BUILT

Z-526AFS, I-IOIO, s/n 1330, Silvio Bellei, Sassuolo airfield, Italy, 1994

This aircraft was produced in 1974 and it was the

last of the Z-526AFS line. She was stored after the

test flight on April 30, 1974, waiting for her buyer

for two years. On May 26, 1977, she was flown to

the new home in Parma by the famous Italian aerobatic pilot Valenti. Two years later, however, the

I-IOIO changed hands. She was bought by Dr. Silvio

Bellei, founder of the ceramics manufacturer NovaBell, long-time president of the Sassuolo Aero

Club and a respected and renowned businessman

May 2022

and pilot. “Signor Bellei”, as the people regularly

called him, was awarded the Paul Tissandier Diploma by the International Aeronautical Federation for his aviation merit by the way. His aircraft

was based at Sassuolo airfield near Modena until

Dr. Bellei passed away (May 22, 2021, at the age

of 84). The I-IOIO had one happy-ending accident

when the pilot decided to make a landing without

conducting the regular pattern after aerobatics flight. Unfortunately, he landed literally on the ridge

of Partenavia Oscar, which was on her final in

the moment. Nobody was hurt, but the I-IOIO had

to be craned from the back of the Oscar and repaired. The last overhaul of I-IOIO was carried out

by ZLÍN-AVION service company in 1993. She was

check-flown by renowned pilot Vladimír Peroutka

prior to her return to Sassuolo. Since then, she had

been serving to the satisfaction of her owner and

is still fully aerobatic.

INFO Eduard

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