Press release and cancellation 11 August 2016
Mathias Rust has to cancel his visit to Helsinki-Malmi Airport again
We sent an invitation yesterday to a press conference at Helsinki-Malmi to interview Mathias Rust about his famous flight. All arrangements and detailed schedules were ready and invitations were sent only after all confirmations.
Early in the morning on 11 August, we received the sad and unfortunate news from Mr. Rust that due to sudden illness of a close relative he must cancel his participation in Malmi 80th Anniversary Airshow.
Consequently, we have to postpone all our arrangements. I apologize for any inconvenience.
Timo Hyvönen
Chairman, Friends of Malmi Airport
Original press release
In 1987, Helsinki-Malmi Airport was the starting point for an audacious unauthorized flight through the Iron Curtain by Mathias Rust, an idealistic West German teenager. His “peace flight” to Moscow’s Red Square made headlines around the world and contributed to the ending of the Cold War.
Now 29 years later, Mathias Rust returns to the starting point of his astonishing flight. Visit was postponed in May due to his colleagues unfortunate illness, Mathias will now come and see the memorial plate that was revealed on the 29th anniversary day of his flight in May 28th 2016. He will attend the Malmi 80th anniversary airshow both on Saturday and Sunday.
Mr Rust will be landing to Helsinki-Malmi airport in a similar Cessna 172 that he used on his flight. Landing takes place at 10.00 hrs EET on Saturday, 13th of August. Press conference will take place immediately after this in the Helsinki International Airshow VIP tent. Media representatives are welcome to attend the occasion as long as they have enlisted by Friday, 12th of August 12.00 EET by e-mail to info@malmiairport.fi. Please list all participants in the e-mail.
Confirmation of the arrival of mr. Rust and the press conference will be sent to all enlisted at 16 hrs on Friday the 12th. Media representatives should have arrived to Airshow main gate by 09.45 on Saturday the 13th and they will be guided from main gate to see the landing of mr Rust and to the press conference.
Visit and press conference are organized by Friends of Malmi Airport society.
Threatened Helsinki-Malmi airport
Celebrating its 80th anniversary this year it is one of the most authentic still active pre-WWII international airports left in the world and the second-busiest airport in Finland by operations. In March 2016, Europe’s leading cultural heritage organization Europa Nostra selected it as one of Europe’s Seven Most Endangered Cultural Heritage Sites.
Unfortunately, the airport is threatened by City of Helsinki’s plan to turn it into a residential area in the early 2020’s. Fly in is organized to raise awareness of this threat and airports vast opportunities as the general aviation, free schedule airport of Finnish capital.
Further information
Links:
– Mathias Rust’s flight to Moscow: http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/the-notorious-flight-of-mathias-rust-7101888
– Helsinki-Malmi 80th anniversary airshow: http://www.malmiairshow.fi/
– Friends of Malmi Airport: http://malmiairport.fi/en
– Europa Nostra’s 7 Most Endangered Sites 2016: http://7mostendangered.eu/2015/12/10/helsinki-malmi-airport-finland/
PIctures:
Mathias Rust, Wikimedia
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c6/4134Mathias_Rust.JPG
The following photos are free to use in reporting related to the event as long as the photographer’s name is mentioned.
Helsinki-Malmi fly in 2014, (c) Sampo Kiviniemi
http://www.kolumbus.fi/sampokiviniemi/Helsinki-Malmi/kuvat900-upd/_MG_2521-3.jpg
Helsinki-Malmi fly in 2014, (c) Sampo Kiviniemi
http://www.kolumbus.fi/sampokiviniemi/Helsinki-Malmi/kuvat900-upd/Fly-In_2014_Panoraama%20(2).jpg
Helsinki-Malmi serves all types of aviation, (c) Sampo Kiviniemi
http://www.kolumbus.fi/sampokiviniemi/Helsinki-Malmi/900/_MG_0753.jpg
Further information
Friends of Malmi Airport society
Timo Hyvönen, Chairman
puheenjohtaja@malmiairport.fi
+358503748371
Press release 10 August 2016
Friends of Malmi Airport
Visit postponed in May is taking place with Malmi 80th Anniversary Airshow
In 1987, Helsinki-Malmi Airport was the starting point for an audacious unauthorized flight through the Iron Curtain by Mathias Rust, an idealistic West German teenager. His “peace flight” to Moscow’s Red Square made headlines around the world and contributed to the ending of the Cold War.
Now, 29 years later, Mathias Rust returns to the starting point of his astonishing flight. The visit was postponed in May due to his colleague’s unfortunate illness. Mathias will now come and see the memorial plate that was revealed on the 29th anniversary of his flight on May 28th 2016. He will attend the Malmi 80th anniversary airshow both on Saturday and Sunday.
Mr Rust will be landing at Helsinki-Malmi Airport in a similar Cessna 172 that he used on his flight. Landing takes place at 10:00 hrs EET on Saturday, 13th of August. A press conference will take place immediately after this in the Helsinki International Airshow VIP tent. Media representatives are welcome to attend the occasion as long as they have enlisted by Friday, 12th of August 12:00 EET by e-mail to info@malmiairport.fi. Please list all participants in the e-mail.
Confirmation of the arrival of Mr. Rust and the press conference will be sent to all enlisted at 4pm on Friday the 12th. Media representatives should have arrived to the Airshow’s main gate by 09:45 on Saturday the 13th, and they will be guided from the main gate to see the landing of Mr Rust and then to the press conference.
The visit and the press conference are organized by the Friends of Malmi Airport Society.
Threatened Helsinki-Malmi airport
Celebrating its 80th anniversary this year, Helsinki-Malmi is one of the most authentic still active pre-WWII international airports left in the world and the second-busiest airport in Finland by operations. In March 2016, Europe’s leading cultural heritage organization Europa Nostra selected it as one of Europe’s Seven Most Endangered Cultural Heritage Sites.
Unfortunately, the airport is threatened by City of Helsinki’s plan to turn it into a residential area in the early 2020’s. The Friends of Malmi Airport work to raise awareness of this threat and airports vast opportunities as the general aviation, free schedule airport of Finnish capital.
Links:
– Mathias Rust’s flight to Moscow: http://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/the-notorious-flight-of-mathias-rust-7101888
– Helsinki-Malmi 80th anniversary airshow: http://www.malmiairshow.fi/
– Friends of Malmi Airport: http://malmiairport.fi/en
– Europa Nostra’s 7 Most Endangered Sites 2016: http://7mostendangered.eu/2015/12/10/helsinki-malmi-airport-finland/