Among the solo displays, Czech and Hungarian Gripens
also performed interesting solo routines. The Czech Gripen
now also performs the „dump and burn" maneuver that so
far had only been performed by the Hungarian demo team.
Technically speaking, however, this is not a dump-and-burn
maneuver - in a classic sense that the jet is igniting the
dumped fuel with the use of the afterburner, as the F-111
did for instance. Gripen features no fuel dump system. The
afterburner ignites vented fuel, the excess of which comes
out of a pipe located close to the JAS-39A-D's nozzle.
Gripen uses a pressurized fuel tank system, and the said
pipe is connected to a system that vents fuel which is
coupled with a pressure regulator. Nonetheless, leaving
the technicalities aside, the maneuver is a spectacular one,
gradually becoming Gripen's „party piece".
The Czechs also use the Ostrava event to showcase the
achievements of the domestic aerospace industry. This
year's air show program included both an ALCA role demo
(CAS) and a solo display on the L-39NG. The Let company
displayed a Turbolet NG prototype (L 410 NG).
Poland acted as the special partner nation of this year's
event. Poznan-based F-16 Tiger Demo Team and W-3
Sokół helicopter were the solo display acts sent to the
Czech Republic by its northern neighbor. AGAT special
forces unit soldiers were dropped from an M-28 Bryza. FA-
50GF (GF standing for Gap-Filler) jets, newly procured by
the Polish Air Force, were by far the most exotic element
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