Just days before flying over Thessaloniki for the October 28 national holiday, the pilot of the F-16 “Zeus” aerial demonstration team welcomes the “Medusa” team to Souda Air Base. Giannis Charamidis and Marinos Aliferis meet the man who will take his place in the cockpit and talk with him about the preparations, the demands of the flight, and the honor of representing all the Armed Forces on a special day for Greece.

For people watching from the ground, the demonstration lasts just a few minutes and consists of spectacular maneuvers. Inside the cockpit, however, every moment demands concentration, precision, and constant control. The “Zeus” pilot describes how he manages the continuous acceleration, elevated heart rate, and need to be exactly where the flight program requires him to be. He explains the coordination with the safety officer and the training that prepares him to react if something does not go according to plan. The interaction with the crowd and the emotion come after landing.

The discussion also explores aspects that usually remain out of sight during an air show: the people who prepare for and support every flight, the absolute trust between them, and the discipline that shapes a fighter pilot’s entire daily life. No matter how much technology advances, he emphasizes the importance of human judgment and the professionalism of the entire team.

In the new episode of “Medusa,” the “Zeus” pilot talks about the personal fulfillment that flying brings, as well as the responsibility he assumes every time he climbs into the fighter jet: protecting the country. It is a meeting at Souda, ahead of the October 28 flight over Thessaloniki.

The “Medusa” team extends its warm thanks to the Ministry of National Defence for facilitating the filming, as well as to the Commander of the 115th Combat Wing, Brigadier (Pilot) Athanasios Papanomolis, for the outstanding hospitality at Souda Air Base. Special thanks are also due to the Wing’s flight and technical personnel for their cooperation and contribution to producing the episode.