The plan is to clean 25 aircraft, as well as other exhibits, such as a fuel tanker and a radar, both outside and inside. “Every year, over 100 volunteers participate in the cleaning. There are some who have not missed a single year. So I dare say that it is a successful event,” says the director of the Aviation Museum in Kunovice, Martin Hrabec.
This year, the museum staff expects around 150 washers to participate, including volunteer firefighters from Kunovice, who have been involved in the event since its inception. According to the museum staff, washers should equip themselves with work clothes, protective gear, cleaning supplies as they wish, and most importantly, a good mood. The museum has basic supplies like rags, detergent, and hoses with water prepared. As a reward for their work, all participants will receive free annual passes to the museum. “This is a huge help for us, and so this is just a small token of our gratitude,” adds another organizer, Lukáš Skláda.
The event U was created in 2014 as a happening to draw attention to the then-declining museum. Since 2015, when the current team of museum staff took over the exhibits and the area under Hrabec's leadership, it has been held almost annually, with the exception of 2016, when it did not take place due to work on saving the government special Tu-154M, known as the Nagano Express, and the years 2020 and 2021, when it was prevented by anti-pandemic measures.
