SBAP site update on 22-05-2011: Events : Mid-air collision in Koksijde

Text & Pictures : Marc Arys © sbap 2011

 

During the F-16 solodisplay routine the aircraft collided with a civilian aircraft, which happened to have entered the airfield zone.

Both aircraft crashed onto the airfield, the F-16 into a parking lot.
The pilot of the F-16 ejected, but was seriously injured.
The occupants of the civilian aircraft also sufferd multiple injuries. Other victims, with one deceased person, were to deplore in cars hit by the crashing F-16 into the parking lot.

Military emergency services were rapildy on the scene and together with the civilian services, called upon, organised the rescue of the victims.
A VMP (Vooruitgeschoven Medische Post – Forward Medical Post) was installed and the ‘GMP’ (Gemeentelijk Rampenplan – Community ‘Disaster’ Plan) was issued.

http://www.sbap.be/events/2011/pcmkoks/pcmkoks.htm

SBAP site update on 22-05-2011 : News : 7000 flight hours MD900

Text and pictures : Marc Arys ©SBAP 2011

7000 hours with the Air Support Unit of the Belgian Federal Police

Helicopter MD900 – s/n 900-00034 made its production certification flight on April 15, 1996, at the MD production plant in Mesa, Arizona.
On January 06, 1997 the helicopter was flown to Helidyne at Forth Worth, Texas, for further certification of the various flight systems.

00034 was then disassembled and shipped to Belgium where it was reassembled and testflown on January, 20, 1997.

The helicopter was delivered to the Air Support Unit of the Belgian Federal Police (former Gendarmerie – Rijkswacht) and was immatriculated G-10.

After 15 years of dedicated service and 7000 hours, the G-10 now entered its ‘midlife upgrade’ were he will be upgraded to MD902 standards.

http://www.sbap.be/news/2011/md7000/md7000.htm

SBAP site update on 22-05-2011 : Events : Cambrai-Niergnies airshow

Text : Serge Van Heertum     

Pictures : Serge Van Heertum & Luc Dujardin © sbap 2011

The well known Tigermeet was held this year at Cambrai-Epinois air base. This was the very last time that this base, situated in the North of France,  was the home of the Tigers.  As a matter of fact this base will soon close it’s doors definitely and an important page of the French military history will be turned. For this special  occasion the event was underlined  with the organisation of a great airshow.  For practical and logistic reasons this airshow was held on another airfield situated at Cambrai-Niergnies. Thus it became a combined organisation between the French Air Force and the local "Louis Blériot" aeroclub....

http://www.sbap.be/events/2011/cambrai2011/cambrai2011.htm