How long the drive actually takes
From Bucharest to Costinești Airfield is, as an order of magnitude, about two and a half hours by car: the A2 towards Constanța, then south along the coast. This is an estimate, not a promise — on summer weekends traffic on the A2 can easily add half an hour, and early morning departures are usually the quickest.
You can get there by train to Constanța and then a local transfer, but the car remains the straightforward option, especially if you are coming with company.
What you get in return for the drive
The difference is not in the number of manoeuvres, but in the type of aircraft and in what it lets you do. The flights are flown in a Robin R2160 (Alpha Sport), an aircraft designed specifically as an aerobatic trainer — that is, an aircraft built for people to learn aerobatics on, not to break competition records.
- The seats are side by side, not in tandem. You sit in the right-hand seat, next to the pilot, not behind him. You can see and hear each other, ask anything as it happens, and see exactly what he is doing with his hands.
- It has dual controls. In front of you there is a working control stick and rudder pedals, just as in any training aircraft.
- It is certified in the utility and aerobatic categories, with limits of +6/−3G. It is approved for aerobatics, not adapted for them.
In an aircraft with tandem seating, where the passenger sits behind the pilot, conversation and direct guidance work differently. This is not a comparison of quality — it is a difference of configuration, and it matters a great deal on a first aerobatic experience.
Who takes you up
Vulturașul is the first registered acrobatic training organisation (DTO — Declared Training Organisation) in Romania. The experience flights you buy on this site are flown with the same aircraft, the same procedures and the same pilot as the training lessons: a standard briefing before take-off, a 5-point harness, manoeuvres explained one by one and flown at a pace matched to the passenger, with checks between figures.
Details about the team and the airfield are on the about Vulturașulpage, and the preparation before the flight is explained under good to know before your flight.
And on top of that: you fly over the sea
The airfield sits a few kilometres from the sea, and the figures are flown with the coastline under the wing. The loop closes with open water ahead of you, and in inverted flight the sea is above your head. It is a setting no inland airfield can offer, whatever the aircraft.
What a flying day looks like coming from Bucharest
- Morning: leave Bucharest and drive along the A2.
- At the airfield: safety briefing, kitting up, flight. The whole experience takes between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on the package.
- Afternoon: stay on the coast — the beach, Vama Veche, 2 Mai — or set off back.
The airfield is open Monday to Saturday, 08:00–20:00, so the whole trip fits comfortably into a single day, there and back.
The packages available
- Smooth Flight — 650 lei: 20 minutes of flight (30 minutes total experience), smooth manoeuvres over the coastline, no aerobatic figures.
- Introduction to Aerobatics — 1,500 lei: 30 minutes of flight (40 minutes total experience), loops, rolls and steep banked turns, 3–4G.
- Full Aerobatic — 2,000 lei: 30 minutes of flight (45 minutes total experience, including a safety briefing on the parachute), loops, rolls, spins and inverted flight, 4–6G. This is the package where you can take the control stick yourself, guided by the pilot.
All three can be given as a gift card, valid for 24 months, and the prices are explained on the page about how much an aerobatic flight costs.
If the drive really is too long
The team travels periodically — usually once every two years — to other cities in Romania as well, for Full Aerobatic and Introduction to Aerobatics flights: Cluj-Napoca, Oradea, Satu Mare, Suceava, Iași, Bacău, Craiova, Timișoara, Arad. Previous years' tours have included Drobeta-Turnu Severin and Timișoara.
The dates and cities for the current season are announced on Instagram and TikTok — that is where they appear first. Since the gift card is valid for 24 months, you can buy it now and use it on a future tour or at Costinești, whenever it suits you.
Frequently asked questions
How long does the drive from Bucharest to Costinești Airfield take?
About two and a half hours by car, on the A2 towards Constanța and then south along the coast. This is a rough estimate that depends on traffic, especially on summer weekends.
Can I come and get back the same day?
Yes. The experience at the airfield takes between 30 and 45 minutes, depending on the package, and the round trip comes to around 5 hours. Many passengers set off in the morning, fly around midday and spend the afternoon on the coast.
What happens if the weather is bad on the day I make the trip?
Every flight is reconfirmed against the weather at least 3 days beforehand, precisely so that you don't make the trip for nothing. If the weather turns in the meantime, the flight is postponed and rescheduling is free through the link you receive by email. The gift card is valid for 24 months.
Can I bring family or friends?
Yes. Only one passenger goes up at a time, alongside the pilot, but companions can stay at the airfield and watch the take-off, the manoeuvres and the landing from the ground. The minimum age for the passenger is 10, and minors fly with both parents present. The maximum weight is 100 kg.
What kind of aircraft is used?
A Robin R2160 (Alpha Sport), an aircraft designed as an aerobatic trainer, certified in the utility and aerobatic categories, with limits of +6/−3G. It has side-by-side seating and dual controls, so the passenger sits next to the pilot rather than behind him.
Can I take the control stick myself?
On the Full Aerobatic flight, yes: the aircraft has dual controls, and the passenger can fly the manoeuvres themselves under the guidance of the pilot, who remains pilot in command throughout the flight.
Do you fly closer to Bucharest as well?
The operating base is Costinești Airfield, but the team travels periodically, usually once every two years, to other cities in the country. Announcements for the current season appear on Instagram and TikTok.
Two and a half hours on the road, an experience you'll be talking about for years
Choose the package, and we'll set the date together, depending on the weather.
See the flight packages