The organizers of the first Lebanese international cross country flights and shows “Fly Lebanon” announced on that more than 150 pilots from around 40 clubs in 16 countries “will color the sky of Lebanon” on Friday, June 4th, 2010 with their light water hang gliders and Ulm Pendulary in an unprecedented event to be organized in Lebanon.
The President of the Lebanese Aeronautics Club for Hobbyists, Chairman of “InterAvia”, Pilot Anwar al-Kozah pointed out, during a press conference held at Saint George Hotel in Beirut, that the take-off of the gliders will start on Friday, June 4th as of 7 a.m. at Tripoli Municipal Stadium. He added that the second stop of the festival is scheduled at President Sleiman’s Cornice in Amchit at noon and the third stop at Jounieh Municipal Stadium in the afternoon.
He further indicated that the public will gather at these three sites for take-offs and landings. He also expected 300 thousand amateurs to follow the event on the ground.
Around 50 Lebanese pilots will take part in this event, as well as 30 French pilots in addition to pilots from Jordan, Syria, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Egypt, Qatar, Tunisia, Iran, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Spain and Hungary.
This festival this year will be the complement of the International Aviation forum “NO BORDERS” that includes Jordan, Syria and Lebanon and that is held under the supervision of the Arab Union of Air Sports”. Kozah alswelcomed the President of the Arab Federation Mohammed Mubarak Al Sawailem from Saudi Arabia, who couldn’t take part in this conference and saluted the presence of the representative of the “NO BORDERS’ forum Captain Tarek Saadeh from Syria.
Kozah explained that the forum’s stops will include Aqaba, Petra, Wadi Rum and Amman in Jordan, Basra, Damascus, Palmyra and Qirdaha in Syria. He said that the “aerial crossing will last nine days including Fly Lebanon, the longest festival in the region, organized on the Lebanese territory”
Kozah stressed that Fly Lebanon will become an annual tradition in Lebanon and welcomed the possibility of including it, i in any crossing project that encompasses more than a country and takes Lebanon as the end point.
Kozah explained that the festival embraces WATER HANG GLIDER, PARASAILING, ULM PENDULARY, PARAGLIDING, PARAMOTORING, SKY DIVING and ROPE PILOTING in addition to shows performed by the light Cessna Aircrafts that will take off from Beirut International Airport.
The hot air balloons will raise high in the sky in the three festival sites: Tripoli Municipal Stadium, President Michel Sleiman’s Cornice in Amchit and Jounieh Municipal Stadium.
According to Kozah, More than 30 boats and 200 cyclists will accompany the pilots from Tripoli all the way to Amchit then Jounieh in the sea and on the highway respectively.
Kozah pointed out that the aerial and ropes activities as well as climbing and entertainment shows will be performed at the three festival sites since early morning until the end of the festival at night.
In parallel, the following competitions will be organized:
- An inter university sports competition in Jounieh.
- A photography competition, open to all whereas best extreme sports pictures wins the rights to be used on next year competition
- A half pipe rollers competition for amateurs and professionals.
Finally, Kozah thanked the parties supporting the event morally and practically together with the Presidency of the Republic, the Ministry of National Defense and the Lebanese Army, the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (General Directorate of Civil Aviation), the Ministry of Interior and Municipalities and the Leadership of Internal Security Forces, Ministries of Tourism, Information, Youth and Sports.
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