Ivan Kristoff

“My idea is to showcase the Fortis Experience Project and extremely interesting, contemporary and relevant new ideas for extreme rope access, vertical and aerial rescue. With Major General Zlatko Zlatev, Deputy commander of Joint Forces Command, of the Bulgarian army, we performed joint flights in all variants of descent from a helicopter in 2002 a joint crew of 24 airbase. With the flkying cre of the same Airbase, we set two world records for rappeling and ascending on a rope from a hovering helicopter, the first of its kind. They are sanctioned Book of World Records “Guinness”. I had the honor of practicing with the crew a new kind of descent from a helicopter “Cougar”, which refracts imposed standards…. These were the first steps to create a new methodology for building global standardization program for training of rescuers by helicopter….”

Lt. Nikolay Kalaydjiev

“We are looking to share international experience with the best specialists and to provoke this initiative to be tested in real conditions and withstand the test of time. The creation of an elite squad of rescuers by land, water, air and dealing with hybrid threats is an of assistance to the population, coping with global challenges caused by people and nature and to increase the prestige of Bulgaria worldwide and will show that the country still has advanced thinking, enterprising and committed to the cause of people.

This unit can be incorporated for the Ministry of Defense, of Interior and others, using both international experience and innovation to the participants in this project.”, says Lt. Nikolay Ivanov Kalaydzhiev, pilot in the Air Force of the Republic of Bulgaria

Brigadier Gen. Zlatko Zlatev

 Deputy commander of Joint Forces Command, of the Bulgarian army, graduated from Higher Air Forces School of the Military Academy “G. Benkovski“ in 1989 with a degree in” pilot-pilot for the Air Force, “BA” D. St. Rakovski“ in 1998 and General Course of the academy in 2007. His military career began in 1989 and successively passed through the main command positions. In 2010 he served as a senior officer in air operations in Thessaloniki, Greece. From that year to February 2015 was commander of the 24th Air Base – Krumovo. From February 21, 2015 he was appointed deputy commander of the Joint Forces Command (SCS) and acting (VRID) commander of SCS to June 30, 2015.

As Commander of Air Base 24, he flew with Ivan Kristoff to conduct cross training.