Traditionally, the Israeli Air Force celebrates Yom Haatzmaut with a special salute in Israel’s skies.
This year there will be dozens of aircraft, including from 6 foreign countries, 100 paratroopers and five open bases and the Israel Air Force flight for Israel’s 70th Independence Day, will pass over 40 cities and towns.
THE FULL LIST is now available from the IAF website – CLICK HERE
From cellphones only, you can access the IAF ‘Matas’ Flyover times 2018 and see the map to watch it in real time – you can even find a place, click on the arrow on the left to see exactly which planes will come by and when! Awesome!! Click here for the Website
On Israel’s 70th Independence Day, which will take place on 19/04/2018, the IAF, which also marks its 70th anniversary, will take a central part and will hold a fly over the skies of the State of Israel.
The aircraft will pass over IAF bases and over 40 cities and towns, from Kiryat Shmona to Eilat : IAF Archive image
The aircraft will include a variety of aircraft in the air, including F-35i, F-16I, F-16 C / D, F-15, ), The M-346, the Apache helicopter, the Yasur (CH-53) and the Black Hawk helicopter, and the Ram cargo aircraft (The Boeing 707), Shimshon (Super Hercules C-130J), Rhino (Hercules C-130), Nachshon (Gulfstream) and Zufit (Beechcraft King Air B-200).
This year, the aircraft will include the “Ambrier” and 757 aircraft belonging to “Arkia” company, the El-Al plane 787, the three “Air-Tractor” aircraft of the fire brigade and the three “Saifun” helicopters of the Israel Police. The orbits will pass over IAF bases and over 40 cities and towns, including Druze communities. The Mets will reach its northernmost point to Kiryat Shmona and its southernmost point to Eilat.
The Aerobatics team together with the 106th Squadron will perform an aerial display using the “Efroni” plane and the “Baz” aircraft over the Ramat David, Technical, Tel Nof and IAF bases in Hatzerim, as well as over the cities of Tiberias , Haifa, Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. In the framework of the Mets, the parachutes will be integrated into three locations by the “Shimshon” planes: Dado Beach in Haifa, Gordon Beach in Tel Aviv and the promenade in Tiberias. Some 100 fighters will be dropped from the planes, including former and current IDF commanders, parachutists, sailors and parachuting instructors.
Alongside IAF planes, various countries will also take part. Among the participating countries: Greece with F-16, Poland with C-295, Canada with C-17, UK and Austria with C-130 and Italy with Europreiter. Behind the participation of the foreign countries is a fruitful cooperation that has been built over the years. The IAF conducts many international collaborations in order to promote joint learning and exchange of professional information, to develop their professionalism and to maintain diplomatic relations between the two countries.
“The 70th anniversary of the State of Israel will be marked by extensive IDF and IAF activity,” said Brig. Gen. Amnon Ein-Dar, head of the Israel Air Force. “This is an excellent opportunity for us to create a connection between the IDF and the citizens of Israel for whom we operate. During the Independence Day, five bases will be opened, and the traditional salute plane will be displayed, in which we will present the military parade, and a multi-pronged parade will be held in the course of the 70’s. “We intend to move across the country over a very large number of communities from Eilat to Kiryat Shmona,” he said.
Bases that will open on Yom Haatzmaut this year: The Ramat David base, located in the Jezreel Valley, will open on Independence Day between 08:00 and 13:00. The program includes air force flying, aerial crew show, IAF exhibitions, an exhibition of the maintenance system, presentation of weapons and means of rescue and rescue, and the performance of the IAF.
The Technical School, located near the city of Haifa, will open on Independence Day between 09:00 and 14:00. The program includes: Air Force flights, Aerobatic show, local bands, airplane shows, multimedia show, fire show, children’s play stations and IAF performance. This year there will be no shuttles but it will be possible to park in an organized parking lot in the Kishon Fishing Moor area. Access to the parking lot is via Julius Simon Street (Arrival address via the Waze application: Independence Day Parking, Haifa Technical Base).
The Tel Nof base, located near Gedera, will open on Independence Day between 09:00 and 14:00. The program includes air force flying, aerobatic show and various aircraft exhibitions in the past and present. In addition, weapons and rescue equipment will be displayed, a technical display will be displayed and a transparent Gali-IDF studio will be installed, which will broadcast throughout the day from the base.
The IAF Museum at Hatserim Base, which is located west of Be’er Sheva, will open on Independence Day between 09:00 and 14:00. Entrance to the museum is free of charge. The program includes: Air Force Flight, Aerobatics Show, Steirman Airplane Flight, Technical Pavilion, Aircraft Display and Advanced Veterans, 150 different aircraft chronologically arranged according to periods and appearance of the IAF. During the holiday, the museum hosts advanced aircraft and helicopters. The Ovda base, which is located near Eilat, will open on Independence Day between 09:00 and 14:00.
More details can be found on the IAF website.
On Thursday 19th April between 09: 40-14: 30 planes will pass over 40 cities and towns and above IAF bases, including transport aircraft, fighter planes and helicopters.
If you plan to visit the Ramat David base, Tel Nof, the Air Force Museum or the Techni base in Haifa, or if you are in Tel Aviv, you will be able to watch the spectacular performance of the aerobatic team.
LoveLoveIsrael tip: If you plan on visiting an IAF base leave SUPER early and come well prepared with hats, water and food.