The Flying Carnival 2020 in Carmona, Cavite

I would surely love to be in Manila this coming Mar. 6-8 as it is the time for the International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta that has a new name called the Flying Carnival 2020. It is what we Aviation buffs call the Weekend of everything that flies that has been happening in the Philippines for two decades now, which used to be held in Clark Air Base but now it has been moved to Carmona, Cavite. This is a weekend that has been anticipated by Aviation buffs like me, young pilots, and now Drone fliers whose aim is to instill discipline and a spirit of volunteerism to the whole community.

Continuing to spread this advocacy across the Philippines, the organizers will be launching “The Flying Carnival 2020: A Weekend of Almost Everything that Flies,” a three-day spectacle of hot air balloons, helicopters and air sport events, combined with aviation career seminars, fly markets, food booths and family entertainment! The event will be held at the San Lazaro Leisure Park in Carmona, Cavite on March 6-8, 2020. While it is happening this coming weekend, I’m writing it now to alert our readers to prepare themselves in having a grand Aviation weekend.

Those planning to go to Carmona will be treated to the sight of early morning balloon flights followed by non-stop flying exhibitions, paragliding, skydiving, helicopter demonstrations, and kite flying. New activities include Para motor Slalom Races and First Person View Drone Racing. This is one activity that interests me as I’m into Drone flying, not as a sport but to photograph aerial views. One time, The Freeman even put in its front page an aerial view of a fire in the Lahug area… that no photographer could take as I positioned the Drone to shoot over the fire away from the wind. So it was really a terrific shot.

What can millennials whose parents love aviation learn from this weekend?  The Flying Carnival 2020 has scheduled the Aviation Career Seminars for people to learn from those working in the Aviation Industry, notable my good friend, Capt. Joy Roa of Asian Air Safari who will speak about his Aviation Life. He would be joined by speakers from the Philippine Air Force and yes they are fighter pilots; the Naval Air Group pilots from the Philippine Navy; a female captain from Cebu Pacific Air, and Air Traffic Controller from the Air Traffic Service. They will be joined by FAI World Record holder from Spain, Michel Gordillo; Hot Air Balloon pilot from the United Kingdom, Pete Bish. This fellow has a lot of experience in Balloons.

Meanwhile, those joining the Flying Carnival 2020 can wander through a carnival setting, with food booths and entertainment for the whole family. Aviation souvenirs and unique finds can be bought at the Fly Market, and the weekend evenings will be capped off by a magical hot air balloon nightglow and fireworks display. The Sunday night will culminate with a drone light show.

When I was little, we always had flying shows by the Blue Diamonds at the old Lahug Airport, which is now the Ayala IT Park. That got me interested in airplanes, not to mention that my uncle, the late Archt. Gregorio Segura the elder brother of my mother Ascension… had a Piper Cub that he purchased after the war. He would use the Piper Cub to construct the Redemptorist Church in Dumaguete when the roads back then were only trails. He would also fly the Piper Cub to our farm in Catigbian, Bohol.

In the mid-70s I filed an application to join the Philippine Air Force (PAF) in Mactan, but our driver followed me and talked me out of it simply because I had to help my father run our theater business. But today, my only son Jesus Valeriano flies a Boeing 777-300ER with the Philippine Airlines (PAL) because he is a chip off the old block.

There is no doubt that Capt. Joy Roa’s ABS-CBN Show dubbed “Air Safari” has achieved a very high popularity in that I haven’t seen a TV show that features different aircrafts and he has gone into Tourism either in Europe or in Asia. When I do have the time, I always watch it at home every Sunday evening.

Mind you, on the 10th year of my TV Talkshow on Straight from the Sky, I invited Capt. Joy Roa as guest of my show and in turn he invited me to also guest on his show… where we flew small airplanes over Metro Cebu. It was truly an unforgettable experience in the sense that aside from Capt. Joy Roa’s Cessna Skyhawk 172, the other plane I used was also a Cessna owned by then Capt. Jessup Bahinting, who unfortunately figured in a plane crash with the late DILG Sec. Jesse Robredo. It was Capt. Jessup Bahinting’s company that made my son an aviation pilot. Meanwhile, let me just say this that the people living in Carmona, Cavite are blessed that Capt. Joy Roa has chosen your place to continue his decades long International Hot Air Balloon Fiesta now called the Flying Carnival 2020.

*      *      *

Email: [email protected]