His name is Dimitar Spisarѐvski, but his friends call him Spaich. The Bulgarian fighter pilot with the rank of captain was born on 19 July 1916 in Dobrich, Bulgaria. He is well known for taking down an American bomber by ramming it during the bombing of Sofia in World War II.

He grew up as a tall and excellent gymnast, swimmer, boxer and footballer. From 1933 to 1935 plays for FC Levski Sofia. Besides being a gentleman, the soul of the company, Spisarevski spoke fluent Deutch and Russian, loved singing and writing poetry. On the other hand, his sharp sense of justice, an endless patriotism and manly reactions often brought him dozens of troubles.

„…If I ever see an enemy plane in front of me, I will eat it, I will hit the machine with my own one if needed…”

Spisarevski entered His Majesty’s Military School, but due to his wildly behavior and intolerance to any injustice was subsequently expelled and went to serve in Yambol as a ranker. Due to his excellent conduct, he was called back as a cadet to the school. When a pilot contest was announced, he was among the first candidates for the new subject. Later, he went on to study in Nazi Germany, where he graduated from the fighter pilot school in Werneuchen in 1938. In the summer of 1943, he was sent to the English Channel with another Bulgarian pilot to observe the German pilots and master aerial warfare tactics.

„You will crash and will take down at least one bomber, but you will not let him pass over this holly land and sprinkle it with bombs!”

On 20 December 1943, a group of 200 American B-24 Liberator bombers and fighter planes headed to Sofia in order to bomb the Bulgarian capital once again. 36 Bulgarian airplanes took off in order to intercept the bombers before they reached Sofia. Spisarevski was one of the Bulgarian Air Force’s Messerschmitt Ме-109G-2 pilots on duty in Bozhurishte who were sent to intercept the bombers before they could reach the city.

According to the battle log of the 3/6 fighter wing, of which Spisarevski was part, the battle went the following way: the American B-24 aircraft flew towards Sofia in V-shaped formations of three, echeloned in a long rear column. The Bulgarians formed an opposing battle row, echeloned in squadrons of four in a rear column, at 6,000 m. The wing had the task to engage the enemy P-38 Lightning fighters while at the same time the other wing, 2/6, would hit the bombers and force them to release their bombs outside the city.

Flying Officer Spisarevski’s aircraft failed to start and he took off in a reserve plane with some delay in what would be his first and only aerial battle. When he reached the bombers, the battle had already begun. Spisarevski evaded two American fighters, headed to a group of 16 Liberators and, without ceasing fire, crashed into the leading bomber. The bomber split in mid-air and only the tail gunner survived. Spisarevski’s machine crashed at the heights near the village of Pasarel close to Sofia. Without plan B, without enough fire, flying officer Spisarevski uses the last weapon that was left – his own life, just i order to protect his country.

He is very decently human being and in his behavior there is a lack of pathetic. His last words on 20.12.1943 are very ordinary: „Rotten brats, you even did not let me to eat my beans…” For the taking down of a four-engine bomber, he was credited posthumously with two aerial victories captain (1944) and group-captain (2009). Spisarevski was buried in the Central Sofia Cemetery, in the Walk of Pilots.

Famous as the border between the „boot” and Switzerland, situated at the foot of the Italian Alps, with crystal blue water and crumbling ruins – for a long time Lake Garda is a popular holiday destination.

One of Lake Garda’s most picturesque towns is Sirmione, which pre-dates the Roman era and contains a 13th century fortified stronghold, Scaliger castle, that looks out on to the lake. Only around 150 people live in the old town, which is dominated by narrow, cobbled streets, tourist shops and restaurants.

One of the best places to stay during your vacation is Villa Lugana Marina – close to the shore of Lake Garda, is situated in a peaceful location surrounded by a green and shady garden. The complex is just 4 km from the historic centre of the beautiful town of Sirmione. The bungalows are 32 – suitable for couples and families with children because it offers apartments for all requirements: 1, 2, and 3-room apartments, tastefully furnished with a fully equipped kitchen, private bathroom, flat-screen TV with SKY channels, balcony or patio, safe. It also overlooks a spacious outdoor pool for children and adults and has a half-moon pool specially designed for small children.

Sirmione’s most famous landmark is the crumbling ruins of Grottoes of Catullus, which was a grand Roman villa in 1st century BC. The ruins are set in a serene backdrop of olive groves and rosemary bushes, overlooking the translucent waters of Lake Garda.

Author: Savina Danailova

If there is a destination that’s worth visiting by foot, it is Florence – a home to many Medieval and Renaissance treasures. There is no better way to visit Florence than walking through its wonderful streets and admiring every single detail. The capital city of Tuscany has a small city centre but lot of buildings, palaces, museums and art galleries to see – the highlights of Florence such as Duomo, Giotto’s Bell Tower, Baptistery and listen to tales about the most affluent family of the town, Medici.

The Uffizi Gallery is considered the most important Italian museum and one of the most beautiful art collections in the world. The Uffizi Gallery boasts 93 rooms and the visit starts from the second floor (1-45 halls) and carries on to the first floor (46-93). The museum includes some of the most famous paintings of the world – „Venus of Urbino” by Tiziano, „Doni Tondo” by Michelangelo, „Bacchus” by Caravaggio. Probably the most famous of all are rooms 10-14,  which house Botticelli’s masterpieces, Birth of Venus, La Primavera, and Annunciation. The building itself is a work of art and you cannot miss it if you love Florence and art.

The Duomo Complex and Its Hidden Terraces is the most iconic building of Florence is the Duomo. This masterpiece of architecture was designed by one of the greatest architects of all the times, Filippo Brunelleschi. Did you know that the Dome’s techniques of building are still nowadays unknown? The first thing you’ll see with this tour is a fascinating collection of replicas of the original tools used to construct the dome and the majestic interiors of the Cathedral, then get ready to climb to the northern façade of the church rooftop and walk through the open air corridors to admire a stunning panorama.

The most famous and romantic garden of Italy, Boboli, is totally worth a visit. Hidden behind the majestic Pitti Palace, Boboli was once the private park of Medici family, commissioned for the wife of Cosimo I de Medici in 1540. It is considered the most beautiful example of Italian gardens in the world and includes a collection of outdoor sculptures, making it an open-air museum. The garden is rather beautiful with wisteria flowers, statues fountains, and even small museums inside standalone buildings around the property and, considerably fewer tourists.

Author: Savina Danailova

ClaimHelp is a company established and operating with air passengers’ interests as its top priority, educating them about their rights and helping them overcome the hassle experienced due to flight cancellation, delayed flights and denied boarding.

The EU Regulation entitles passenger to receive compensation between EUR 250 and EUR 600 in case of delayed, canceled or overbooked flight. However, airlines fail to point this fact – a mere 4% of the passengers are aware of their rights.

We at ClaimHelp changed that – each month we help thousands of passengers to receive their due compensations. We continuously strive to improve and grow our business. Currently, ClaimHelp provides assistance to passengers from 39 European countries to receive their compensations. We have won over 9,300 litigations in various courts against a number of airlines.

Langkawi. 2018 continues with the lovely surprises! The travelers can choose how to srend their time on this little wonderful malaysian island – by land or by boat. Both options launch rainforest hikes, relaxing afternoons on palm-fringed beaches and  fresh seafood – the favourite of  Asian people.

Los Cabos, Mexico. This year, Montage, Ritz-Carlton Reserve, Four Seasons, and Garza Blanca will open new oceanfront resorts in Las Cabos. What this means?  All-inclusive options,  championship golf courses, treehouse suites and private beaches and residences. And do not forget the rural retreat known for its farm-to-table cuisine!  Los Cabos is made up of the towns of San Jose del Cabo and Cabo San Lucas, each with their own appeal — art galleries in bright Spanish Colonial buildings in San Jose, lively restaurants and spirited night clubs in Cabo — so make time to explore both.

Papagayo Peninsula, Costa Rica. Volcano hikes, canyons and catamaran cruises. The beauty of this peninsula is guaranteed by the government which is in charge of its protection. The renovated Four Seasons Resort Costa Rica at Peninsula Papagayo reopened after a $35 million for  eco-friendly adventure.

Perth, Australia. Sounds surprising but visiting Western Australia’s uber-cool coastal city is well worth the journey. The town offers a lot of entertainments for the tourists – cozy restaurants, cocktail bars with good music and modern malls and art galleries.

Phuket, Thailand. Phuket is a popular destination because of the tourist atractions, the beautiful nature and the frienly locals. 2017 was a key year for the tourism in Thailand with the opening of the boutique Anayara Luxury Retreat Panwa Resort overlooking Chalong Bay, and the new hotel of the famous luxury hotel chain Rosewood.

Author: Savina Danailova

ClaimHelp is a company established and operating with air passengers’ interests as its top priority, educating them about their rights and helping them overcome the hassle experienced due to flight cancellation, delayed flights and denied boarding.

The EU Regulation entitles passenger to receive compensation between EUR 250 and EUR 600 in case of delayed, canceled or overbooked flight. However, airlines fail to point this fact – a mere 4% of the passengers are aware of their rights.

We at ClaimHelp changed that – each month we help thousands of passengers to receive their due compensations. We continuously strive to improve and grow our business. Currently, ClaimHelp provides assistance to passengers from 39 European countries to receive their compensations. We have won over 9,300 litigations in various courts against a number of airlines.

The Azores, Portugal. In May 2018 the air company of Delta starts new flights from JFK airport to Portugal’s volcanic archipelago. You can spend the night in NYC and to wake up on São Miguel Island, where the cobblestoned streets of Ponta Delgada and the geothermal hot springs in Furnas are waiting for you. What about hopping to Faial island for a whale-watching adventure?

Bermuda. If you want to go on a vacation to a different destination, the period between March and July 2018 is the perfect one. Eight major sailing events will take place there, including two brand new regattas. „The Loren” – the island’s first new-build hotel in 45 years is waiting for the travelers from all over the world. The culinary shows’ lovers can visit „Markus’s” – the restaurant of the celebrity chef Marcus Samuelson.

Catalina Island, California. It’s only a one-hour ferry ride from Southern California’s Newport Beach, but feels as if it is another world. Just a weekend is enough to recharge your energy – long walks and hiking 27 miles of new trails or flying over Descanso Beach with a helicopter Catalina Aerial Adventure.

Fiji. A tropical paradise of 332 palm-fringed South Pacific islands. We will need some time to visit all of them but to start with Malolo Island is a good option.  This year, Six Senses Fiji hotel is slated to open on Malolo Island and the eco-friendly Jean-Michel Cousteau Resort Fiji promises to launch new wellness temptations. What more? Awesome beaches, friendly people, diving, cozy bungalows and relax.

Grenada. While last fall’s devastating hurricane season left many Caribbean islands with major damage, its business as usual for many others. Cruise lines are re-routing ships while destinations recover, and Grenada is ready to welcome new visitors, with shore excursions ranging from snorkeling at the world’s first underwater sculpture park to touring a nutmeg factory. (This is the Spice Isle, after all.) In March, the new Silversands Grenada will lure travelers with sleek oceanfront suites and a 330-foot-long pool.

Kauai. It’s never a bad idea to spend the weekend on Hawaii but since Southwest Airlines announced that they will start flights to Kauai in  Hawaii in 2018 or 2019, we can add in on the list with holiday destinations. The first hotel on the island – Coco Palms – was  opened in 1953 but  after a renovation in 2016 made a comeback in 2017 as a part  of Hyatt’s Unbound Collection.

Author: Savina Danailova

No doubt, Milan is the perfect summer destination! If you are fashion junky, consider visiting Milan in September during the Milan Fashion Week – you will have the chance to have a look at the new fashion ideas and street styles and also to buy something new for your wardrobe!

Italy has a rich history and Milan is just a piece of its big „boot” puzzle. Going to Milan is not just a travel. It is an emotional experience and may change your point of view forever.

Why?

This awesome, awesome Brera! A home of a lot of awesome old buildings, sweet restaurants, romantic parks and some art galleries to visit. Listen to the street artists and their romantic songs – the eternal classic songs of Bryan Adams, Sting and more… For the lovers of the art and luxe there is one more temptation – Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, the first king of united Italy – the famous, arcaded mall adjacent to the equally-famous, equally-magnificent Milan Duomo, between the Piazza del Duomo and the Teatro alla Scala. You can visit a lot of bookstores, restaurants, cafes and antique shops. Italians have an interesting tradition about Torino’s bull crest – if a person puts their right heel on the bull’s testicular region and “turn on himself three times,” which is to actually rotate backwards, or counterclockwise, this will bring good luck.

The walk continues with Parco Sempione – a park, established in 1888 and offers a lot of tourist atractions like Palazzo dell’Arte, Arena Civica, Castello Sforzesco,Arco della Pace and Acquario Civico.

Who doesn’t love ice cream? Don’t forget to grab a gelato portion from Amorino Gelato Naturale. Italians definitely know how to make the perfect ice cream!  And while talking about food, buy some candies from  La Rinascente – it also have a view to Duomo! Have a lunch in autentic Italian restaurant, for example – Taverna del Borgo Antico. Keep in mind that most of the restaurants have „sit down” charge around 7 euros so ask the servants before it. And for the perfect end of the day, have dinner in a tramway. No kidding, the best place is the restaurant ATMosfera. It needs reservation with charge 70 euro per person but the gastronomical experience is worth the money.

Enjoy!

Author: Savina Danailova

ClaimHelp is a company established and operating with air passengers’ interests as its top priority, educating them about their rights and helping them overcome the hassle experienced due to flight cancellation, delayed flights and denied boarding.

The EU Regulation entitles passenger to receive compensation between EUR 250 and EUR 600 in case of delayed, canceled or overbooked flight. However, airlines fail to point this fact – a mere 4% of the passengers are aware of their rights.

We at ClaimHelp changed that – each month we help thousands of passengers to receive their due compensations. We continuously strive to improve and grow our business. Currently, ClaimHelp provides assistance to passengers from 39 European countries to receive their compensations. We have won over 9,300 litigations in various courts against a number of airlines.

If you are interested in a career in aviation, then it’s important to keep in mind that there is much more to this industry than piloting or becoming an aircraft mechanic.

Pilot, Co-pilot. Pilots and co-pilots can work in all types of flying jobs. Anything from crop-dusting to flying for a major airline. Most pilots tend to find flying rewarding and don’t care what they fly if the pay is right. Working for a large, popular airline in most cases will garner the greatest pay.

Air Traffic Controller. While you’ll only need an associate’s degree to earn this higher-than-average salary as an air traffic controller, bear in mind that this is also one of the most stressful jobs in the aviation industry. You’ll be responsible for tracking hundreds of flights and you’ll need tons of focus to communicate effectively with pilots, copilots, and other air traffic controllers.

Aircraft Mechanic. An aircraft mechanic has a variety of specialties available to choose from. They may complete an apprenticeship and/or formal training for the desired area of expertise. Many aircraft mechanics provide a wide variety of skills and may work for the military, small local companies or large airlines.

Airplane Inspector. Airplane mechanics with some experience in the field and a positive track record can move into the role of inspector. Airplane inspectors enjoy greater job security because the work they do is, and likely always will be, required by the FAA. Airlines must have them around to regularly inspect the planes after any maintenance, repairs or overhauls.

Sky Marshal or Air Marshal. These are employed by the federal government to guard against any attacks on the crew, plane or passengers. Therefore, they are trained in handgun accuracy, terrorist behavior recognition and learn “aircraft specific tactics and close quarters self-defense measures.

Author: Savina Danailova

ClaimHelp is a company established and operating with air passengers’ interests as its top priority, educating them about their rights and helping them overcome the hassle associated with flight cancellation, delayed flights and denied boarding.

We will assist you to obtain from the airline, what you are entitled to as compensation end we will end up fighting to protect your rights. Our mission and main goal is to make the air travel a peaceful and stress-free way to get to know the word.

Your trust is our way to success.

Airplanes are lighting-proof but it is interesting that very few people are aware of that and others are afraid that the plane can be hit by a  lightning in any moment.  The truth is that this happens all the time but passengers do not even know that. Since 1963 to today’s time all of the airplanes are  well-engineered and are designed to become lightning-proof.

The bathroom door isn’t really locked when you’re inside. Lavatory doors can be locked and unlocked from the outside for a multitude of reason. It allows flight attendants quick access to locked lavatories in case of emergencies. In other instances, it allows the cabin crew to restrict access to bathrooms during takeoff and landing.

Some airplanes have bedrooms that only the crews have access to. There are flights that would take around 15-16 hours and for the crews to avoid getting over-fatigued, they can get a little rest in the secret bedroom. The bedroom contains about 5-10 beds that they can access from a hidden staircase.

Passengers usually have no appetite for airplane food. It turns out it’s not actually the airline’s fault. The reason why the airplane food tastes really bad is because the environment on an airplane changes the way a food or drink tastes.

About 1 in 5 people is afraid of flying. It’s called “aviophobia.”

A woman and her daughter were arrested when they tried to smuggle the woman’s dead husband in a wheelchair onto a plane. They had covered his eyes with sunglasses and told authorities he was just sleeping.

ClaimHelp is a company established and operating with air passengers’ interests as its top priority, educating them about their rights and helping them overcome the hassle associated with flight cancellation, delayed flights and denied boarding.

We will assist you to obtain from the airline, what you are entitled to as compensation end we will end up fighting to protect your rights. Our mission and main goal is to make the air travel a peaceful and stress-free way to get to know the word.

Your trust is our way to success.

You might think the number of options is limited but all it takes is a bit of creativity and maybe some energy. Airports are the perfect place to get stuff done that you’ve been avoiding for too long and have some fun.

1. Buy a magazine in a language you don’t understand and read it by just looking at the pictures.
2. Work through your unread emails – nothing speeds up your productivity like knowing you only have 60 minutes to get stuff done.
3. Smile at and then talk to strangers, especially the ones you wouldn’t normally cross paths with.
4. Have an overpriced freshly pressed orange juice. If not now, when?
5. Look around the waiting room and start writing down what you see. This is one of the best exercises and it helps train you to pay more attention to people around you. So much more exciting than your phone screen!
6. Ask a waiter or flight attendant how their day was. Trust me, they usually have some secrets to spill!
7. Buy funny tourist postcards in a shop and post them to your family and friends.
8. If you find a plug, recharge all batteries.

Author: Savina Danailova

Like a lot of countries, Bulgaria can also be proud of successful people, especially women. For decades women are fighting for equal rights along with men and today they have achieved this in almost every country in the world. One of the very first notable event in our history is women’ position in the aviation. In the last twenty years the number of women involved in aviation has stealy increased, as in all other working spheres. Women pilots, though, represent only six percent in this profession. A lot of men, though, confess that they will feel more safe if the airplane they fly with is managed by a woman.

Maria Atanasova is the first Bulgarian woman to become commander of an airliner. She signed up for a course of motor gliding, but could not enter the military air school  in Dolna Mitropolia, because women were not admitted to be trained there. At her insistence regulations were amended and she graduated in 1950 together with 12 other girls. Maria Atanasova was the only female pilot in the world to land heavy airliner in extreme conditions at London airport „Heathrow”.

The first woman ever taking part in a military flight was the Bulgarian Rayna Kasabova. At 15, during the First Balkan War in 1912, she joined the Bulgarian Air Force and flew above Edirne with Stefan Kalinov on the board of „Voasen” to throw out propaganda leaflets in Turkish and French which were calling people to cease fire and bloodshed. This historic event took place at the end of October 1912.

The first flight in Bulgaria of a woman with glider was carried out by Maria Stefanova – Markova. She took her first test for a glider pilot on the 24 July 1938 on the airplane Zögling 33.

Emilia Garbova (the third from the left to the right on the picture below) was the first woman pilot of a military jet.

The first female pilot to fly alone on a jet aircraft was Maria Bogdanova Nedyalkova. This event in Bulgarian aviation took place on the 4th of September, 1947. She was followed by Teophana Crill and Dora Vasileva – Mochkova.

Valentina Tzvetkova was the only woman leader of a governmental „Falcon” in the world.

Brave, beautiful, no ordinary bulgarian women who left a sign in the sky above us.

Author: Savina Danailova