The Belgian Air Component Lockheed Martin F-16AM solo display aircraft for the 2010 airshow season has received a striking new colour scheme, reason enough to gather the specialised press for an official roll-out .

The aircraft selected is FA-110 which underwent a major overhaul and is one of the first Belgian Air Force F-16's upgraded to Tape M5 standards. This 5th upgrade since the "Mid-Life Update" programme is the first which is not executed entirely by the Belgian aerospace industry but partly "in house" at Kleine Brogel airbase. After three prototypes or "lead of the fleet" aircraft produced by Sabca, the upgrade at Kleine Brogel started in December 2009 with FA-103. The M5 upgrade provides a newer type of embedded/GPS system which in a later stage will be linked (together with the Carapace protection system) to a new Advanced Tactical Display (ATD).

As last year, Cdt. "Mitch" Beulen will be the official F-16 display pilot for the 2010 season and his "new M5" mount has received a brand new and much more colourful paint scheme designed as usual by the two "KB house painters", Johan Wolfs and Peter Verheyen, while the KB Paintshop was responsible for the magnificent execution of this special job.

Towed out for the first time in the open air (and the typical Belgian bad weather).

The official pose...

"Mitch" Beulen ready for the first demo in his shiny new FA-110

Up and the away from Kleine Brogel's "parallel" runway (maintenance work on main runway)

Slow, high angle of attack fly-by revealing the very attractive colour scheme.

Ready for the landing at the end of the first official presentation of the new demo aircraft.

"Mitch" being marshalled in near the dispersal of his N° 349 (F) Squadron

2010 F-16 Demo Display Calendar (Source: Flightline.UK)

• 6th June – Skrydstrup, Denmark
• 12th June – Albert-Picardie, France
• 18th-19th June – Glize-Rijen, Netherlands
• 19th-20th June – Orleans, France
• 26th-27th June – Cambrai, France
• 26th-27th June – Biggin Hill International Air Fair
• 3rd-4th July – Beauvechain, Belgium
• 10th July – RNAS Yeovilton International Air Day
• 17th-18th July – Royal International Air Tattoo, RAF Fairford
• 7th-8th August – Kecskemet, Hungary
• 12th-15th August – Airbourne, Eastbourne International Airshow
• 28th-29th August – Zagreb, Croatia
• 4th-5th September – Duxford Battle of Britain Airshow
• 9th September – Jersey International Airshow
• 12th September – RAF Leuchars Airshow
• 17th-18th September – Ostrava, Czech Republic
• 19th September – Sanicole, Belgium
• 10th October – Duxford Autumn Airshow

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daniel.brackx@telenet.be