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A replica of the first Czech long-haul aircraft completed a 120km trip from Pardubice to Prague on Saturday, marking the 100 years since the first such flight by aviator Jan Kašpar. Pilot Petr Mára originally intended to repeat the famous feat on its anniversary, May 13, but was impeded by strong winds. The replica Blériot can fly for roughly an hour and a half but requires an almost complete absence of wind and clouds and keeps an altitude of about 500 metres.

The army’s Chief of Staff Vlastimil Picek has grounded the military’s CASA planes after one of the new transport aircraft suffered engine failure. The four planes will remain out of operation until the matter has been investigated. The CASA planes which the army bought without a public tender in 2009 have been dogged by problems. The 3.5 billion crown deal was criticized as non-transparent and overpriced. The planes have moreover failed to meet required norms and have not passed all army tests.

In related news, the Defence Ministry has negotiated a six month guarantee extension on four CASA military aircraft the Czech military bought in 2009, Defence Minister Alexandr Vondra told TV Prima on Sunday. The 3.5 billion deal, which the ministry concluded without a public tender, has been criticized as non-transparent and overpriced. The planes have failed to meet the required criteria and have not passed all army tests. Mr Vondra said he hoped all problems would be dealt with and the Czech Air Force would be able to use the planes. Cancelling the contract would only come as an extreme solution, the Czech Defence Minister said.

Over a thousand aviation fans descended on Prague’s Ruzyne Airport on Sunday morning for the first ever landing in Prague of the superjumbo A380 airbus. The double-decker airliner built for 850 passengers sported Lufthansa colours and landed in Prague just after 9 am Central European Time, some six hour earlier than originally announced. The colossal plane circled above the airport for about twenty minutes before making a problem free landing. It returned to its home base in Frankfurt shortly after midday. The appearance of the airbus in Prague was scheduled to mark the 45th anniversary of Lufthansa flights to the Czech Republic.

Aviation watchers are expected to descend on Prague’s Ruzyne Airport on Sunday afternoon for the first ever landing in Prague of the superjumbo A380 airbus. The colossal double-decker airliner will be sporting Lufthansa colours and is expected to land at precisely 3pm Central European Time.

NATO Days & Czech Air Force Days – the largest air, army and security show in Central Europe – is continuing at Mošnov Airport near Ostrava, in the east of the country. More than 145,000 people have attended the popular show this year. Spectators have been able to view military planes, tanks and equipment close up as well as watch 72 different presentations, including an aerobatic show by the Turkish Flyers.

Thousands of motorists have reportedly been heading for NATO Days in Mošnov, near Ostrava in the east of the country, an annual event showcasing NATO and Czech military technology. Traffic jams five kilometres in length or greater have formed as a result, leading to several hour delays. Last year, almost 200,000 people visited the airport in Mošnov for the respected military event and air show. The weekend programme will see some 72 presentations: on Saturday morning visitors were able to see both fighter planes as well as rescue helicopters in action.

The 18th annual CIAF international aviation festival in the city of Hradec Králové attracted thousands of visitors over the weekend. The two-day event is the largest exhibition of military aviation technology in the Czech Republic with planes of all categories on display, from transporters to turboprops and jets from 11 countries. The highlight of the event was an air show by acrobatics pilots such as Breitling Jet stream from France, the Czech Republic’s Flying Bulls or the Baltic Bees Jet Team.

The Czech Republic could donate Russian-made An-26 Antonov transport planes – decommissioned earlier this year after 30 years of service – to Afghanistan or Iraq, a Defence Ministry spokesman has said. But he stressed that no decision has been taken yet. The move could help either country build up its own aerial defences. In the past, the Czech Republic donated 12 Russian Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopters to Afghanistan. The Czech military has also been trying to sell off L-159 fighter planes in Asia, sources report. One of the goals of the ISAF mission in Afghanistan is to build up the country’s aerial forces by 2016.

The passenger of an ultra-light plane which crashed near Prachatice a week ago has died in hospital. The pilot succumbed to his injuries shortly after the crash. It is still not clear what caused the accident. Police have urged greater caution citing six deaths in flying accidents since June 11th of this year.