OPEN GATES of the  DCTA - 2019

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The Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA) held, on October 19 and 20, 2019, its traditional Open Gates event, providing the public in the Paraíba Valley with a weekend full of activities. In all, around 85,000 people attended the event, and 6 tons of non-perishable food were donated to three charities.

Under the command of Aircraft Specialist Lieutenant Colonel Oscarino Anthero Junior, who presented the troops to Air Brigadier José Aguinaldo de Moura, General Coordinator of the DCTA Open Gates in 2019, the National Flag was flown by the Air Scouts Group Professor Verdussen , marking the official start of the event.

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On the first day of the event, on Saturday, the 19th, at around 9:00 am, the precursor aircraft of the Smoke Squadron approached to land, drawing the public's attention as its first aerial activity of the day. From the arrival of the precursor until the landing of the entire team, which took place at 10:00 am, a presentation of unmanned aircraft, which performed stunts under the remote control of the operators, was organized.

At 10:20 am, the Falcões Team paratroopers took off on the C-95 Bandeirante. For Major Infante Michel Marconi Hakime de Andrade Ramos, Team Leader, the jump at the event is an opportunity to “awaken the appreciation and charm for military service, encouraging the search for our training schools”.

The highlight of the day was the presentation of the Esquadrilha da Fumaça, which performed its acrobatics masterfully to an audience of approximately 45 thousand people, closing the first day of the event.  Little Miguel Lucas Leite, aged 3 years and 8 months, was one of the most enthusiastic spectators at the presentation. “He has a special passion for the Smoke Squadron. He's always watching a video”, told us the boy's mother, Mrs. Gisele Leite. The father, Luciano Leite, says that this passion came from him.

"He said that, next year, his birthday will be the Esquadrilha da Fumaça".

The second day of the event, on the Sunday of the 20th, was also full of activities, such as the presentation of the war dogs of the São José dos Campos Security and Defense Group (GSD-SJ). The Brazilian Air Force (FAB) trains dogs for various purposes, such as the search for narcotics, weapons, rescue and immobilization of suspects.

After the departure of the Esquadrilha da Fumaça, the presentation of the Esquadrilha Céu, began its activities in 2011 and is formed by experienced pilots from the FAB reserve. One of these pilots is Lieutenant Colonel Aviator of the Reserve Alfredo Salvatore Leta, who related his feeling about the flight: “We were very happy to participate in the 2019 DCTA Open Gates. We've done more than 70 performances, but this one was special. We were welcomed by a vibrant, happy and contagious audience”.

After the presentation of Esquadrilha Céu, it was time for the acrobatics of Esquadrilha Fox. The group is composed of Air Major-Brigadier Jorge Kersul Filho, Air Brigadier Luiz Alberto Pereira Bianchi and Colonel Aviador Áttila Raymundo da Silva Filho. “Esquadrilha Fox was delighted to be at the cradle of the Brazilian aeronautics industry. The greatest satisfaction was seeing the smile on the faces of children and adults”, reported Major Brigadier Kersul.

For the Director General of the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA), Lieutenant Brigadier of the Air Luiz Fernando de Aguiar, “holding an event like the Open Gates is a unique opportunity to show the inhabitants of the Paraíba Valley the work done by DCTA, providing the audience with a safe environment with several leisure options. The event was planned with the utmost care to provide the audience with a pleasant weekend and to acquire knowledge about the Brazilian Air Force (FAB)”.

Text and source: By Sergeant Anderson / DCTA.