In the afternoon of 19th of May 1978, one Britten Norman BN-2, Red-Cross aircraft from CIPA fleet Bucharest Baneasa Airport, registration YR-BNK, heads for Germany. At the controls flying on the first attempt are two aircraft mechanics, George Florescu and Viorel Nicolae. The mission for which they self-prepared in absolute secrecy was to reach Germany, flying over the Carpathians and the Alps without any flying training whatsoever. For the first time Viorel Nichols, the author of The Escape from Bucharest gathers together the voices of those who were in charge of the pursuit and those who were left behind the amazing escape. An account of dramatic events that took place on the 19th of May 1978 associated with the unforgettable flight from Bucharest. Surely Viorel and George are not on a death wish flight. At the planning stage, they truly believed that with Ceausescu out of the country, no one would have the guts to assume full responsibility for shooting down a Red-Cross aircraft. George and Viorel were terribly wrong when they thought so. This is a flight to freedom like no other. Viorel Nichols has created an enduring record of a unique event in Romanian Air Force history. The civil aviation of Romania is advised by radio that there is no escape for whoever is flying that fugitive aircraft since the Air Force is after them. Bravo November Kilo is about to become the symbol of freedom for the people of Romania. George and Viorel are about to become heroes without names for many years. The consequences of the escape are going to shake up the civil aviation and Air defense system of Romania. I am the author born to write The Escape from Bucharest, a story that waited for 30 years to be told, and in the process, I have discovered the mystery behind our success.
