Man and bird in flight at Malta Airshow

Discussions are currently underway for this year's Malta International Airshow to feature a B52 bomber on static display, Malta Aviation Society officials said yesterday.

The B52 - the only eight-engined aircraft in the world - has been in US service for decades but remains one of the key elements of the US air force and has been used in all recent conflicts, including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

This year's airshow, which coincides with the 100th anniversary of powered flight, is also expected to bring to Malta world famous ornithologist Christian Moullec, who flies a microlight aircraft in the company of half a dozen cranes, which have a wing span of about three metres.

Malta Aviation Society president Joe Ciliberti said this would be a fitting tribute to this year's anniversary, man and birds together to offer a unique show.

The airshow will be held at Luqa on September 27 and 28 and will feature some 100 aircraft from six countries - Malta, the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, France and Germany.

Mr Ciliberti said other innovative ideas planned for this year's event include the possibility that instead of a normal aerobatic display the airshow would close with "The Jaguar Spectacle", details about which would be released closer to the airshow.

Aircraft expected to be displayed at the show are likely to include an F-15 fighter and a KC-135 transport aircraft of the US air force, various variants of the Tornado fighter-bomber, in service with the British, Italian and German air forces, RAF Harrier, Jaguar, Nimrod, Tucano and Canberra aircraft, a Nato E-3A surveillance aircraft and a French Mirage 2000.

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