News

FEBRUARY 2002
20 February 2002	The Belgian Air Force simultaniously retired the Swearingen Merlin III and the Hawker Siddeley HS748 during a short ceremony held at Melsbroek airbase on 20 February 2002. After having served for 25 years and having accumulated 56.000 flying hours with the Belgian Air Force both types are now up for sale with the exception of one HS748, which will be donated to the African country Benin. The aircraft are replaced by 2 Embraer ERJ 135LR's and 2 ERJ 145LR's.
21 February 2002	Stampe Vertongen SV-4B OO-ESV has made a successful post-restoration flight at Wevelgem airport. Vroman Air Services of Wevelgem restored to aircraft in its original c/s as V-23 of the Belgian Air Force. The aircraft is registered to G. Valvekens based at Schaffen.
APRIL 2002
24 April 2002	A Belgian Air Force Lockheed F-16B (FB-19) crashed around 13h00 in the eastern part of the Dutch province of Groningen after a mid-air collision with a ULM. Although both pilots ejected successfully at low altitude, unfortunately the damaged parachute of first pilot Luc Viaene got entangled and could not safe his life. Co-pilot, Martin Levicar, although injured, survived. The occupant of the ULM was killed instantly.
MAY 2002
07 May 2002	Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt and André Flahaut were aboard Belgian Air Force Airbus A310 CA-01 when the aircraft had to make an emergency stop due to a compressor stall in the right Pratt & Whitney JT-9D engine on take-off from Prestina airport (Kosovo) on Tuesday 07/05/2002 at 20h30. (Click here for picture of the aircraft)
17 May 2002	The new Air Traffic Control (ATC) school of the Air Component of the Belgian Armed forces at Gavere was officially presented to the press. This school which is housed at the Hemptinne barracks at Gavere since October 1st, 2001 is responsible for all training of the military air-traffic controllers of all grades.
30 May 2002	The military base of Kleine Brogel has been officially christened "Basis Generaal-Majoor vlieger Graaf Ivan du Monceau de Bergendael" in honour of this successful Belgian pilot who scored 8 confirmed and 6 probable victories while flying for the RAF during the second World War. Du Monceau de Bergendael was also the first Commander of the 10th Wing based at Kleine Brogel. He passed away in 1994.
JUNE 2002
10 June 2002	Ex-Belgian Air Force Lockheed F-104G Starfighter FX-84 is anticipated to be operational sometime in 2002 and will be operated by the Classic Aircraft Aviation Museum Inc. based at Hillsboro Airport, outside of Portland, Oregon, USA.
20 June 2002	The Council of Ministers has approved the proposal of Defence Minister André Flahaut to sign a contract with the US authorities for the upgrading of the IFF (Identification Friend or Foe) on the Belgian F-16 MLU's. The new system called AIFF (Advanced Identification Friend or Foe) will help to identification and control aircraft by a selective interrogation which will enable aircraft controllers to optimize the use of air-space in an effective and secure way.
JULY 2002
02 July 2002	Siai Marchetti SF260 ST-46, an elementary trainer of the 1st Training Wing based at Beauvechain made an emergency landing in a field at Orp-le-Grand, around 15h30. Both pilots were unhurt and the aircraft suffered only minor damage.
04 July 2002	Belgium was not amongst the countries asked to participate in a 6 month deployment to Kirghistan to relieve French Mirage 2000 and US Navy F-18's as fighter cover over Afghanistan. The Netherlands, Denmark and Norway will each deploy six F-16 fighters starting from the 1st of October. A Belgian Air Force C-130H Hercules has been based at Karachi (Pakistan) since last April.
10 July 2002	Lockheed F-16A FA-100 of the 10th Wing of Kleine Brogel was on a routine training mission when the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing at the nearest airport due to smoke entering the cockpit. An uneventful landing was made at Oostende airport and the aircraft is to be repaired on the spot.
24 July 2002	A man suffering from diabetes lost conscience after climbing the stares up to the top of the St. Baafs cathedral at Ghent. Unable to bring the patient down along the narrows stairway he was hoisted from his position by n° 40 SAR squadron Westland Seaking RS05 (still in its black anniversary c/s) and transported to the University Hospital at Gent where he is successfully recovering.
AUGUST 2002
01 Aug. 2002	The Belgian government has set aside €1.02 billion to bring the country's armed forces up to NATO standards. The COMOPSAIR part of this financial package foresees datalink and IFF interrogators kits for the F-16A/B' and Satcomms for the Hercules and Airbus A310s transport aircraft. It also covers the re-engining and modernisation of the Dassault Falcons and a downpayment for launching the Airbus Military Company (AMC) A400M strategic transport aircraft programme.
01 Aug. 2002	Belgium is to withdraw a single Lockheed C-130H Hercules which was operating out of Karachi airport in the framework of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) for Afghanistan. The "Herc" has flown some 320 hours as part of a Belgo-Portuguese detachment principally towards Kabul.
13 Aug. 2002	An Antonov An-30 of the Russian Federation has started observation flight over Belgium, Luxemburg, Holland and Germany. These flights are foreseen in the framework of the "Open Skies" agreement which was signed in 1992 by 29 European and North American countries and which took effect on 1 January 2002.
16 Aug. 2002	The Fokker D.VII of the Stampe & Vertongen Museum at Deurne (Antwerp) will be restored in the c/s of the "Ecole d'Aviation Jean Stampe - Anvers" of 1923. To see a preview of this beautiful decoration click here.
September 2002
30 Sept. 2002	A Seaking helicopter of Koksijde airbase had to make a night-scramble to come to the rescue of a yacht called "Quonten" which ran aground in the Oosterschelde. The 4 occupants had to be winched off the ship. The 40th squadron Seaking helicopters already saved 1178 persons since entering service in 1976.
30 Sept. 2002	Ten F-16AM fighters and 15 pilots of Florennes airbase are deployed to Meknès in Northern Morocco for their annual VLLF (Very Low Level Flying) training. The exercise which will last up to 11 October gives the pilots the opportunity to fly at altitudes of around 30 meters. The main objective of this training is to prepare the crews for their participation at next years' "Maple Flag" exercise in Canada.
October 2002
8 Oct. 2002	Between 12 October and 2 November 500 Para Commando's, Medic's and C-130H crews will participate in a major exercise held in Northern Benin. 'N'Dali 2002, as the event is called, aims to improve the interoperability of the different Belgian military components and the Army of Benin. The Air Component is fielding 4 C-130H Hercules transports to train equipment- and food-drops as well as low-level flying and operations from unprepared airstrips.
November 2002
29 Nov. 2002	The Belgian government approved the plan to modernize the two Dassault Falcon 20 VIP aircraft operated by the 15 Wing based at Melsbroek. This will include the following: * installation of new engines to meet new international aircraft noise regulations * replacement of the communication and navigations systems as well as all avionics to allow unrestricted operations in civilian airspace. * Complete interior refurbishment and addition of SATCOM telephony, and data communication (ACARS) and onboard fax. Click here to see the Falcon 20