2009 05 20 Spottersday TLP
The abbreviation TLP stands for Tactical Leadership Program. This is a
multinational course for fighter pilots which is held six times a
year. The TLP course has been held on Florennes Airbase since 1989. In
2009 the organizers of the TLP decided to move the whole course to
Albacete-Los Llanos airbase in Spain. To mark the end of the TLP in
Florennes the air base decided to host an spotters day.
The weather during the day was excellent. It was a hot and sunny day and we where situated on a hill close to the runway. During the day a lot of aircraft passed by. We first witnessed the take off of a lot of aircraft for a long range mission. This mission had some tanker support therefore it took a couple of hours before the first planes came back. The participants which did not had the possibility to refuel in flight left later during the day for a shorter mission. So we kept entertained all day long.
The weather during the day was excellent. It was a hot and sunny day and we where situated on a hill close to the runway. During the day a lot of aircraft passed by. We first witnessed the take off of a lot of aircraft for a long range mission. This mission had some tanker support therefore it took a couple of hours before the first planes came back. The participants which did not had the possibility to refuel in flight left later during the day for a shorter mission. So we kept entertained all day long.
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| F-16AM Belgian Air Force FA-109 |
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| F-16AM Belgian Air Force FA-68, FA-71 |
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| Mirage 2000D French Air Force 133-XH/616 |
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| F-16D Polish Air Force 4083 |
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| F-16AM Belgian Air Force FA-87 |
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| F-16A-ADF Italian Air Force MM7253 |
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| Super Etendard SEM French Navy 1, 8 |
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| EF2000 Spanish Air Force 11-07/C.16-27 |
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| F-16BM Belgian Air Force FB-22 |
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| F-16C Polish Air Force 4055 |
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| F-16C Hellenic Air Force 134 |
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| Mirage 2000N French Air Force 4-AL/348 |
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| F-16AM Netherlands Air Force J-201 |
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| F-16AM Belgian Air Force FA-119 |
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| Super Etendard SEM French Navy 1 |
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| Super Etendard SEM French Navy 8 |
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| L-159A Czech Air Force 6055 |
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| TLP plateform overview |
2009 04 30 Basevisit Melsbroek
The 15th Wing, which is the transport wing of the Belgian Air Force, is stationed at Melsbroek. Mobility and flexibility are the two basic requirements for the Belgians in areas all over the world where they are active. This is a key position in tactical airlifting. The mission of the 15th Wing can be summarized as being stand-by 24/7 anywhere in the world to deliver any carriage of passengers or cargo at any place at any time.
In the early afternoon we were welcome at Melsbroek located at the airport of Zaventem. We first got a brief tour when we arrived at the squadron building of the 15th Wing. There was already a nice surpirse in the first hangar which we visited. An A109 for the Benin Air Force and a French Hercules. In the next hangar we found a Belgian Hercules. This Hercules was in maintenance and a few engineers were working on its engines. Next we would visit the engine shop of Melsbroek. The people up here are committed to maintain the engines of the Hercules and also the other types of aircraft. One of the engineers gave us a short tour and told us something about the engines of this heavy transport aircraft. The following hangar was the VIP hangar, here we found an Embraer 145 and a Falcon 20. Once outside again on the platform, we saw another Hercules and an Embrear 135. Furthermore there were also two police MD900 helicopters on this platform.
The last hangar where we could have a look was the one of the Belgian Federal Police. Inside the hangar were two MD520N helicopters, a Cessna 182R and a MD900 helicopter. After a brief introduction by one of the pilots we were allowed to photograph all the helicopters and planes inside this hangar.
Our visit to Melsbroek became to an end after more than three hours. The visit to Melsbroek was small, but nevertheless it was interesting.
In the early afternoon we were welcome at Melsbroek located at the airport of Zaventem. We first got a brief tour when we arrived at the squadron building of the 15th Wing. There was already a nice surpirse in the first hangar which we visited. An A109 for the Benin Air Force and a French Hercules. In the next hangar we found a Belgian Hercules. This Hercules was in maintenance and a few engineers were working on its engines. Next we would visit the engine shop of Melsbroek. The people up here are committed to maintain the engines of the Hercules and also the other types of aircraft. One of the engineers gave us a short tour and told us something about the engines of this heavy transport aircraft. The following hangar was the VIP hangar, here we found an Embraer 145 and a Falcon 20. Once outside again on the platform, we saw another Hercules and an Embrear 135. Furthermore there were also two police MD900 helicopters on this platform.
The last hangar where we could have a look was the one of the Belgian Federal Police. Inside the hangar were two MD520N helicopters, a Cessna 182R and a MD900 helicopter. After a brief introduction by one of the pilots we were allowed to photograph all the helicopters and planes inside this hangar.
Our visit to Melsbroek became to an end after more than three hours. The visit to Melsbroek was small, but nevertheless it was interesting.
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| A109BA Benin Air Force TY-33H |
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| C-130H French Air Force 61-PB/5116 |
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| C-130H French Air Force 61-PB/5116 |
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| C-130H Belgian Air Force CH-12 |
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| Falcon 20E Belgian Air Force CM-02 |
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| ERJ145LR Belgian Air Force CE-03 |
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| ERJ145LR Belgian Air Force CE-03 |
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| ERJ135LR Belgian Air Force CE-02 |
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| C-130H Belgian Air Force CH-07 |
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| C-130H Belgian Air Force CH-07 |
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| C-130H Belgian Air Force CH-09 |
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| MD900 Federal Police G-12 |
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| MD520N Federal Police G-14 |
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| MD520N Federal Police G-15 |
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| MD520N Federal Police G-14, G-15 Cessna 182R Federal Police G-04 |
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| MD900 Federal Police G-10 |
2009 04 30 Basevisit Beauvechain airbase
Beauvechain Air Base is officially called Air Base Lt.Col. Charles Roman and is one of the biggest air bases in Belgium. It is the home base of two training squadrons, or “smaldelen” as the Belgians call them, the 5th and the 9th. Both squadrons fly with the Marchetti SF260D/M+. A The maintenance of the France based Alpha Jets is still done at Beauvechain as well as the maintenance of the Marchetti.
After a warm welcome and a short presentation about the base itself, we started our base tour. First we stopped at a hangar where we found a stored Fouga Magister. Two more aircraft of this type were preserved next to this hangar. After hese aircraft we moved on to the Marchetti platform. This is the main platform on this base where the Marchetti's of the Belgian Air Force could be found.
After our tour on the Marchetti platform, we moved on towards the maintenance hangar of the Alpha Jet. There wasn't too much to photograph; most Alpha-Jets were decomposed because they were in maintenance. The aircraft inside this hangar were completely under construction. Hereafter we went to the old F-16 shelter area of the base. There were three F-16's over there, two inside a hangar and one outside on the platform. The F-16's aren't operational anymore and they were used for training purposes of ground crews. The last stop was the maintenance hangar of the Marchetti. In the old F-16 area was nothing left to see anymore. Also in this hangar aircraft were decomposed into small parts because of their maintenance.
We would end our base tour with a small visit to the museum which is located next to the main entrance of Beauvechain. Most of the airplanes were ex Belgian Air Force, but there were also a pair of Mig-21's. Especially the silver-coloured Starfighter next to the building of the museum was very nice and well kept. Furthermore, this museum had a few other nice aircraft in its collection like the Gloster Meteor, Hawker Hunter, RF-84 Thunder Flash, T33 Tbird, SF260 Marchetti and an F-16A Fighting Falcon. The Belgian Ministry of Defence announced that they will close down Bierset due to reorganizations. The entire Belgian helicopter fleet will move because of that from Bierset to Beauvechain.
After a warm welcome and a short presentation about the base itself, we started our base tour. First we stopped at a hangar where we found a stored Fouga Magister. Two more aircraft of this type were preserved next to this hangar. After hese aircraft we moved on to the Marchetti platform. This is the main platform on this base where the Marchetti's of the Belgian Air Force could be found.
After our tour on the Marchetti platform, we moved on towards the maintenance hangar of the Alpha Jet. There wasn't too much to photograph; most Alpha-Jets were decomposed because they were in maintenance. The aircraft inside this hangar were completely under construction. Hereafter we went to the old F-16 shelter area of the base. There were three F-16's over there, two inside a hangar and one outside on the platform. The F-16's aren't operational anymore and they were used for training purposes of ground crews. The last stop was the maintenance hangar of the Marchetti. In the old F-16 area was nothing left to see anymore. Also in this hangar aircraft were decomposed into small parts because of their maintenance.
We would end our base tour with a small visit to the museum which is located next to the main entrance of Beauvechain. Most of the airplanes were ex Belgian Air Force, but there were also a pair of Mig-21's. Especially the silver-coloured Starfighter next to the building of the museum was very nice and well kept. Furthermore, this museum had a few other nice aircraft in its collection like the Gloster Meteor, Hawker Hunter, RF-84 Thunder Flash, T33 Tbird, SF260 Marchetti and an F-16A Fighting Falcon. The Belgian Ministry of Defence announced that they will close down Bierset due to reorganizations. The entire Belgian helicopter fleet will move because of that from Bierset to Beauvechain.
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| SF.260D Belgian Air Force ST-45 |
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| SF.260M+ Belgian Air Force ST-23 |
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| SF.260M+ Belgian Air Force ST-36 |
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| SF.260D Belgian Air Force ST-45 |
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| SF.260M+ Belgian Air Force ST-06, ST-30, ST-18, ST-24 SF260D Belgian Air Force ST-48, ST-45 |
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| SF.260 Belgian Air Force |
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| SF.260D Belgian Air Force ST-48 |
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| Hunter F58 Swiss Air Force J-4077 |
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| Alpha Jet B+ Belgian Air Force AT17, AT12 |
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| Alpha Jet B+ Belgian Air Force AT10, AT03 |
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| MiG-21bis German Air Force 24+29 |
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| Mirage 5BR Belgian Air Force BR10 |
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| RF-84F Belgian Air Force FR32 |
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| F-104G Belgian Air Force FX-47 |
2009 03 20 TLP at EBFS
The second TLP session was held in March. Again blessed with some nice weather and some nice participants such as Polish Vipers and Greek Mirages 2000.
After the TLP mission I went to the Florennes Spitfire Memorial museum located on the base. It's a small museum with some nice exhibits of the Belgian Air Force.
After the TLP mission I went to the Florennes Spitfire Memorial museum located on the base. It's a small museum with some nice exhibits of the Belgian Air Force.
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| F-16AM Belgian Air Force FA-72 |
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| F-16AM Belgian Air Force FA-128 |
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| Falcon 20ECM Cobham Aviation Services G-FRAW |
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| F-16C Polish Air Force 4049, 4045 |
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| Mirage 2000-5EG Hellenic Air Force 540 |
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| Mirage 2000-5EG Hellenic Air Force 545 |
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| EF-18A Spanish Air Force 12-02/C.15-44 |
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| Mirage F.1CR French Air Force 112-NM/611 |
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| EF-18A Spanish Air Force 15-03/C.15-16 |
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| Tornado ECR German Air Force 46+52 |
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| F-16C Polish Air Force 4049 |
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| Mirage F.1CR French Air Force 112-CV/653 |
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| EF-18A Spanish Air Force 15-30/C.15-43 |
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| EF-18A Spanish Air Force 15-01/C.15-14 |
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| EF2000 Italian Air Force MM7286 |
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| Mirage 2000-5EG Hellenic Air Force 553 |
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| Mirage 2000-5EG Hellenic Air Force 527 |
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| F-84F Belgian Air Force FU-52/UR-H |
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| F-84G Belgian Air Force FS-7/3R-B |
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| DH-82 Belgian Air Force T-24/UR- |
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| Mirage V BR Belgian Air Force BR04 |
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| Mirage V BR Belgian Air Force BR04 |
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| F-16A Belgian Air Force FA-04 Mirage V BR Belgian Air Force BR04 |
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