Europe 2019: US Army 1st CAB, 1st Infantry Div. helicopters

[FredL]

Be carefull if you plan to try to make pictures or come close to the fences to read aircraft numbers.
The previouis time the US choppers came, in 2017, the area was under very carefull control by the military inside Chievres AFB and local Belgian police appeared within minutes when a car stopped close to the base and someone stared at it. The police were usually friendly and comprehensive (they gave me some tips as to the right place, a few kilometters from the base, to make pictures of the choppers flying out, on their leg to Germany) but for sure no chance to stay close to the fences with a camera. I followed police's advice and went to this point, with no view to the base but indeed allowing good pictures of the flying choppers.

[SG Woensdrecht]

Still only 6

[Rabbit]

Still only 6

Yes!

[downwind]

Sitrap Zeebrugge Friday 1 Feb 12:30LT: ca. 10x CH-47 plus unknown number of UH-60 and/or AH-64 on the quayside. Some still without rotors. Very difficult to see due to fences and containers. Photography impossible. Heavy fog in the area, which probably affects flying ops?

[EvD]

I think the low cloud base is the culprit. if they fly at 1500-2500 feet they are in grey muck all the way.
Overcast was 1200-1500ft but clouds will be more broken later this afternoon.

New NOTAM for restrictions civil air traffic in Zeebrugge area from 2 to 10 February (older NOTAM was until 2 February...), so could be a lenghty process...

"
B0566/19 NOTAMN
Q) EBBU/QRTCA/IV/BO /W /000/035/5118N00315E002
A) EBBU B) 1902022300 C) 1902102200
E) ZEEBRUGGE PSN 511739N0031442E TEMPORARY SEGREGATED AREA - USA OPS
FORT TO PORT 1902 - USA BASECAMP HAVEN ZEEBRUGGE ESTABLISHED
RESERVED FOR PARTICIPATING ACFT, ALL ACFT FROM AND TO EBKW AND EBZU,
SAR, STATE, MEDICAL AND HUMANITARIAN FLT. RADIUS 02NM
F) GND G) 1500FT AGL

And for Chièvres, open this weekend and at least until Wednesday 6th:

"
B0580/19 NOTAMN
Q) EBBU/QFAAH/IV/NBO/A /000/999/5035N00350E005
A) EBCV B) 1901311546 C) 1902061800
E) AD HR OF OPS/SERVICE: DAILY 1000-1800
"

[downwind]

Update sitrap Zeebrugge Port Fri 1 Feb 17:30LT
CH-47: 15-08195, 15-08196*, 15-08197, 15-08466*, 15-08467*, 16-09198, 16-08199*, 16-08200, 16-08201, 16-08202*
Plus several UH-60 and at least 1x AH-64.
Technicians were attaching rotors to the last Chinooks.
The Blackhawks and Apache(s?) were barely visible behind obstacles, there may be (a lot?) more.
Chinooks with a * are wearing the 1 CAB shield on the tail.

Just follow the highway from Brugge to Zeebrugge and you can't miss out the large ICO buildings on the left.
As previously mentioned: spotting is difficult, photo's impossible. Sand hill not accessible.

Good luck to those who give it a try this weekend!

[Arjan]

A blackhawk is currently performing a checkflight. Work is being done on several helicopters.

Edit: plus one more

[EvD]

A blackhawk is currently performing a checkflight. Work is being done on several helicopters.

Edit: plus one more

At Zeebrugge I presume (or at Chièvres....?)

[Fishbed_9307]

A blackhawk is currently performing a checkflight. Work is being done on several helicopters.

Edit: plus one more

At Zeebrugge I presume (or at Chièvres....?)

I noticed UH-60 20398 flying at 375 feet near Zeebrugge for a short while.

[EvD]

20225 now airborne @Zeebrugge on adsb

Also a short test flight

[Arjan]

Yes indeed Zeebrugge

[wamovements]

20459 currently at 1000ft overhead Zeebrugge

[Arjan]

Correct. 412 also flew

[EvD]

Chièvres has 600ft cloudbase / overcast. Beneath that, the visibility is 9000m.
And the rest of the weather forecast says the grey muck will not clear before the evening.
In fact, that is the most thickly clouded/overcast area in whole NW Europa at this point in time
So, the problem lies there, not on the Zeebrugge side I think?

[Hans van Herk]

You are correct Erwin, at this moment clear view at Zeebrugge.
We have read nine Chinooks (out of ten visible), six Apaches and seventeen Black Hawks plus two Black Hawks on ADSB.

Hans van Herk