Trips 2011
Ostend - Military visitors
Ostend airport had some nice military visitors throughout 2011. One
of the highlights was an Algerian Air Force Casa 235. A visitor far
away from home was a Spanish Coastguard Sikorsky S-61 on its way to
Norway for a big inspection. In November the 2 Chiévres based
UH-60A blackhawks paid a visit to Ostend to check if Ostend is suitable
as diversion airfield. Later that month some nice Navy visitors arrived
for a Navy meeting in Ostend.
Gilze Rijen - 2011
Gilze Rijen is known for its good photographical conditions around
the airfield. As there are based a lot of helicopters in Gilze Rijen,
flying activity is mostly good. Very popular amongst the photographers
is the "slopes area" which is situated next to the fence.
Helicopters often come and train landings on a slope, which results
in spectacular pictures. Almost daily, Gilze Rijen gets visitors from
other bases like PC-7 or F-16's.
Volkel - Steadfast Noon : 03/10/2011
Exercise Steadfast Noon 2011 is to train NATO cross servicing crews
in loading, unloading and employing B61 tactical nuclear weapons on
several different NATO partners. So this exercise is mainly an X-servicing
exercise, although every day a flying mission is planned. The following
participants came to Volkel to participate in the exercise: Volkel F-16's,
Kleine Brogel F-16's, Aviano F-16's, Büchel Tornado's, Ghedi Tornado's
and Balikesir F-16's. Unfortunately the day we went was a non-flying
day, but luckily the Turkish Delegation departed back to Turkey including
2 Transall transport planes.
Leeuwarden - Opendagen : part 2
As Leeuwarden is a fighter base, fighter displays could not be missed
on this show. The organisation did a great job in collecting Europe’s
fines fighter solo displays like the Finish F/A-18C, Italian EF2000,
Polish Mig 29 and Turkish F-16 Solo Turk. Not only fighters could be
seen on the show, also helicopters could please the crowd like the Dutch
Apache and British Black Cats. Also the static park had some special
aircraft which could be photographed very nice.
Leeuwarden - Opendagen : part 1
Every year the Dutch open days attracts a lot of interesting aircraft
and displays, and this year was no exception. The open days are traditionally
being held in June, but due to another festivity in the city of Leeuwarden,
it was changed to 16 and 17 September. On Friday the weather was just
perfect with almost sun from sunrise till sunset. In this gallery we
show you the big Belgian participation in shape of an F-16, A109, Sea
King helicopter and Red Devils. Trainer aircraft on display were a Fouga
Magister, a French Alpha jet, a British Hawk, an Italian MB339 and the
Austrian PC-7. One of the highlights was Team Viper flying with 4 Hawker
hunters!! And we must not forget the home players: AB412 and the famous
airpower demo.
Wittmund - Brilliant Arrow : 15/09/2011
The day before the Dutch open days in Leeuwarden led us to Friesland
already, but then the German part. For the exercise Brilliant Arrow,
Turkish F-16's were deployed at Wittmund. The main reason off course
was the mighty phantoms which days are numbered now... Flying was very
good, as well as the weather.
Odiham - Families day : 10/08/2011
Bronco Demo Team was invited to take part to the Odiham family’s
days, and as part of the team we went along. Weather was just perfect,
sunshine all day long, and not too warm. Flying display was more like
an airshow than a family’s day. It contained almost all RAF displays
(Chinook off course, Apache, Tornado Role demo, Tutor, Tucano, Beech
200, Hawk, RNHF Sea Fury), but some nice civil displays too like F-86,
B-17, Aerostars, The Blades, O'briens flying circus, Skyraider, AN-2
and Jet Provost. So a great day spent in the UK.
Cambrai - Tigermeet : Spottersday 2
On Monday the 16th of May the second of three spottersdays was held.
Unfortunately the weather wasn't as perfect as the first spottersday.
But there were a lot of visiting aircraft from the airshow weekend and
the famous Tiger games during the weekend. The flying crews were very
friendly again to the public with the typical tiger greetings.
Cambrai - Tigermeet : 13/05/2011
On Friday only one mission was flown in the afternoon. It was again
a nice mix of clouds and sun which resulted in nice pictures. A Royal
Navy Merlin HM.1 participated for the first time in the mission, as
well as the LEGO tornado. In the afternoon some of the participants
for the Tigermeet airshow at the nearby Niergnies Airfield arrived and
did their rehearsal. Also some nice visitors in shape of 2 Spanish F-1's
and one German EF2000 arrived for the weekend to participate the Tiger
games.
Cambrai - Tigermeet : 12/05/2011
On Thursday 2 missions were flown. In the morning the big tigerformation
was flown so all coloured birds flew. During the recoveries they all
came back in smaller mixed formations which was very nice.
Cambrai - Tigermeet : Spottersday 1
On Wednesday the 11th of May the organisation organised the first of
three spottersdays. The weather was perfect with sun all day long and
lots of flying activity. The spottersday was organised very well and
there was a lot of space to move around and to do our thing.
Cambrai - Tigermeet : Arrivals
On Monday most of the participants arrived at Cambrai. This was the
day that we could all discover the new tiger schemes for the Nato Tigermeet
2011. Unfortunately the weather was not so very good with almost all
morning no sun, but around noon the sun came through the clouds and
still some sunny shots could be made...
Cambrai - Tigermeet : Visitors
In 2011 the annual Tigermeet celebrated its 50th birthday and where
else could that be held then in Cambrai? It was the biggest tigermeet
ever held and the weather was good as well in the first week. The exercise
also attracted a lot of visitors like transport planes, but also some
visitors of other tigersqn's that only came during the weekend. Also
during the weekend, there was an airshow held at the nearby Niergnies
which also brought some nice visitors to Cambrai.
Abingdon - Air & Country show
With the Bronco Demo Team we were welcome to participate in the static
display at this little but great show. Weather turned out to be good.
The organisation managed to attract some nice displays like a desert
painted Trojan. Also the RAF participated with a Tucano, Tutor and Hawk
display. Also in the static display there was a Puma and Merlin. But
the star of the show was off course the Vulcan...
Beauvechain - Basevisit : 02/05/2011
Gilze Rijen Aviation Society (GRAS) managed to organise an excellent
base visit to Beauvechain. I was lucky to join the group to Belgians
biggest airbase (quantity of aircraft concerned). The weather was perfect
with a clear blue sky all day long, and the marchetti's were flying
very busy. We also got the premiére of the first 4 aircraft that
were repainted in Red Devils colours. As the Bierset agustas moved in
the year before, it was even more interesting to visit the base.
Beauvechain - Basevisit : Museum
Beauvechain has a lot of wrecks and relics all over the airfield, and
not only airplanes. Also the museum has a really nice collection, just
a shame that the aircraft cannot be protected to the force of nature
when they are exhibited in open air.
Switserland - Preserved aircraft : 26-29/04/2011
The history of the Swiss armed forces is very rich and they are very
proud of their history. This results in preserving and displaying aircraft
all over Switzerland. Also the museums are very nice and have great
pieces of history. Here is a selection of the aircraft we crossed on
our Switzerland trip. First stop was the museum in Payerne and all the
preserved aircraft on and around the airbase. On our way to Sion, we
stopped at the aerodrome of Bex. In Sion a nice hunter and Vampire are
preserved near the entrance of the airbase. In Alpnach we found a special
painted alouette III helicopter, and in Emmen a hunter near the hangars
of Patrouille Suisse.
Buochs & Emmen : 28 & 29/04/2011
On Thursday we visited Buochs just after noon in the hope to see some
UAE PC-21's, and we were very lucky. 2 different machines came out to
play and taxied just in front of us in a glorious sunshine. On Friday
we went to Emmen in the afternoon, but no activity there unfortunately,
only some tigers on the apron.
Alpnach : 28 & 29/04/2011
The last two days we spend our time at Alpnach in the afternoon. Flying
activity was good with 2 German Army CH-53 on temporary deployment,
and the EC-635 were training a lot. Unfortunately the spotters hill
was not open but still great pictures could be taken on different spots
around the airbase.
Meiringen : 28 & 29/04/2011
The last two days of our trip we tried out Meiringen. Unfortunately
there was very little flying activity with only 4 hornets in the morning,
and 4 in the afternoon. Unlike previous visits we were only allowed
to stand on the visitors terrace and spotters place, so not much different
angles unfortunately.
Sion : 27/04/2011
Our second day in Switzerland was great. Nice weather, great scenery
and a lot of flying activity of the mighty tigers at Sion. 4 waves of
F-5's flew during the day. As Sion offers a lot of viewing points, we
moved around the airfield to have as much as possible different angles.
Payerne : 26/04/2011
Our Switzerland trip started quiet as we only saw 4 hornets flying
in Payerne. Some more entertainment came in shape of a PC-6 making a
lot of touch and go's, a PC-7 and a QRA intercept of a Falcon 50 by
2 Meiringen hornets. They towed both special painted hornets from a
shelter into the boxes.
Ramstein : 25/04/2011
On our way to Switzerland we stopped at Ramstein in the afternoon.
Weather was perfect on this Eastern Monday. Some nice visitors like
3 USAF C-17's, a Sigonella based C-26 and a Norwegian C-130J-30 came
in. Departures were a C-17, a KC-135 and the always impressive C-5 Galaxy.
Also the based aircraft were active; we saw a C-130J-30 and 2 C-21A.
Lombardsijde - Shooting range : week 14
At the coastal military shooting range of Lombardsijde, 2 Belgian Agusta
helicopters were based for shooting exercises from Monday till Thursday.
Cambrai - Basevisit : 31/03/2011
EWAS gave us the chance to visit Mirage 2000 base Cambrai. The base
visit was excellent and we could almost do everything we asked. The
visit started at the flight line where 4 Mirage 2000C's were starting
up for a mission. When they were left, we could have a look at the maintenance
hangar where the technicians were busy on preparing some Mirage 2000's.
After that we went to the restaurant for a nice meal. In the afternoon
we went to the EC.1/12 Sqn shelter area to see departing the afternoon
wave. After they have left, we went to have a look in the Tigers nest.
Thereafter we went to the other side of the airfield to see the aircraft
returning again. As there were some visitors on the platform, we could
enter the platform to take some pictures of them. We would like to thank
EWAS and Cambrai for the excellent nice visit!!
Reims : 22/03/2011
Day 2 was just great. There was a lot of flying activity and perfect
weather conditions. We photographed again from 2 different spots, to
have some variation in the pictures.
Reims : 21/03/2011
For the last time we went back to Reims hoping to catch some Mirage
F-1's before the airfield will be closed. We stayed about 3 hours in
the morning and we had some activity, but not as much as normal due
to the Libya actions. Still very nice pictures could be taken. In the
afternoon we decided to drive to Saint Dizier.
Saint Dizier : 21/03/2011
The 3rd day of the Libya operations leads us to St Dizier for an afternoon
of spotting at this nice rafalebase. 2 rafales returned in the evening
from a 6h mission to Libya and they were very heavily loaded! Another
rafale made a test flight in the late afternoon, and upon arrival, they
did some practice approaches. As the rafales would be deployed for the
Libya operations, 3 Transalls arrived, as well as Navy Falcon 10MER
and a TBM700.
Kleine Brogel : 03/03/2011
With the main runway in use again after 9 months of works, flying was
very good at KB. In the afternoon there was a practice display from
Mitch Beulen with the Vortex...
Reims/Cambrai : 17/02/2011
As good weather was predicted, we went to Reims to have a good portion
of Mirage F-1 action. Once arrived there it was a lot worse than they
predicted, but luckily there was some flying activity of the local Mirage
F-1's. In the afternoon we went to Cambrai on our way back where we
saw some Mirage 2000's and a Mirage F-1 from Reims performing 6 touch
and go's...
|