Beauvechain Trainer meet 29 June

[Snapper]

PC-9M 267 paid a visit to Beauvechain, Belgium last Tuesday to partake in a 'trainer meet'.  The meet was to celebrate 25 years in Belgian service of the Alpha Jet.  

Lots of interesting visitors including two Spanish F-5s, a French Mirage F1, a German F-4, 2 French Alpha Jets and a Czech Air Force L159 & AN-26.

Four Belgian Fougas flew in formation - bringing back memories of the Silver Swallows!    

A spotters day was very well organised - with lots of photo ops and it was well worth the 20 Euro entry fee.  
A pity something similar couldn't be organised at Baldonnel.
Still it was nice to see 267 parked in a static display and very much a star attraction to the many Dutch, German & local spotters.

[Irish251]

I see that the Air Corps are sending a CASA 235 to the International Air Tattoo at Fairford later this month - any chance that a PC-9 could be offered as well?  I have no doubt that, as at Beauvechain, it would be regarded as a very interesting participant.

[Guinness]

For some cool pictures go to:

http://www.afterburner.nl


Guinness

[Frank]

Click here for a large picture of 267 at the Trainer Meet:

http://www.irishairpics.com/database/photo/1003449/


Regards,

Frank.

[Guinness]

Thanks, Frank

Guinness

[Frank]

http://home.tiscali.nl/~sgvolkel/trainingmeet/267_pc9m.jpg

(From the http://www.afterburner.nl website)

[John K]

Looks like they haven't got any lawnmowers at that airbase!

[Guinness]

John K,

that's Belgium.......
This means that the grass is not high on the priority list of the BAF.
You think the buildings on the Don are old '>

Visit a Belgian AFB!!!!!!

Guinness

[202]

Very interesting article in a recent issue of the Belgian Defence Forces magazine on their fleet of SM260s.

The Belgians operate a fleet of 23, all delivered between 1969-71 when they replaced the SV-4 biplane as the principal training aircraft.

They have just accumulated a total of 250,000 hours between them and, wait for it, are undergoing a refurbishment programme to extend their service life.

So interesting to see little Ireland purchasing state-of-the art training machines while wel-resourced Belgium (and hosts to NATO HQ to boot) are resigned to squeezing more life out of a thirty-five year old fleet ...

[202]

Still on the PC-9s, will Gormanstown beach continue to be suitable for weapons training given the more intense requirement for same with the new aircraft?

This question is particularly pertinent given that in time the old airfield will be rezoned for houses, leaving no room for low flying aircraft to zoom over for weapons training purposes.