Festa al Cel wasn't short of Helicopter displays this year, with a couple of rescue choppers as well as the display team of the Spanish Air Force.

Helicóptero Salvamento Maritimo (Spain's Coastguard), based in Reus, flew in an Agusta Westland 139 to rendezvous with a coastguard vessel.  They then demonstrated a personnel transfer between the helicopter and boat.  Spain's coastguard helicopters are used for Search and Rescue operations in the Mediterranean, as well as the monitoring and detection of water pollution.

A Puma helicopter from Mallorca's SAR Escuadrón 801 performed a simulated rescue of a man in the water.




Spain's Air Force flew in Patrulla Aspa, or Blade Patrol in English.  Using 5 Eurocopter EC120B Colibrí helicopters, the team was formed in 2003 and is based at Armilla. Their display is always a popular one with the spectators and touted to be the best in the world, out of all the helicopter formation teams.





For more posts on the Barcelona Airshow, click on the "Festa al Cel" label below.