The AIR POWER event of the Austrian Armed Forces has set the benchmark for European air shows with this magnificent show taking place every two to three years since 1997. The number and above all variety of participating aircraft coupled with the beautiful scenery of the Upper Mur Valley and the small town of Zeltweg have attracted countless aircraft fans and enthusiasts from all over the world. This is why expectations at AIR POWER 2019 were set very high. As to whether this year’s event was able to meet these expectations at all was more than vindicated, especially seeing the staging of event itself was on a knife edge due to recent political events. Irresponsible political practices within recent years has led the Austrian Federal Armed Forces into a precarious financial situation and the staging of AIR POWER being questioned by interim Minister of Defence, Thomas Starlinger, who was only recently appointed into office following the last government crisis. Why the Ministry of Defence had decided to hold the event at all is beyond our knowledge. According to rumors however, pressure from the province of Styria as the event’s co-organiser along with the RED BULL company as the events main sponsor  was so high (including consideration given to expenses associated with cancellation) that the minister finally gave his ok for AIR POWER 2019 to be held. Just postponement of the event may have provided some form of insight to politicians and above all to the general population regarding the shows precarious future.