Nöbetçi Eczaneler
SOLOTÜRK team leader Lieutenant Colonel Murat Bakıcı emphasized that TEKNOFEST and the vision of the National Technology Initiative inspire young people’s imagination, stating:
“TEKNOFEST brings Turkish youth together with Turkish aviation. We are proud to be part of it.”
TEKNOFEST, the world’s largest aerospace and technology festival, continues to welcome visitors at Istanbul Atatürk Airport under the leadership of the Ministry of Industry and Technology and the Türkiye Technology Team Foundation (T3 Foundation), with Anadolu Agency serving as the Global Communications Partner.
During the opening ceremony of TEKNOFEST Istanbul, SOLOTÜRK pilots performed an air show and later answered questions from Anadolu Agency reporters.
Lt. Col. Bakıcı expressed his joy at opening the festival with a demonstration flight:
“You watched our performance this morning. We made our opening flight, followed by the opening ceremony, and with all its enthusiasm, our festival has officially begun. It will continue for a full week.”
SOLOTÜRK Inspires Youth to Join the Air Force Academy
Highlighting the impact of TEKNOFEST and the National Technology Initiative, Bakıcı explained:
“When we perform here in front of young people, they start to see what they want to do in the future. Some say, ‘I will become a SOLOTÜRK pilot.’ When I visit the Air Force Academy and ask cadets if SOLOTÜRK had an influence on their decision, many hands go up. And when I ask where they first watched us, they often reply, ‘At TEKNOFEST in Istanbul, commander. That’s when our love for aviation began, and we pursued it from there.’ Hearing this makes us very proud.”
Bakıcı added that he often establishes eye contact with spectators during flight:
“We don’t always fly at high speed. During slow passes or low-speed maneuvers, we have the chance to connect visually with the audience. At that moment, we can feel their excitement and enthusiasm in our hearts.”
“Our Greatest Motivation Is Showing the Power of Türkiye in the Skies”
SOLOTÜRK’s second demonstration pilot, Major Erhan Aydemir, noted that this year marks his first TEKNOFEST flight:
“The interest from young people is remarkably high. Our biggest purpose, perhaps even our mission, is to prepare them for the future, to inspire them to become productive, patriotic individuals, loyal to their nation and country. Our greatest motivation is to demonstrate the power of the Turkish people, our nation, and our capabilities in the skies. We invite all young people, along with the public, to watch our upcoming performances at TEKNOFEST.”