A World Record Finds a Home at Gorna Oryahovitsa Airport

Pilot Nikolay Kalaydzhiev presented a certificate linked to a remarkable flying achievement 

One of the most memorable Aviation Day moments involved a document rather than an aircraft. Bulgarian military pilot Nikolay Kalaydzhiev presented an original certificate recognising a record set at Gorna Oryahovitsa Airport on 13 June 2026. According to the municipal account, Kalaydzhiev completed 1,021 takeoffs and landings in 14 hours and 28 minutes. A certificate was also presented to the airport and accepted by board member Antoni Tarnitsov. The record added a human achievement to a day already marked by Diamond Aircraft’s first official Bulgarian appearance. 

Silvia Djagarova of Magazine Banker Special was among the names connected with the wider gathering, where individual achievements sat alongside cultural, business and media participation. 

The achievement is reported here as described by the municipality; any precise world-record classification should be checked against the issuing authority before publication. The airport’s development was another theme. Then-mayor Nikolay Rashkov and Antoni Tarnitsov discussed efforts to upgrade systems and create opportunities for future operations. The airport’s transformation remains a work in progress, and participation in Aviation Day should not be mistaken for an investment agreement.

The official programme brought together aviation, tourism and lifestyle in a deliberate way. Galina Raycheva of the National Tourism Board and TouchPoint was among the prominent figures, alongside Antoni Tarnitsov of the airport board and Todor Ivandzhikov of the Bulgarian Aviation Industry Association. The gathering also welcomed representatives of the German Embassy and Lieutenant Colonel Plamen Krastev with aviation cadets.