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Ka-226 helicopters flying Russia's flag first in the sky in Moscow suburbs, kicking off MAKS-2013 rehearsals

Russian Knights and the Swifts to take part in the rehearsal on Sukhoi-27 and MiG-29 aircraft with other participants to follow

Photo ITAR-TASS/ Sergei Bobylev

Photo ITAR-TASS/ Sergei Bobylev

ZHUKOVSKY (the Moscow region), August 26 (Itar-Tass) - Rehearsal of demonstration flights for the MAKS-2013 international air show started at Zhukovsky at 14:00 on Monday.

Mi-17B and Ka-226 helicopters were first in taking to the sky, flying the Russian flag over the airfield. Pilots from the Berkut (Golden Eagle) aerobatics group demonstrated their stunts on four Mi-28 helicopters, Itar-Tass reports.

Two aerobatic teams, the Russian Knights and the Swifts, will take part in the rehearsal on Sukhoi-27 and MiG-29 aircraft. Other planes participating include Su-30 and Su-35, MiG-35 and MiG-29OVT as well as Ilyushin-76, Tupolev 204SM and Tu-214ON aircraft.

The rehearsal scheduled for Saturday was postponed for two days because of low clouds over Zhukovsky, located 40 kilometres (25 miles) southeast of Moscow. The weather improved on Monday, sunny and with a near-cloudless sky.

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