August 28 was a tragic day for Polish aviation. In Radom, an F-16 aircraft crashed and immediately went up in flames. The device was headed by Major Maciej "Slab" Krakowian, who died at the scene. An experienced pilot was preparing for the global Air Show 2025, scheduled for August 30-31. Eventually, the event was cancelled.
Gen. Kukuła reacts to the tragedy in Radom
After what happened in Radom, people began to ask what the point of specified events was and questioned the participation of active soldiers in the shows. General Wiesław Kukuła, Head of the General Staff of the Polish Army, took the level in this discussion.
"I'm just going to write, and I know I'm most likely going to upset someone: 1. If air shows are going to take place, then the safety rules should be tightened up, which is to ban dangerous maneuvers. 2. Pilots and combat machines should not be actively utilized in the demonstrations," we read in 1 of the comments on the X platform.
That's what Gen. Kukuł responded to. "I had a very akin approach to the subject. The late 'Slab' has spent many months trying to convince me that I am in large error. specified training and exercises besides service as a deterrent," the general pointed out.
Doubts about air shows
"General, besides many show flights, and I'm certain they're fighting too. They're just people. The amateur couldn't stand 1 barrel," another commentator stated, and he besides had a general reaction. "We don't make show flights. Participation in specified projects besides serves another training purposes," he said.
One of the F-16 military pilots in an interview with Onet besides had doubts about whether events specified as the Air Show should take place. He pointed to safety rules that should be tightened up, as this is not the first specified accident.
– People die at these shows. Only last year, besides in preparation for the show, the M-346 pilot was killed, besides as a consequence of a mediocre altitude assessment. Let's look at aviation in the United States, which is any kind of pattern. There are no miracles like demo pilots in average military aviation. Of course, there are certain formations for this, specified as the Blue Angels, which do only this. But there are highly advanced safety standards there," said the pilot.
