LOW LEVEL FLYING IN GREECE

INIOCHOS 2025

Sunday March 23rd, 2025. KL1955, a KLM Boeing 737-800, on her way to Athens is pushed back from gate D71 at Amsterdam Schiphol. The passenger in seat 6A looks grumpy and annoyed. That passenger is me. I am on my way to see Low Level Flying in Greece. The familiarisation flights for the yearly INIOCHOS military exercise in Greece provide nice opprtunities for this. But at this moment, I am wondering why in heaven’s name I boarded this plane.

The familiarisation flights before the INIOCHOS exercise famously take place in the best-known low fly area of Greece: The Vouraikos Vally in the Northern Peloponnesus. A massive opportunity to see low level flying in Greece from the participating aircraft, many of which from foreign Air Forces. But the main reason to go to want to go there: my last opportunity to catch the legendary McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II fighter flying low level. An iconic fighter that is about to be phased out by the Greek Air Force.

In the week prior to my flight however, various fellow photographers around Europe messaged me that all the flying in the Vouraikos Valley was cancelled. This is a story of a week of low level flying in Greece.

Polish F-16 passing windmills in the Vouraikos Valley during INIOCHOS 2025 exercise

My Big Fat Greek Failure

It was the talk of the town in the small community of die-hard low-level photographers. Supposedly coming from the highest chief in the organisation of the exercise. All the low flying cancelled; the plans of dozens of people ruined. Mine as well. I was gutted.

Faced with this news, my initial reaction was to cancel the trip. I hardly saw attractive alternatives in the region. Spotting at the Andravida Air Force Base is generally not warmly welcomed by the Greek authorities. And I do not really care about side on shots of fighters on short finals in the first place. After some intensive messaging with people in the same boat as I was, and using Google Maps, I figured out several locations that might serve as an alternative. But with a region covering roughly 2500 square km, I already knew that the chances of success would be extremely slim.

In the end I decided to take the plunge. No guts, no glory. Worst case scenario: discovering a country that I had never visited before. So, there I went: on my way to My Big Fat Greek Failure.

F-4 Phantom of the Hellenic Air Force (Greek Air Force) during Low Level flying before the INIOCHOS exercise in 2025 in the Vouraikos Valley

How it ended…

As you can see this story is filled with pictures of the 2025 INIOCHOS exercise after all. So apparently it was not cancelled after all? That is correct. In the end all the rumours were not true. Much to the sadness of the people who did cancel their trip, and to the joy of the hundred or so spectators on the hills that were cheering when the first AdlA Mirage 2000 went by on Wednesday.

But especially when the Greek Air Force F-4 Phantoms appeared after lunch on Thursday. It was a dream come true. The reason why I decided to make this trip in the first place. A rare and valuable highlight in my aviation photography career.

F-4 PHANTOM PHOTO PRINT

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Canvas wall art photo print of a Greek Air Force F-4 Phantom

INIOCHOS

MILITARY EXERCISE IN GREECE

INIOCHOS

MILITARY EXERCISE IN GREECE

INIOCHOS

Greek Military Exercise

INIOCHOS is an annual multinational military exercise, organized by the Greek Air Force (mostly designated as Hellenic Air Force or HAF). Traditionally the INIOCHOS exercise takes place at Andravida Air Force base. Andravida Air Base is in the Northwestern tip of the Peloponnese peninsula.

Over the years, this exercise has grown in scale and importance, drawing participants from around the world. In the coming years Andravida will get a significant make-over as it prepares the arrival of the F-35 in the HAF. These preparations include Infrastructure Enhancements (such as new hangars), Security Upgrades and Technological Modernization.

INIOCHOS 2025 occurred amidst a complex geopolitical landscape. The ongoing war in Ukraine and tensions within NATO highlight the necessity of multinational exercises like INIOCHOS. Given (or maybe even despite) these circumstances, the 2025 edition of INIOCHOS 2025 welcomed the highest number participants ever.

Hellenic Air Force F-16 with Afterburner during low level flying training through the Vouraikos Valley during the INIOCHOS 2025 military exercise

French Air Force (AdlA) Mirage 2000 during low level flying training through the Vouraikos Valley during the INIOCHOS 2025 military exercise

INIOCHOS HISTORY

The origins of INIOCHOS date back to the late 1980s when it was introduced as a small-scale tactical training exercise. Initially planes operated from multiple bases, but since 2013 the exercise has been centralized to create a better training environment and to create more demanding training conditions.

Since 2015 this year the training is international. Since then, the exercise has drawn many exotic Asian and Middle Eastern Air Force participants. This, combined with many of the participants flying thought the extremely photogenic Vouraikos Valley before and during the training, has made this exercise and extremely sought after destination for the ambitious souls under the military aircraft photographer and spotters.

Ciao Ragazzi!

Vouraikos Valley, Greece | 27 March 2025

Dassault 2000-5 Mk 2 during a pass through the Vouraikos Valley during low level flying at the INIOCHOS military exercise 2025

Ochre Colours

Vouraikos Valley, Greece | 27 March 2025

Spanish Air Force F/A-18 from 462 sq during low level flying training through the Vouraikos Valley during the INIOCHOS 2025 military exercise

The pass of the week

Vouraikos Valley, Greece | 27 March 2025

Spanish Hornet passing the monastery

Vouraikos Valley, Greece | 26 March 2025

Autumn Colours in spring

Vouraikos Valley, Greece | 26 March 2025

Montenegro air force b-412 Helicopter during low level flying training through the Vouraikos Valley during the INIOCHOS 2025 military exercise

A rare chopper: XHB033 B-412 of the Montenegro Air Force

Vouraikos Valley, Greece | 26 March 2025

120039_INIO_250327-Enhanced-NR-Edit copy 3

The Mighty Phantom

Vouraikos Valley, Greece | 26 March 2025

INIOCHOS MISSIONS

The INIOCHOS exercise is a multinational air exercise hosted by the Hellenic Air Force (HAF), designed to provide realistic and intensive training for participating air forces. If focussed on interoperability and improving combat readiness.Its main objectives include:

Planning and executing combined air operations in a realistic battle environment.
Exposing personnel to challenging scenarios with modern threats and real-time injects.
Testing physical and psychological endurance under intense battle rhythms.
Enhancing operational plans and tactics through rigorous evaluation

INIOCHOS 2025 missions consist of many different missions differing from Anti-surface warfare and Air Interdiction / Special Targets (such as bridges and power stations) to High Value Airborne Asset (HVAA) Protection and Attack.

INIOCHOS 2025 PARTICIPANTS

All active HAF fighter types participated. This included F-16’s*, Mirage 2000-5*, Rafale, F-4 Phantom*. These participants combined with in total 11 foreign Air Forces taking part. The aircraft marked with an asterix (*) have participated in the low level familiarisation flights.

French Air Force (Μirage 2000)*
Indian Air Force (SU-30)
Israeli Defence Force (G-550)
Italian Air Force (Tornado)*
Montenegro Air Force (B-412)*
Polish Air Force (F-16)*
Qatar Air Force (F-15)
Slovenian Ari Force (PC-9)*
Spanish Air Force (F-18)*
UAE Air Force (Μ-2000/9)
US Air Force (F-16, KC-46, KC-135)

AdlA (French Air Force) Dassulat MIrage low level flying duing INIOCHOS 2025

THE VOURAIKOS VALLEY

LOW LEVEL FLYING AREA IN GREECE

The 20km long Vouraikos Valley is a stunning valley in the Peloponnese mountains. It is a real tourist attraction where visitors can explore the gorge on foot or take a ride on the historic Odontotos Rack Railway, which connects Diakopto to Kalavryta.

The valley is flanked by the Chelmos and Panachaiko mountain ranges, with peaks reaching impressive altitudes. Mount Chelmos, also known as Aroania, is the highest in the area, with its summit, Psili Korifi, at 2,355m ASL.

The long and sweeping valley provides a perfect theatre for operating low level flying in Greece. It provides many challenges for pilots and combined with the low population density in the area it forms a perfect décor for low flying.

The canyon has always been a favourite under Greek spotters. But, just as the INIOCHOS exercise itself, the Vouraikos low flying area in the past few years has gained in popularity under spotters all over the world. Many enthusiasts from the Netherlands to Spanish, from American to Japanese gathered in the hills to see jet fighters in the ultimate surrounding.

Viewing point for low level flying in the Vouraikos Valley in the Pelopenesse in Greece

Apenrots

Vouraikos Valley, Greece | 26 March 2025

GREEK INDEPENDANCE DAY

NATIONAL MILITARY PARADE

25 MARCH 2025

GREEK INDEPENDANCE DAY

NATIONAL MILITARY PARADE

25 MARCH 2025

Fly by of 4 Hellenic Air Force F-4's during Greek Independence Day over Athens from Lycabettus Hill

INDEPENDANCE DAY MILITARY PARADE

Greece celebrates Greece’s Independence Day on March 25. Every year there is a grand military parade in Athens that shows the nation’s military strength. For the aviation geek the best place to watch the parade is Lycabettus Hill, towering high over the city and giving an opportunity to photograph many aircraft landlocked (i.e. with the city in the background).

ENTHOUSIAST’S FAVOURITE

For all the spotters gathered in the Peloponnesus, this is also a day off, as there is no flying taking place in the canyons. So, it was no surprise to see 90% of the people that had gathered on the hills in the Vouraikos Valley on Monday, showed up on Lycabettus this morning.

Fly by of 4 Hellenic Air Force F-16's during Greek Independance Day over the Parthenon on Acropolis from Lycabettus Hill

Fly by of 6 Hellenic Air Force Bell OH-58 Kiowa Helicopter during Greek Independance Day over the Parthenon on Acropolis from Lycabettus Hill

BIG ROLE FOR THE HAF

The parade traditionally starts with ceremonial cannon salutes from Lycabettus Hill and a flag-raising at the Acropolis. The highlight of the parade (at least for us Avgeeks) is the Hellenic Air Force fly-by. Fighter jets, including F-16s, Rafales, Mirage-2000s, and, to my big pleasure, F-4E Phantoms, performed two fly by’s over the Parthenon on the Acropolis. Historic aircraft like the T-6 Harvard and the legendary Spitfire added a touch of nostalgia. Apart from that most of the active helicopters flew by, including Chinooks, Apaches, NH-90s.

PHOTOGRAPHING IN

LOW FLYING AREAS

PHOTOGRAPHING IN

LOW FLYING AREAS

LOW LEVEL FLYING IS HIGHLY ADDICTIVE

Since first visited Axalp in 2005 and the Mach Loop a few years later, I have been hooked to visiting Low Level Flying Areas (LFA). So in that sense it was inevitable for me to go to the “Greek Mach Loop,” as the Vouraikos valley is inappropriately called. For it is neither a loop, nor has it other similarities to the Valleys in Wales.

Photographing Low Level Flying properly takes time, effort, luck and then still you have no guarantee that your efforts are rewarded. For it can (and will) happen that you sit on the top of a mountain for an entire day without having seen a single plane.

NO GUARANTEES

In low level flying there are no guarantees, there is no timetable and whether you are at GLV V in the Netherlands or on top of the Bwlch in Wales, you surrender to the elements, and they can be brutal. From wind to heavy rain or snow, from very cold to very hot. By default Air Forces do not post schedules of their flying activities. So, in general, if you climb the mountain in the morning, you do not know how many passes you will see before the end of the day.

Photo credit: Philippe Anhuiser

IF YOU SNOOZE…

To make things worse. Especially in valleys like Vouraikos or in the Mach Loop, there are spots where you have no warning at all of aircraft coming. This means that you literally have a few seconds notice to pick up your camera aim and shoot. This requires you have to make sure that all camera settings are correct before anything enters the valley as you will have no time to do it once you see them.

We found out the hard way in the Vouraikos Valley on the Monday when to HAF F-16 decided to surprise us with a visit. From the other direction. Only a handful of people were able to get a shot of the rear of the plane. So be careful when you snooze…

THE REWARD

Exactly this is the charm of Low Level photography. High stakes and high rewards. The unpredictability, the skill it takes to get a good photo, and the dedication it requires to be sitting on a mountain top for days with only a few planes flying by.

You simply get an unbelievable sense of achievement when “the plan comes together.” That is why I like doing this. And, in hindsight, probably exactly the reason why I decided to board the KL1955 on Mach 23rd, 2025.

INIOCHOS LOW FLYING

GALLERY

INIOCHOS LOW FLYING

GALLERY

Final Notes

I look back on a week full uncertainty. A week with massive reward for persisting in the end. A week where I learned to be skeptical about rumours that become “truth”. A dynamic that seems widespread in the military avgeek community. And to go with my own gut feel, and sources. Nevertheless a week that has made some lasting impressions and that I consider another highlight in my aviation career.

A special shout out to my Greek friend Nikos Fazos, whom I met years ago in Switzerland. Nikos was elementary in encouraging me to make the trip and gave me great info and tips to make it succesful. Thanks, mate!

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