Beauvechain AB 3/4 juli 2010

[Stafsels]

Nope,

F-16A 30 years Falcon turnes out to be FA55.

Greetings,

Henk

[wamovements]

Witch 2 RAF Tornado's came in on Saturday around 14:30. And someone a reg. for the France CN235 and 4 A109's near the rwy that were flying.

Hi Crizz,

I saw no reply to the last question so here it is:

One of the four A109s flew a solo display in the late morning; this was H26

The three in the 'air power demo' were H02, H21 and H28.

Greetings, Paul

Still one agusta is unknown as H-02 was operating from the SeaKing Area and not from the other side.

[snafu352]

I was at the spotters day on the 2nd and throughly enjoyed myself.
Maybe i'm just too easy going but these type of events are a priviledge not a right.
Sure 30 eur is not cheap but they don't have to do this for what is a minority of the public.
In these economic times it may be quite difficult for the military to justify spending money on us...so in order to lay something on they employ a company to run it on a commercial basis. That is inevitably going to be more expensive for us.

[Chrisse]

Except we paid, and people could enter the base at their leisure without paying. That doesn't even take into account the organizational errors. If you charge, you have to take it seriously, or suffer the backlash.

[snafu352]

Rafale C 113-IV ATA1754L
Rafale C 113-IX ATA1754L

Did these come in on Friday? Is that CET or Zulu time? Cheers.

[Propwash]

Arrived on Friday and L = Local

[tonno1970]

However I got an answer from Beauvechain at the website linked before. They are gonna giving back the money.

here the reply that I put as they say to advise other spotters:

Thanks for you email. I heard from a lot of you colleagues "spotters" that the civilian organization during this spotters' day was a real disaster.

As you know, the Defense is confronted nowadays with a lot of other challenges than the organization of such events; this is the reason why we tried for the 1st time to involve a civilian company to help us.

We sincerely regret what happened during this spotters' day and I think we got a lot of lessons learned.
The water distribution to all of you was a military initiative because we saw the lacks of the civilian organization. but I confess it should not have happened...

Thanks for sending us your address and your Bank account (IBAN) in order to reimburse you the fee they let you pay for this "non-event"

Could you also let this information pass through your colleagues spotters who were in the same situation.

I you have any other comments, please let me personally know.

My apologizes for this.




P. LAURENT, Ir
Colonel
Commander 1 WING

[tonno1970]

I was at the spotters day on the 2nd and throughly enjoyed myself.
Maybe i'm just too easy going but these type of events are a priviledge not a right.
Sure 30 eur is not cheap but they don't have to do this for what is a minority of the public.
In these economic times it may be quite difficult for the military to justify spending money on us...so in order to lay something on they employ a company to run it on a commercial basis. That is inevitably going to be more expensive for us.

really it was really simple just making the 2 spotter point just at the beginning for touch down and to the end of runway to make taxishots....... at a reasonable distance. Not asking to stay so close but neither at more then 300 meters to the runway with aircraft hided by grass and haze....
This was enough and no north side was necessary.

and just say bring the water with you.

I am not arguing with military. I think the mail they sent to me shows they are really sorry for this and understood it was not well organized.

[Stratofreighter]

However I got an answer from Beauvechain at the website linked before. They are gonna giving back the money.

here the reply that I put as they say to advise other spotters:

Thanks for you email. I heard from a lot of you colleagues "spotters" that the civilian organization during this spotters' day was a real disaster.

As you know, the Defense is confronted nowadays with a lot of other challenges than the organization of such events; this is the reason why we tried for the 1st time to involve a civilian company to help us.

We sincerely regret what happened during this spotters' day and I think we got a lot of lessons learned.
The water distribution to all of you was a military initiative because we saw the lacks of the civilian organization. but I confess it should not have happened...

Thanks for sending us your address and your Bank account (IBAN) in order to reimburse you the fee they let you pay for this "non-event"

Could you also let this information pass through your colleagues spotters who were in the same situation.

I you have any other comments, please let me personally know.

My apologizes for this.

P. LAURENT, Ir
Colonel
Commander 1 WING

That is a very sincere apology from the base commander himself...
It's not often you'll see letters like these...

[ehusmann]

My list for Sunday, including where each plane was noted. I realize it is missing the stuff I missed (second Rafale), stuff I didn´t look for (Danish, Belgian and Dutch F-16s on the other side) and stuff I forgot to note (Belgian stuff mostly).

Static
A.109HA		nb		H46
F-16A		wfu		FA55, FA100
F-16AM		nb		FA101
SA.316B		40Sm		M2
SF.260D		5Sm		ST40
Bo.105P		nb		8611
Tornado IDS	JbG33		4601
PC-9M		FTS		262
F-16Am		323Sqn		J193
F-16BM		FLO		305
Merlin HM1	nb		ZH860
Tornado GR4	nb		ZA449/20
Tornado GR4	15Sqn		ZA463/028
C-21A		76AS		84-0111
EC.120B				F-HBKB (c/n 1573)

Static - Trainer platform
Alpha Jet	11Sm		AT14
SF.260M+	5Sm		ST06, ST30
Alpha Jet E	EAC314		E22/705-LS
PC-7		131EMVOSqn	L05
S.105OE		FlRg3		BF-36
Hawk T1		208Sqn		XX231/231

Static - Hangar behind trainer platform
Glider		Luchtkadetten	PL76

Preserved behind hangar
SF.260M		Pres		ST14

Static - Shelter 14
F-16AM		nb		FA111

Static - Museum platform
CM.170R		Pres		MT35
RF-84F		Pres		FR33
SF.260D		5Sm		ST48
MiG-15bis	Pres		3911
G.91R		Pres		3085
Hunter F58	Pres		J4077
J-35A		Pres		35067/34

Open cockpit zone
A.109HO		wfu		H16
Alpha Jet	11Sm		AT19
CM.170R		wfu		MT49
F-16A		wfu		FA05
SF.260M+	5sm		ST47

Base Musuem
CM.170R		Pres		MT48
F-16A		Pres		FA18
RF-84F		Pres		FR32
F-104G		Pres		FX47
Hunter F4	Std		ID16/JE-P, ID26/OV-K (Forward fuselages only)
Meteor		Pres		EG79/J-SV (as EG80)
Mirage 5BR	Pres		BR10
SA.318C		Pres		A46
SF.260M		Pres		ST11
T-33A		Pres		FT24
MiG-21		Pres		2429

Gate guards
F-104G		Pres		FX04
F-16A		Pres		FA113

Flightline/static
C-130H		20Sm		CH12
SF.260M+	Hardship Red	ST02/2, ST04/4, ST22, ST32/1, ST27/X
T-17		FLSK		T405, T409, T414, T418, T431
Rafale C	EC1/7		119/113-IX
P-3C		MFG3		6007
An-26		MH59		110
JAS-39D		MH59		43
E-3A		NAEWF		LX-N90446
F/A-18C		nb		J5023
An-26		Ukranian AF/nb	5406/25bl
KC-135R		351ARS		62-3565/D

Flightline other side
CN.235M		ET1/62		165/62-IT
Emb.121AA	EAT319		072/YA, 102/YS, 105/YU
Emb.121AN	EAT319		083/ZE
CN.235M		Esc Transporte	CNA-MB
An-26		MH59		405
JAS-39C		MH59		40
S.105OE		FlRg3		RF-26
F/A-18C		FlSt17		J5017
Tornado GR4	15Sqn		ZA458/024
Tornado GR4	nb		ZD742/090, ZG792/138

SF.260 Hangar
SF.260M+	5Sm		ST16, ST18, ST26, ST36
SF.260M+	wfu?		ST12, ST20 (Fuselages only)
SF.260D		5Sm		ST46

Erwin

[Frank Mink]

Tornado GR4 15Sqn ZA463/028

This Tornado had 617Sqn markings
Greetz,
Frank Mink

[Jetzone 2000]

I've also received a mail from the base commander himself and judging from the quotes on this forum it was not a 'mail to all', but a (semi-)personal reply addressing the issues I informed him about. It is a great gesture from him to do so and it shows they are taking it serious, even as spotters or sertainly not the core bussines of an airforce.


I hope they will discuss this as a kind of 'lessons learned' with their 'commercial partner' and us the outcome for a possible spottersday in the future. (I'm really looking forward to that.) What did I get from this day ? A few very nice shots of a SF-260 and a An-26 and a good memory of the BAF personel (technicans and pilots) who did what was in their means to provide for their guests.

Again, I'm always gratefull for an opportunity like a spottersday. Never forget it is a favour to us, not a right. Even if your pay for it, "Life is a box of chocolats. You never know what you gonna get...!". (Quoting Mr. Gump ) I try to keep in mind that the BAF had organised (arguably) the best and biggest spotters event in the last decade. Only this one failed, but there are numerous ones to remember. So for those goodtimes I would say BAF !

[Jetzone 2000]

Tornado GR4 15Sqn ZA463/028

This Tornado had 617Sqn markings
Greetz,
Frank Mink

You both are right. It had 617 Sq markings on both sides, but had also a 'XV' marking on the righthand side if the tail.

[Paul van der Linden]

However I got an answer from Beauvechain at the website linked before. They are gonna giving back the money.

here the reply that I put as they say to advise other spotters:

Thanks for you email. I heard from a lot of you colleagues "spotters" that the civilian organization during this spotters' day was a real disaster.

As you know, the Defense is confronted nowadays with a lot of other challenges than the organization of such events; this is the reason why we tried for the 1st time to involve a civilian company to help us.

We sincerely regret what happened during this spotters' day and I think we got a lot of lessons learned.
The water distribution to all of you was a military initiative because we saw the lacks of the civilian organization. but I confess it should not have happened...

Thanks for sending us your address and your Bank account (IBAN) in order to reimburse you the fee they let you pay for this "non-event"

Could you also let this information pass through your colleagues spotters who were in the same situation.

I you have any other comments, please let me personally know.

My apologizes for this.




P. LAURENT, Ir
Colonel
Commander 1 WING

A very nice gesture from the base commander. We should consider telling him to never do it again via this civil organisation and send the money from last spottersday to a charity organisation rather than reimburse it. This would really improve the relation between spotters and the Belgian Air Component even further!

Greetings, Paul

[PH-HEE]

.
A very nice gesture from the base commander. We should consider telling him to never do it again via this civil organisation and send the money from last spottersday to a charity organisation rather than reimburse it. This would really improve the relation between spotters and the Belgian Air Component even further!

Greetings, Paul

Paul,

I totally agree with you. Just like the money from the KB spottersdays that is going to charity.

Peter

" who had also a very dissappointing day last friday"