BAHA's sister association BAHAAT (Belgian Aviation History Association Archaeology Team), in close cooperation with the VIOE (Vlaams Instituut Voor Onroerend Erfgoed) has unearthed the remains of a Messerschmitt BF110 night fighter at Assenede on September 23rd, 2010.. Both engines, oxygen bottles, armament, a map and a first aid kit together with thousands of smaller artefacts were salvaged. The Messerschmitt took off from Florennes airbase on August 17th, 1943 to intercept B-17 bombers which participated in the famed Schweinfurt-Regensburg mission. Although a night fighter ace, pilot Rudolf Altendorf was no match for the agile Thnderbolts and was shot down. The pilot and his "bordfunker" both escaped by using their parachute. It is the first time in the Low Countries that a WWII crash site has been scientifically examined by a private association in close cooperation with national authorities. It served as a case study on how to scientifically approach the many aircraft crash locations. Soon the remains of the Messerschmitt will go on exhibit at the For Freedom Museum at Knokke-Heist. Source and pictures: BAHAAT

Belgian air traffic controllers have returned to work after they received guarantees from the Belgian Government that it would address problems at the air traffic control agency Belgocontrol as a "top priority". Air traffic has resumed and is returning to normal. Source: De redactie

The airports of Brussels, Oostende or Charleroi are all closed until 2 PM on Wednesday October 29th, after air traffic controllers at Belgocontrol launched a strike action. No flights are able to land or take off at the three main Belgian airports as Belgocontrol is in charge of Belgian airspace. Unions and management of Belgocontrol were in talks all morning with a view to averting the stoppage. The air traffic controllers are angry because two colleagues have been moved from Charleroi to Zaventem near Brussels. Air traffic controllers held a staff meeting at 1 PM to decide on what action to take. The protest started at 2 PM. The airport authorities advise passengers to contact their airline company and not to travel to the airport if their flight is cancelled. Belgian flag carrier Brussels Airlines has cancelled all flights from Brussels Airport until 2 PM on Wednesday. The tour operators Thomas Cook and Jetairfly are bussing passengers from Brussels Airport to airports in neighbouring countries including Lille, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Maastricht. Passengers whose flights have been deviated are being transported by road to Brussels Airport. Ryanair too has cancelled its flights from Charleroi - Brussels South. Jetairfly and Airarabia are diverting to Lille. Antwerp Airport remains open but Cityjet has scrapped all flights to the UK. Most departures and arrivals at Liège are cancelled too. Source: De redactie

Lebanese national flag carrier Middle East Airlines (MEA) signed an agreement with Brussels Airlines to serve passengers travelling to 12 African destinations via connections through Brussels. This deal is expected to facilitate the travel plans of the large Lebanese expatriate community in Africa. The destinations served by the new deal are Luanda in Angola, Cotonou in Benin, Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso, Douala in Cameroon, Kinhasa in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Banjul in The Gambia, Accra in Ghana, Conakry in Guinea, Monrovia in Liberia, Dakar in Senegal, Freetown in Sierra Leone, and Lomé in Togo. Last June, MEA started three flights a week from Beirut to Brussels. The decision came after the Brussels-based Belgian-Lebanese Business Council submitted a report to MEA's management last year showing demand for such direct flights between Lebanon and Belgium. The flights were intended to be seasonal and operational only during the summer months until September 15, similar to other direct flights to Nice, Copenhagen and Berlin. But the increase in demand led to the extension of the Beirut-Brussels route for the coming winter season.  Source: Iloubnan.info

The Federal Government has issued a public sales announcement for Airbus A310-222 CA-01 together with one spare engine, A310 AGE equipment and A310 spare parts.  Airbus A310 CA-01 made its first flight in March 1985 and was sold to Singapore Airlines, registered 9V-STN. The airliner was officially handed over to the Belgian Air Force on September 27, 1997 during a ceremony organised at Melsbroek airbase. If all goes according to planning it could be expected that CA-01 is to make its last operational Belgian Air Force flight on November 19th, 2010 after that date it will be grounded. Source: FOD Landsverdediging/SPF de la Defense National.

The Council of Ministers has emitted its approval for the acquisition of an additional MD900 helicopter for the Belgian Federal Police. The aircraft will be supplied by the company CAS Air A/S of Denmark at the price of 4.2 million €. According to an aerospace specialist the possible candidate could be MD-helicopters MD902 Explorer OY-HMS (cn 900-00132) (link to picture). Hopefully we will be able to confirm this information soon. Source:  Presscenter.org

Budget airline Ryanair' CEO Michael O'Leary has announced that his company seeks to operate from the major European airports in stead of the peripheral smaller airports it uses now. O'Leary said that growth of his airline is slowing down as a result of operating from these regional airports which are often situated some 40 km or more from major cities, such as Brussels South-Charleroi airport in Belgium.  Even if the cost of operating from major airports will be higher, Ryanair expects to attract business travel. Since the start of the recession, major airports seem to be more willing to negotiate with the airline. Source: Express.be

Between October 2nd and 8th 2010, Belgian Defence organizes an exercise called ACTIVE TRIP 2010. This exercise will take place in the provinces of East- and West Flanders, Hainaut and Namur. The purpose of this exercise, organised in close cooperation with French troops and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is to train the procedures and techniques for evacuation and repatriation abroad (Non-Combatant Evacuation Operation, NEO). About 1,000 Belgian soldiers and 150 French troops supported by four C-130 transport aircraft of the Belgian Air Force will participate in this exercise.  Source: Mil.be

Over the month of August 2010, Brussels Airport has handled some 2.4% more passengers compared to the same period one year before. The airport handled some 1.8 million passengers during the peek summer month. Transfer traffic and especially long-haul traffic (+18%) did very well. The growth is particular noticeable in the intra-European segment business traffic whereas leisure traffic is under more pressure from competing airports. The cargo segment grew by some 7.3% compared with August 2009 and is mainly accounted for by the volume of cargo carried on board passenger aircraft. Between January and August 2010 some 11.37 million passengers used Brussels Airport which is a 1.1% decrease if compared to the previous year. Source: Belga.

Today Brussels Airport officially opens its new water purification plant. The plant treats sanitary wastewater from the airport terminal buildings and sanitary wastewater from arriving aircraft. As of this winter the plant will also treat rainwater and melt water that contains de-icing products from aircraft de-icing operations. The plant has a maximum treatment capacity of 2.4 million litres per day - including the volume of de-icing water in the winter period. Every day thousands of members of staff and on average 30,000 passengers use the terminal building. Every day the plant will also treat the sanitary wastewater of over 300 arriving aircraft. Source and more info at:: Luchtzak

As of February 2011 Swiss airlines Sky Work Airlines is to inaugurate two new direct links from Brussels Airport. Four times a week it will be possible to fly directly from Brussels to Angers in France and Bern is Switzerland. Flights will be available on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays with flights foreseen in the morning and evening in order to meet a demand by business people. Source: Trends and  Flightlevel

At Beauvechain airbase Brigade General Aviator Patrice Laurent has passed his command over the Brabant base to Colonel Aviator Robert Brecx. During the same ceremony Colonel Stéphane Pierre has been appointed as Commander of the Competence Centre Air (CC Air) which becomes an independent unit. The ceremony also marked the arrival within the 1st Wing of the Wing Heli which previously was based at Bierset. Source: mil.be  -  pictures by Jef Pets.

Early November 2010 a new book on the airwar over Belgium called: "Vleugels Gebroken in den Hemel -Luchtoorlog 1940-1944 boven Geetbets" will be published. The author Guy Leus describes in detail the airwar in the region of Geetbets and relates the lives of many local brave civilians who risked their lives to help saving shot down allied crews. The Book in A4 format counts over 400 pages, 500 pictures 20, maps and 30 drawings. Pre-inscription is possible as of October 15th, 2010 at the price of €20 (without P.P.)to be deposited on the bank account N°  853-8444284-78 van Limes Gatia Vijverstraat 5  3450 Geetbets (IBAN BE69 8538 4442 8478 - BIC SPAABE22) with the mention "Vleugels". After publication the book will cost €25.  Info from Guy Leus on 011/58.10.76.

Brussels South Charleroi has registered 556,397 passengers, an increase of 35% in comparison to 411,913 in August 2009. Of all the companies present, Jetairfly has achieved the biggest increase in the number of passengers by flying 118% more passengers than during August of the previous year. This result is mainly due to the new routes Jetairfly has added to its range already on offer at the airport of Charleroi. Particularly the routes to Turkey and Greece have been very successful. Ource: BSCA

The airport of Bierset near Liège has officially opened its extended runway which has been lengthened from 3.287 to 3.700 meters in order to allow aircraft to be able to take off at full capacity (maximum freight tonnage and maximum quantity of fuel onboard). This will allow carriers to ensure intercontinental flights of up to 8 hours without a stopover to refuel. These major works took two years to complete at an investment cost of 48.7 million Euros. Source: Express

The Belgian business concern Acrosama is the first company in the world to manufacture a transport frame for the wings of the Airbus A350 XWB which is five times lighter and less costly than the normal steel construction. The frame which is one of the largest composite components ever for the building and correct positioning of the wings of an Airbus is 33 metres long, 9 metres wide and weighs about 3.5 tons. A prototype of the Horizontal Transport Tool left Lokeren for Germany. It is made of fiber-reinforced resin, also used in the aerospace industry and is much lighter than steel and also offers a more cost-effective option. Airbus has also put in an order for six similar frameworks, with two of them to be transported to the Airbus factory in the German city of Stade. Of the three destined for Illescas in Spain, one is already on its way. The sixth one will be delivered to the British city of Broughton. Source: Engineeringnet.be

Former Belgian Air Force reconnaissance Dassault Mirage VBR BR-21 will be auction on October 29th, 2010 at the Hotel Marcel Dassault at Paris. The auction, including some 600 objects ranging from books, manuscripts and posters, to 18 century engravings, clocks, instruments and parts of the Concorde, will be organised to commemorate the initial flight of the Mirage IIIC model on October 9th 1960. The master-piece of the auction will certainly and by far be the unarmed, but for the rest complete Belgian Mirage BR21. Source: artcurial.com

The MARK I "Dozen Set" Lockheed T-33 Colours & Markings is specially aimed at scale modellers. The Lockheed T-33 is described through period photos, useful detailed shots and superb profiles of finishes used by several countries (including Belgium of course) which operated the T-Bird. A comprehensive decal sheet is added for modeller’s convenience. In Belgium the booklet and decal set (choice available at 1/72, 1/48 and 1/32 scale) will be for sale at Au 16è Escadron at Brussels. Click here for a preview. 

Bernard Deneckere has finished a new book on the air war over Belgium in 1914 called "Luchtoorlog boven België 1914. Van Antwerpen tot de Zee". The book relates the first five months of the air war over Belgium from the Ardennes with the French intervention and the many German casualties over the siege of Antwerpen with the use of Zeppelins and Drachens till the Battle of Ieper after which both parties started to dig in and established a series of combat airfields. The book will be available as of October 2010 in the better bookshops at the price of €24.99.  "Luchtoorlog boven België 1914. Van Antwerpen tot de Zee" offers over 90 illustrations over 209 pages. Click here to see the cover of this new publication.

A Seaking Search and Rescue helicopter of N° 40 Squadron based at Koksijde, has been called upon to provide assistance in a rescue operation of two occupants of a light aircraft which ditched in the sea some 60 miles out of the Belgian coast. The Seaking was scrambled at 19h30 but upon arrival both occupants were already picked up by a British helicopter and transported to a British hospital. Source: Het Laatste Nieuws.

At the opening ceremony at Eindhoven (NL) airbase of the European Air Transport Command (EATC) it was stated that this cooperation between Belgium, France, Germany and the Netherlands in the field of air transport is expected to offer some 15 to 20% savings. The EATC will manage a fleet of some two hundred military airlifters which are to remain at their respective home bases while the command structure will be situated at Eindhoven. Countries such as Luxemburg and Spain are said to be interested to join the EATC. Source: Luchtvaartnieuws

 Since August 1st, 2010 passengers using Brussels Airlines can now check-in via mobile/cell phone. The electronic boarding pass is forwarded immediately to the client’s phone and this will be accepted at any airport as a boarding pass. The Mobile Check-In can be used from 24 hours until one hour before departure of the flight. To use this facility the phone needs to be connected to the Internet. Passengers connect to "m.brusselsairlines.com" to fill in their reservation or e-ticket number as well as their name. The electronic boarding pass is forwarded as a sms or email to the phone. The barcode provided with the message is accepted at almost any airport as a boarding pass. Source and more info at: Luchtvaartnieuws

After the suspension of night flights during the months June, July and August, the airbases of Kleine Brogel and Florennes resume their night training flights on Monday 01 September. Until the end of October these flight will be flown until 24:00 hrs, and this only on Monday and Tuesday. As from November, the last landing will be at 21:30 hrs. These night training flights are very important in today's air operations. The airbases will make every effort to keep the impact to the environment as low as possible.

Exercises:

20 - 24/09/2010: FAC - POPPY 05 2010: MARCHE-EN -FAMENNE

18 - 22/10/2010: FAC - GREEN HILL 3 2010: SAINT-HUBERT AF

25 - 29/10/2010: FAC - RINGO 52-3 2010: ELSENBORN

22 - 26/11/2010: FAC - POPPY 06 2010: BERTRIX AF

06 - 10/12/2010: RINGO 52-4 2010: ELSENBORN

13 - 17/12/2010: CAS - Engineer Victory: MARCHE-EN-FAMENNE          Source : Mil.be

As from 28th of October 2010, Jetairfly will open a new route to Fez in Morocco. Fez is one of the four "imperial cities" and a Unesco World Heritage Site and is situated in the middle of the Atlas Mountains. Jetairfly will fly on Tuesdays and Thursdays from Charleroi to the Fez. This is the 9th Moroccan destination of Jetairfly.com after Agadir, Marrakesh, Casablanca, Nador, Oujda, Tanger, Tetouan and Al Hoceima. Tickets are available as from € 39.99. Taxes and 20 kg checked baggage included. Source: Jetairfly.com

The Agusta A109BA helicopters of the Belgian Air Component will start operations from their new home base Beauvechain as of September 13th, 2010. The move of the 27 Agusta helicopters (20 left after execution of the planned reduction) from their actual home base at Liège-Bierset was decided in the restructuring plan of outgoing Defence Minister Pieter De Crem (CD&V). In the coming weeks some 430 members of the Wing Heli will move to the Brabant base, while Colonel Robert Breckx, the actual commander of the Wing Heli, will also become the new base commander of Beauvechain. Deep maintenance resources will only move to Beauvechain in April 2011 when the military part of Liège-Bierset will finally close down. Source: Belga

24/08 - First Belgian Air Component pilot to start NH90 helicopter training

In preparation of the arrival in early 2012 of the new NH90 helicopters for the Belgian Air Component, a first pilot will be detached to AgustaWestland in Italy to start his conversion on this new type. After this the Lieutenant, now Seaking commander, will join De Kooy airbase in the Netherlands as an exchange pilot for a period of two to three years. He will return to Belgium as soon as the first NH90 arrive. Source: Belga

Since some years now, volunteers at the Royal Army Museum in Brussels are building a full size replica of the famous Renard R.31 reconnaissance/observation aircraft which saw action in May 1940. Visitors can easily following the progress made on the fuselage in the museum. However, the wings were built at the specialised company Ets Poncelet at Brussels and have now been transported to the Brussels Air Museum in the presence of the son of the famous Belgian constructor's, Freddy Renard. Pictures of the Renard R.31 building progress. 

The Dakota Documentation Centre of the 15th Transport Wing at Melsbroek has finally managed to obtain the aircraft which gave its name to the association; a Douglas C-47 Dakota. The particular machine resides since some twenty years at Oostende Airport en will join the Fairchild C-119G Flying Boxcar and Percival Pembroke of the Association at Melsbroek airbase. The aircraft will be transported by road to Melsbroek somewhere in September and will be a perfect tribute to the 41 C-47's which served with the Belgian Air Force. The C-47A of Oostende was constructed in 1943 and is registered LX-DKT to its owner vzw Legend Air. Source: Belga. Picture at Airliners.net

Visualization pioneer Barco Federal Systems announced that since January 2010, it has been receiving follow-on orders from General Atomics Aeronautical Systems for its rugged TL-248 19-inch flat panel displays used in legacy Predator-series of Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) Ground Control Stations. Barco has supplied displays to GA-ASI for this critical defence program since 1989, marking a more than 20-year relationship with the company in an industry where precision-quality, reliability, and service are paramount, considering the vast commoditization of military products. Source: Barco

A Belgian Air Cadets glider was forced to make an emergency landing around noon between Paliseul and Maissin. The 19 year old pilot suffered minor injuries. This is accidents occurs only one week after another glider crash in which the young student pilot was unfortunately killed.  Source: RTBF Info

For the Winter Season budget airline Ryanair is to start a link between Charleroi and Cyprus. As of November 3rd Ryanair will fly the route Charleroi -Larnaca twice a week (Wednesdays and Saturdays). Departure hours are foreseen away of the peak moments at Brussels South-Charleroi airport to avoid congestion at the terminal. Source: Luchtvaartnieuws. 

A seventeen year old female glider pilot was fatally wounded in the crash of the glider she was flying near Saint-Hubert airfield around noon. No official causes of the crash have been communicated for the moment, but according to some sources low flying could be at the origin of this accident. Source: 7Sur7 & deredactie.be

The once well known Douglas C-47 Dakota landmark of the now closed Victory Memorial Museum next to the E411 motorway at Arlon has been damaged beyond repair during road transport in the Netherlands. According to a spokesman of the "Museum Bevrijdende Vleugel" in Best, Brabant, The Netherlands, their C-47B 2100847 (L4 B) was irrepairably damaged when the aircraft got stuck under a bridge during transport from Best to the former Valkenburg Naval Air Station for use in the musical "Soldaat van Oranje".  Source: NU.nl

During the first week of August the Grizzlies reached 500 flying hours, comprising almost 150 flights since the first flight of MSN (Manufacturer’s Serial Number) 001 past 11 December 2009. MSN001 flew 80 times, MSN002 flew 56 and MSN003, with the first flight being held past 09 July, already flew 11 times. During this time, the Grizzlies have participated with great success in the Berlin ILA Show (MSN001) and in Farnborough International Airshow (MSN002) where a formal naming ceremony was also held. The three first prototypes are in flight, with the forth aircraft being assembled in Seville, planning for its first flight at the end of the year. The plan includes five prototypes for test activities. Two crews from Nations have already participated in test flights.  Source: Defence-Aerospace.com

Budget airline Ryanair is to open a direct daily link between Brussels-South Charleroi Airport and Barcelona-El Prat in Spain. Ryanair is already flying to the Catalan cities of Gerona and Reus and now adds Barcelona as its 80th destination out of Charleroi as of September 2nd, 2010.  Source: Het Laatste Nieuws

A replica of Martin and Osa Johnson's 1929 Sikorsky S-38 amphibious aircraft will be routed via Brussels on a transatlantic flight from Minnesota (USA) to Berlin (Germany). This epic flight of this magnificent aircraft, (star of the movie "The Aviator") is to start on August 21st, 2010 at Minnesota and if all goes well should be near Brussels on Friday September 3rd, 2010.  More information at Unlimited Adventure.

At the end of October this year airline Air Arabia will move its operations between Belgium and Casablanca (Morocco) from Brussels South Charleroi Airport (BSCA) to Brussels Airport. According to the airline there is too much competition with Ryanair and Jet4You at Charleroi while the airport is not very accessible by public transport. From Brussels, Air Arabia will fly three times a week t Casablanca. Two of these flights will have a stop-over at Oujda while the third flight will land also at Fez.  Source: Express.be

The monthly statistics on air traffic and airport movements in Belgium over July 2010 published by Belgocontrol show an increase of 2.624 movements or +2.57%. (104.885 movements up from 102.261 compared to the same month one year earlier). Airport statistics give the following figures for the month of July 2010: Brussels Airport: 20.772 movements (-0.47%), Oostende: 10.817 movements (+19.60%), Charleroi-Brussels South: 9.437 movements (-0.75%), Antwerpen-Deurne: 7.954 movements (-3.05%) and Liège-Bierset: 5.190 movements (+35.69%). Canac controlled air traffic between ground level and flight level 245 (including Luxembourg flight levels 135 to 245): 50.715 movements (- 0.19%).   Source: Belgocontrol

05/08 - 564,261 passengers at Brussels South - Charleroi Airport in July

Brussels South Charleroi Airport recorded 564,261 passengers in July, an increase of 40% compared with the figure of 402,537 seen in July 2009. Despite the disruption caused by the ash cloud and the strikes by French air-traffic controllers, a total of 2,281,330 people passed through the airport in the first half of this year, which represents growth of 32% compared with the same period in 2009. Source: BSCA

Star Alliance partners Continental Airlines and Brussels Airlines announced plans to start code sharing on Continental's trans-Atlantic flights between New York and Brussels, as well as on selected flights operated by each carrier on both sides of the Atlantic. Effective August 9, 2010, Continental will place its "CO*" code on selected Brussels Airlines-operated flights between Brussels and nine cities in Europe (Bologna, Italy; Bristol, London/Heathrow and Newcastle, United Kingdom; Hanover, Germany; and Lyons, Marseilles, Paris/Charles de Gaulle and Toulouse, France) and between Brussels and 12 cities in Africa (Accra, Ghana; Banjul, Gambia; Bujumbura, Burundi; Cotonou, Benin; Dakar, Senegal; Douala and Yaounde, Cameroon; Entebbe, Uganda; Kigali, Rwanda; Monrovia, Liberia; Nairobi, Kenya; and Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso). At the same time, Brussels Airlines will place its "SN*" code on Continental's daily flights between Brussels and its New York hub, Newark Liberty International Airport, as well as on selected flights to five U.S. destinations operated by Continental beyond New York/Newark (Cleveland, Dallas/Fort Worth, Fort Lauderdale, Houston and Orlando). Source: PR Newswire

Brussels Airlines and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) are currently negotiating a possible agreement to allow the airline to sub-lease the Belgian Air Force's Airbus A330 when it is not used by Defence.  Brussels Airlines already used this particular A330 when it repatriated passengers blocked in Senegal during the European suspension of flight caused by the eruption of the Icelandic volcano earlier this year. As the aircraft involved is a former Sabena machine it should be very similar to the other A330's used by Brussels Airlines. Source: Express.be

Belgian Air Forces, Lieutenant Colonel Tanguy Flamant will join the Airbus A400M test programme in September 2010. The officer is an experienced C-130 Hercules pilot since 1996 who participated in several military operations abroad. He will be based in Toulouse for two years of testing of the A400M. Flamant is holder of a test pilot’s licence obtained at the French Ecole du Personnel navigant d'Essais et de Réception (EPNER) of Istres in 2005. Source: l'Avenir

Since June 4th, 2010 and this until September 27th, 2010, Icelandair is linking Brussels with Iceland in two weekly flights (on Mondays and Fridays). The airline offers sever all inclusive holiday flights besides its regular connections, tickets for which are sold at promotional prices as of August 20th until September 27, 2010. Source and contact:  www.icelandair.be/

The world's sole surviving Aviatik C.1 (C227/16 - Wn 832) owned by the Royal Army Museum at Brussels will be completed and restored to the highest presentations standards by the  French Memorial Flight of Dugny. Aviatik C.1 C227/16 was shot down in 1916 by Belgian anti-aircraft guns near De Panne. The aircraft crashed in sea but was brought to land and ultimately ended up in the Royal Army Museum's collection. A first restoration by the Museum's volunteers prepared the aircraft for public viewing although minus its wings and other missing parts. Now Memorial Flight will complete the aircraft while the association will use the original as a template to build a replica aircraft for their own collection. 

The NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Programme Management Organisation (NAPMO), Brunssum, the Netherlands, announced the signing of a contract to provide cargo and passenger service in support of the NATO AWACS Programme and operations.  A competition to replace the current Trainer Cargo Aircraft (TCA) airlift capability was organised in which TNT Airways, S.A.  (Liège, Belgium) was found to have proposed the best value and, accordingly, was awarded the contract on 27 July 2010. TNT will reserve a priori a Boeing 757-200 to provide NATO with a preplanned and short notice airlift capability to transport personnel and equipment. Source: Belga

Jetair has introduced Sri Lanka as a new winter destination and will operate weekly charter flights from Brussels to Colombo commencing October 2010. Introducing Sri Lanka, Bart Brackx CEO of Jetair NV said, “Despite the economic crisis the Belgian travel Market is expanding and as a tribute to the Belgian traveller we are introducing the South Asian destination”. Source: Tops

The Lebanese carrier Middle East Airlines announces the continuation of its direct services between Brussels Airport and Beirut during the coming winter season. The airline restarted direct evening flights to and from Brussels Airport three times weekly on June 22nd. At first, these flights were scheduled to continue until the middle of September, but this summer schedule is now prolonged to a year-round operation. The restart of the Brussels-Beirut route proved to be an instant hit, and this success is not only related to the Lebanese Diaspora. Both business and leisure travellers rediscover the way to Beirut that has fully recaptured its title as “Paris of the Middle East”. As from the middle of September, the current evening operation will be replaced by a morning flight, operated three times per week by Middle East Airlines.Source: Brussels Airport

An airliner of Irish low budget company Ryanair was forced to return to Brussels-South Charleroi Airport after a bird became lodged in one of its engines. Saturday afternoon’s flight from Charleroi to the Italian city of Bergamo was aborted just minutes after take-off. The pilot noticed that something was wrong in one of the plane’s engines and decided to return. It soon became apparent that the source of the problem was a bird that had become stuck in the engine of the Boeing 737 during take-off. Passengers were able to leave for Italy later in the afternoon. Source: FlandersNews.be

In June Brussels Airport welcomed 1.59 million passengers: 1.6% up on June 2009. Intercontinental traffic grew strongly. Several new destinations that were inaugurated this summer show a strong startup performance (United Airlines to Chicago, Air Canada to Montreal, Hainan Airlines to Shanghai). Older existing long haul routes also show strong load factors, to the US as well as to Asia and Africa. Brussels Airlines started to operate four new direct routes in Africa in the beginning of July (Accra, Cotonou, Lomé and Ouagadougou). This establishes a new record : never before in history, such a broad choice of long haul destinations has been offered from Brussels Airport. Passenger growth for the first half year remained negative (-2.6%), due to the volcanic ash cloud in April.  Freight seervices (38.851 tons) have grown with 5.4% over the month of June 2009. In June again, this growth is mostly recorded with full freighter transportation and with belly freight on board passenger airliners. In May, Hong Kong Airlines announced its intentions to start operating freighter service between Brussels and Hong Kong, via Delhi. After a startup period with 3 weekly flights, the number is increased to six. Source: Brussels Airport

The monthly statistics on air traffic and airport movements in Belgium over June 2010 published by Belgocontrol show a decrease of 179 movements or -0.18%. (99.653 movements down from 99.782 compared to the same month one year earlier). Airport statistics give the following figures for the month of June 2010: Brussels Airport: 20.704 movements (-1.88%), Charleroi-Brussels South: 9.392 movements (-2.30%), Oostende: 9.381 movements (+7.20%), Antwerpen-Deurne: 7.397 movements (-11.49%) and Liège-Bierset: 3.980 movements (+11.27%). Canac controlled air traffic between ground level and flight level 245 (including Luxembourg flight levels 135 to 245): 48.799 movements (+ 0.86%).   Source: Belgocontrol

Airbus Military is formally adopting the name Grizzly for its five-strong development fleet of A400M airlifters. The new name is not the product of an expensive marketing study, nor something devised by a team of branding experts, nor the result of months of debate among the sales team. Instead it is the affectionate nickname given to the aircraft by the close-knit group of flight test pilots and engineers who first saw it safely into the air. When the first aircraft was handed over to the flight-test team in Seville, Spain in November 2009, it was formally known as MSN1 in the time-honoured aviation tradition of referring to the manufacturer’s serial number. But, working at the remotely located flight-test centre at the western end of the lengthy Airbus Military flightline at Seville, the team quickly began hunting for a handier nickname. The Flight Test Team seized on the resemblance between the mighty airlifter´s hunched appearance and the muscular shoulders of the grizzly bear, and soon afterwards the aircraft was already being referred to inside flight-test as “the Grizzly”. By the time of the first flight on 11th December, the name had stuck sufficiently firmly that it was adopted as the aircraft´s radio call sign – Grizzly One. Source: Airbus Military

SABCA delivers this week to Airbus in Toulouse its 1000-th Equipped tailcone for the Airbus A330/340 family, almost 20 years after the delivery of the first prototype in August 1990. This important milestone confirms the success of the first ever contract between SABCA and Airbus, as well as the importance of the tailcone program for the Belgian aerospace manufacturer. The tailcone structure corresponds to the last 4 meter of the aircraft fuselage. Its unpressurized double-walled metallic structure holds and houses the Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) and the associated equipment like air intake, muffler, fuel and electrical systems. Source: Sabca

The heavy storm which struck Europe and especially the Southern part of Belgium has damaged Mr. Beaudouin Stalport's Schleicher KA.6E Rhönsegler glider OO-ZDR. The aircraft was stored in its trailer when a gust of wind picked it up and overthrew it at Temploux airfield. The glider which was restored to pristine condition during the past winter suffered considerable damage but it is hoped that it can be saved and repaired. Info: Bob Verhegghen. Click here fore some pics.

A new book by noted Belgian WWI aviation historian Walter Pieters, "The Belgian Air Service in the First World War" has been announced for release in November 2010. Walter who already wrote the excellent book "Above Flanders Fields" now expands his scope to the complete Belgian Aviation Militaire from the beginning of the war until the Armistice. The new book will contain a daily combat chronology, lists of victories, casualties, aircraft used and Biographies of 375 Belgian aviators. Some 1.000 period photographs and 78 colour profiles of Belgian combat aircraft illustrate this major work. Click here for the presentation leaflet.

Brussels South - Charleroi Airport has inaugurated a northern taxiway which will greatly improve operational efficiency. The new taxiway will also improve airport safety as it eliminates the fact that aircraft have to cross each other as is the case now.  The taxiway is 2 km long, 23 meters wide and counts 350 lights. Source: Belga

On July 5th 2010, Brussels Airlines started a daily bus service between Amsterdam (via Rotterdam) and Brussels Airport to better serve passengers from The Netherlands travelling to and from Brussels Airport. To ensure timely connections with Brussels Airlines' long haul departures to Africa, the bus will leave Amsterdam at 04:15 in the morning from the Stadionplein opposite the Olympic Stadium, make a short stop in Rotterdam at 05:15 (subway station Capelsebrug) and arrive at 07:15 at Brussels Airport. Arriving passengers travelling to The Netherlands benefit from a morning departure in Brussels at 09:15 to arrive at 11:15 in Rotterdam (subway station Capelsebrug) and 12:15 in Amsterdam (Stadionplein opposite the Olympic Stadium). Tickets cost 30 euro for a one way trip or 50 euro for a return trip, and can be purchased on www.airportxpress.nl or last minute at the Brussels Airlines ticketing desk in the departure hall at Brussels Airport. The bus arrives and leaves at the back of platform B at the bus station (level 0). Source: www.zakenreisburo.nl

Hong Kong Airlines could open a direct link between Brussels and Hong Kong as of next winter season. The company wants to fly three times a week to the European capital using a brand-new Airbus A330-200. Already as of September Hong Kong Airlines also opens a freight service between Brussels and Hong Kong which also will be flown three times a week using Airbus A330 aircraft. Source: Luchtvaartnieuws.

Brussels South Charleroi registered 471,537 passengers over the month of June 2010, a growth of 37% compared to the same period last year. This growth can mainly be explained by the launch of 16 new routes this summer including to Heraklion, Fuerteventura, Ibiza, Algeria, Kaunas, Istanbul, Rhodes, Antalya and Zadar. Also, the increase in flight frequency to 19 destinations including Budapest, Casablanca, Carcassonne and Figari, contributed to this success. The number of destinations from the airport continues to grow. New routes starting this winter season have already been planned. Jetairfly is launching a new route to Toulon as of October 29^th, 2010. This increases the number of Jetairfly’s destinations from the airport to 16. The flight frequencies on routes to Tenerife this winter will also be increased from 3 to 4 flights per week. Starting from November, Ryanair will fly to Gothenburg, Lappareente (Finland) and Verona. Source: BSCA

Two gliders, one belonging to the Vlaamse Zweefacademie of Edegem the other being a Belgian Air Cadets glider, were involved in a mid-air-collision at an altitude of 700 meters over Weelde airfield. For unknown reasons both gliders hit each other but fortunately without causing to much damage so that both aircraft could make a safe recovery at Weelde. No one was hurt in this flying accident. Source: Het Nieuwsblad.

Two occupants of an Ultra Light Motorised (ULM) light aircraft were killed at the airfield of Aero Kiewit near Hasselt when their aircraft crashed. The aircraft experienced engine troubles after take-off and crashed. The machine immediately caught fire leaving no chance of escape for the occupants, both experienced pilots. Source: De Morgen

The first Friday of the holiday month of July set a new record for daily handled passengers at Brussels Airport. No less than 42.000 travellers used Brussels airport that day, improving the previous record of 39.704 passengers which already dated from two years ago. More peak days are expected in the second weekend of July. Source: Express.be