair, the visitors witnessed the departure of the helicopter.
Also, a cold air balloon was placed which made the Fair more colorful and attractive for the younger generation.
During the Skopje Air Fair 2023, a Memorandum of Collaboration was signed between the European Aviation Institute from Bucharest and AVICON from Skopje, a collaboration which will develop and open doors for many Macedonian future young aviators.
Another novelty to this edition’s Fair, was the competition in scale making aircraft organized by AVICON, CAA, the scale making club “Major Mihajlo Ivanovski – Miks” and the Dronebuzz training center. The best three out of eighty candidates who entered the competition, were awarded with drones.
Surely to say, Skopje has gotten a unique aviation youth festival, which gets more and massive and sophisticated look each year.
AVICON ought to thank all the friends and supporters of this noble Skopje Air Fair idea, especially:
City of Skopje, Municipality of Karposh, City Radio, Ladna Voda, Offnet.mk, Sport1.mk, Damla Podcast, IPS High School, The Macedonian Army and the Ministry of Defense as well as the Helicopter Unit by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
See you at the next year’s FAIR!
