Final flight for Belgian Air Force Airbus A321

The Belgische Luchtmacht (BAF, Belgian Air Force) Airbus A321-231, registration CS-TRJ (construction number 1004), made its last training flight on 24 December 2020. In November and December 2020, the BAF also stopped flying the Embraer ERJ135 and ERJ145 VIP transport aircraft. All Embraers have been sold to Regourd Aviation.

The tarmac of the 15 Wing (Air Transport) at Brussels/Melsbroek will have fewer aircraft in 2021, but that does not mean that there will be less activity. On the contrary, the unit is in full transition to the Airbus A400M and the fleet is undergoing a massive rejuvenation treatment. This means a lot of extra work and new challenges for the employees of the 15 Wing.

The Belgian Ministry of Defence (MoD) has leased the A321 since 20 May 2014 from the Portuguese airline Hi Fly. The lease with Hi Fly was initially foreseen for a period of four years but was eventually extended twice with a definitive end on 30 December 2020. After the last training flight the A321 will be stripped of its military equipment and prepared for departure to its owner Hi Fly in Lisbon (Portugal).

For the implementation of military passenger flights from 1 January 2021, the MoD can make use of various options. For example, this year two Falcon 7X were delivered and the first two A400Ms were welcomed. Next to that, the MoD cooperates with the European Air Transport Command in Eindhoven (the Netherlands), from which aircraft of the European military partners, including the Airbus A330 MRTT, can be designated and an agreement has been concluded with the Belgian companies ABELAG (Association Belge d'Aviation Général) and LUXAVIATION, specializing in ad hoc charter flights, to provide the MoD with an appropriate means of transport at the desired time.

Photos: Niels Quist (Scramble Magazine Archive) and Belgian Air Force - Adjt Kristof Moens and Adjt Jozef Vanden Broeck