Belgian Helidays 2007

Notwithstanding gales of wind-force 5, scattered sharp showers and rain alternated with numerous sunny spells, an estimated 32,000 people visited the 8^th edition of the Belgian Helidays, which were held at Bierset Air Base during the weekend of 12 and 13 May 2007. One hundred and twenty local, national and international press teams covered the event, the largest of its type on mainland Europe. Around 120 spotters enjoyed a special four-day programme including arrivals and departures days. Apart from the Alouettes and Hirundos of the Wing Heli, over 40 military and nearly 30 civil helicopters and fixed wing aircraft participated in the event.

 After a brief interruption in 2006 because of operational commitments abroad, the Wing Heli resumed the organisation of the annual Belgian Helidays  this year. Although a last minute change of dates from early June to early May because of the coming federal elections in Belgium on June 10^th resulted in a number of annulations of earlier confirmed participations, almost 100 helicopters and aircraft of 14 countries attended the event at Bierset Air Base.

 A photographic survey with some of the major highlights:

A view on Liège Airport (back) and Bierset Air Base (front) with a part of the static show of the Belgian Helidays 2007.

 Among the larger exhibits in the static park were Aerospatiale SA.321G Super Frelon 148 of the French Aéronavale and Sikorsky MH-53M Pave Low 69-5784 of the 21^st Special Operations Squadron of the USAF. Skytech’s Mil Mi-26 RA-06021 was part of the static show of the Belgian Helidays for the 3^rd time. Although delivery of the helicopter to the Democratic Republic of Congo was imminent after the previous edition of the Helidays in 2005, the transfer now seems to have come to a dead end. It was confirmed by Skytech that the helicopter has been sold to the Congo and has been allotted an African registration two years ago, but its delivery has been postponed several times. Notwithstanding the fact that Skytech has continued minor maintenance and regularly started up the machine’s engines to keep it airworthy, its general condition is degrading slowly but surely. Especially the severe corrosion of the main rotor blades gives the Mi-26 a worn look. The Belgian Civil Aviation Authority has granted Skytech a one flight permission to transfer the Halo to Congo by air, but such a request has not yet been emitted by the Congolese owner. If such a flight should take place, the helicopter will be provided with new rotor blades, already acquired for this purpose two years ago. Also according to Skytech, four Mi-26s are at present in the DRC.

 The highlight of the Belgian Helidays 2007 was without doubt the Spanish Patrulla Aspa (The Rotors) with its five Eurocopter EC.120B Colibri helicopters, locally known as the HE-25. This Spanish Air Force team displayed for the first time on May 16^th 2004 on the occasion of the Festival Aéro at Sevilla. In 2005, Patrulla Aspa made its first appearances abroad, in Portugal and France. The newly developed 2007 display programme was shown for the first time to a foreign public at Bierset Air Base, around ten hours flying time from the Spanish Air Force Helicopter School in Armilla, the team’s home base.

 Eurocopter EC.135T1 82+62 of Heeresfliegerwaffenschule / Lehrgruppe A based at Bückeburg, Germany

The presence of a pair of Aerospatiale SA.341F Gazelle of the Ecole d’Application de l’Aviation Légère de l’Armée de Terre (EAALAT) symbolised the close collaboration between the French and Belgian armed forces for helicopter training. At present, two Belgian instructor pilots and three student pilots as well as some technical and support personnel are at Dax, France, in the framework of this Franco-Belgian cooperation programme.

 The Belgian Air Component was also present at the Helidays with several fixed wing aircraft, such as Fouga CM.170R Magister MT-35 and SIAI Marchetti SF.260M+ ST-26+. The latter is one of the first aircraft with modernised navigation and engine control avionics, while the former is one of the last airworthy Magisters.

 PARTICIPANTS BELGIAN HELIDAYS 2007

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 Mi-24P "336" of the 87 "Szolnok" Helicopter Regiment / Attack Helicopter Battalion based at Szolnok, Hungary

Jos Schoofs  (May 2007)

with additional pics by Daniel Brackx 

Last updated 06/08/08 16:56   Daniel Brackx

brackda@gmail.com