Aviation Society of Antwerp, Belgium's main organisation for aviation enthousiasts

11/08/2017
40^th Sanicole Airshow
The Aeroclub Sanciole organises their 40th international Airshow. The evening airshow will take place on Friday 8^th September. The main event on Sunday 10^th September. This year several military demo teams will be flying over Sanicole.
Top of the bill will be the Saudi Hawks demoteam. Also the Frecci Tricolori will be present as well as aircraft from the Finnish and the Greek Air Force.

21/07/2017
New owner for Namur airfield
The airfield of Namur/Temploux which was created by the American Army in 1944 and has been a civil airfield ever since 1947, was privatised in 1983 when bought by the Bertrand family.
They recently sold the company that exploits the airfield to Olivier de Spoelbergh (who also owns part of the INBEV group).

11/07/2017
Brussels South Airport keeps growing
During the first six months of 2017, Charleroi/Brussels South Airport handled almost 3.6 milj. passengers. That is a 3% rise compared to last year when the airport was very busy after the closure of Brussels Airport due to the terrorist attack.
The number of passengers traveling via Brussels South grew thanks to two new airlines (Air Corsica and Belavia) and an additional TUIFly aircraft based at the airport.

10/07/2017
Record number of passengers at Brussels Airport
During the first six months of 2017 Brussels Airport handled 11.5 milj. passengers. This is a new record !
This result is 6,3 % higher than during the first part of 2015. Last year’s numbers are not used due to the terrorist attacks from March 2016. The number of transfert passengers rose with 18,8 %.
During June 2017 2,22 milj. passengers used Brussels airport. This also is a new record !

05/07/2017
Emirates launches second daily flight between Brussel and Dubai
As of 29 October, the airline Emirates is set to run a second daily flight between Brussels Airport and Dubai International Airport. Flights to Dubai are enjoying rising success, which prompted the airline to increase its capacity in Brussels. The first Emirates flight from Brussels to Dubai will be departing at 3.05 pm, with the second flight scheduled for take-off at 8.15 pm.

21/06/2017
Foreign permit aircraft allowed to operate in Belgium.
After issuing a full CofA to the Belgian registered Stampe SV.4’s in November last year, the Belgian C.A.A. took another important decision which gives more freedom to the Belgian General Aviation scene. As from 1^st July foreign registered amateur built aircraft as well as certain historic aircraft (less than 5.700 kg) registered in a ECAC-member state (ECAC = European Civil Aviation Conference) no longer require a permit to fly in Belgian airspace for 30 days per year.
This decision recognizes the quality, safety and capability of national permit aircraft within the General aviation community. As well as allowing such aircraft to cross Belgium territory it will encourage visits specifically to Belgium. We are looking forward to see more foreign aircraft visiting our airfields.
This new rule is a result of the close cooperation between the Belgian CAA, EFLEVA (European Federation of Light, Experimental & Vintage Aircraft) and VVMV (Vereniging Vlaamse MotorVliegclubs)

13/06/2017
Good results for Brussels Airlines
During May 2017 more than 830.000 passengers flew on a Brussels Airlines aircraft. That is 18,9% more than in the same month last year. At that moment the company was still recovering from the terrorist attack at Brussels Airport. But, according to Brussels Airlines, this is not the only factor that explains this strong growth. The successful commercial strategy results in more passengers.
The new route to Mumbai (India) is also doing ‘very well’ as well as the cargo-activities.

31/05/2017 SHS takes over remaining part of Thomas Cook Belgium
SHS Aviation has reached an agreement to take over all remaining shares of Thomas Cook Airlines Belgium (TCAB). The company will also employ the remaining staff (40) and hopes to be able to use the AOC and Operating Licence of TCAB. SHS Aviation will operate under the VLM Airlines brand.
Earlier this month VLM Airlines started operating charter flight under the newly acquired Slovenian AOC.

29/05/2017
FlyingGroup received Diamond Safety of Flight Award

During the recent EBACE17 convention at Geneve Flying Group received a

Diamond Safety of Flight Award from the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA). This accolade is awarded to operators that surpass 100.000 hours of flying without any accident.

Currently FlyingGroup operates and maintains 43 aircraft world-wide.

"After having received the EBAA Gold Safety of Flight Award in 2014 we are very proud to now having been awarded with the EBAA Diamond Safety of Flight Award." says Bernard Van Milders, President & Founder of FLYINGGROUP. "This is currently the highest safety recognition awarded by EBAA and we are one of the first companies to receive it "

29/05/2017
Easyjet Brussels Team honored
The Brussels Team of lowcost carrier Easyjet did a great job during 2016. They received the Spirit of Easyjet 2015 award and are honored on the nose of Airbus A.319 – HB-JYJ – that was recently noted at Geneva Airport.

12/05/2017
Pegasus Airlines to fly to Ankara

The Turkish company Pegasus has announced that they will start flying once a week between Brussels South Charleroi and Ankara on a direct flight.At present they fly into Istanbul .

19/03/2017
Brussels airport increase in fright volume
In February 2017, Brussels Airport welcomed over 1.5 million passengers, which is a decrease of 0.4% on February 2016, owing to the leap day. Without the leap day effect, the number of passengers would have shown an increase of 3%. Cargo transport at Brussels Airport rose by 7.7% compared with the same month last year, due to the strong growth in the full freighter segment.

24/02/2017
4th special livery for Brussels Airlines

Ever since 2012 Brussels Airlines has a special relation with Tomorrowland. To mark this 5 year relationship, Brussels Airlines created Amare, the 4th Airbus in special livery.
(photo Brussels Airlines)

15/02/2017
We wish Brussels Airlines a Happy 15th Birthday.
Brussels Airlinews was created in 2002 in the aftermath of the Sabena bankcrupty in 2001.
Over the last 15 years, nearly 79 million passengers used the Belgian airline: 70 million within Europe, 8 million on the African services and 1 million on the transatlantic routes.

24/01/2017
Vizion Air signs agreement with SprintAir

Antwerp based Vizion Air has signed an agreement with the Polish company SprintAir for cooperation. This agreement stipulates that SprintAir will reserve two of its aircraft (ATR72 and Saab340) for use by Vizion Air.
The ATR72 is to be based at Liège, whilst the Saab 340 will have Bergamo as homebase.
The agreement starts on Ferbuary 1st, 2017.

14/01/2017
SSJ-100 for Brussels Airlines
Brussels Airlines is to wet-lease three Sukhoi SSJ-100 Superjets to replace its Avro RJ100's on services where smaller aircraft than the Airbus 320's are needed. The aircraft will be leased from CityJet.

07/01/2017
All time high for Antwerp Airport

During 2016, more than 276.000 passengers passed through Antwerp Airport. This is an all time high. Last time we had over 270.000 passengers was back in 2001.
All this means that there was an increase of 24% in passengers. Some 20.000 passengers flew via Antwerp in the aftermath of the Brussels attacks. The loss of VLM flights and charters played a negative part in the story.

15/07/2017
Spotters welcome at Brussels Airport

Permission has been granted to built spotters areas around Brussels Airport. Work will commence in the autumn of 2017 and should be ready at the end of the year or early 2018.

05/07/2017
Jacques ‘Red’ Dewaelheyns passed away
Last Monday, 3 July 2017, kolonel BEM e.r. Jacques ‘Red’ Dewaelheyns passed away after a long illness. He was the first leader of the Red Devils, the Belgian Air Force aerobatic team. Initially the team flew on Hawker Hunter. After six years they changed to the Fouga Magister (1965 till 1977). Afterwards ‘Red’ Dewaelheyns was involved in several civil aviation projects including the Piper-dealership via NEAS in de late seventies – early eighties.

04/07/2017
Brussels Airport invests heavily in new technology for hold baggage screening
Brussels Airport has launched the first phase of works to implement new technology for hold baggage screening. By the 1st of September 2022, every airport in the European Union must screen hold baggage according to Baggage Screening Standard 3. That is why Brussels Airport is investing 100 million Euros in the purchase of new screening devices and the construction of a new hall and infrastructure.

20/06/2017
Sonaca 200 prototype makes first flight
On Monday 19.06.17 the prototype of the Sonaca 200 – OO-NEW – made its first flight from Charleroi Airport. This single engine two-seat aircraft is assembled by Sonaca. The flight test campaign will take four months. It starts in Belgium but will be pursued at Avignon in southern France. This must result in obtaining the EASA certification for this new Belgian designed aircraft.

12/06/2017
Hainan Airlines starts Brussels to Shanghai service
Hainan Airlines will start a Brussels to Shanghai service from 25 Oktober 2017. They will operate this service three times per week (Monday, Wedsnesday and Friday) using Boeing 878-9 aircraft.
Shanghai will be the second destination that can be reached from Brussels. Hainan Airlines flies from Beijing to Brussels since 2006.

12/05/2017
Cargo airlines starting to leave Brussels

Yangtze River Express left Brussels in february, Air Cargo Global has announced that it is stopping all their activities at Brussels due to the noise restrictions and applied fines.
Magma Aviation has also indicated the same intentions if the sitaution is not clarrified in the coming weeks.

18/02/2017
August Van Laer deceased

We just received the news that our member August Van Laer has died unexpectedly on Thursday 16/02/2017 at the age of 69.
We offer his family and friends our condolences. Blue skies mate.

22/01/2017
Buurtkrant 2e editie
Het tweede nummer van de Antwerpse "Luchthavenbuurt Krant" is van de persen gerold en wordt momenteel door onze vrijwillegers verdeeld in de buurt rodom de luchthaven. Diegenen die buiten de verdeling vallen kunnen hier hun exemplaar downloaden.

07/01/2017
Decrease in passengers, increase in freight
Brussels Airport handled 21.8 million passengers in 2016, down 7 % on record year 2015. The decrease is completely due to the attacks on the airport on 22 March; the airport was closed for 12 days and then only gradually resumed its operations. Cargo traffic at Brussels Airport rose by 1.1% compared to 2015, despite the impact of the attacks.

02/1/2017
Free drop-off zone
Since mid-December, Brussels Airport has opened a new, free drop-off zone. The zone is exclusively intended for quickly dropping off passengers leaving on a trip. Parking is not possible and drivers may not leave their vehicles. People wanting to accompany passengers to the departure hall or who come to pick up passengers, can make use of P1, P2 and P3, where, with the Brussels Airport Pcard+, the first half hour is free-of-charge.

The drop-off zone is on the same level as the bus station and in walking distance of the terminal. To get there drivers should simply follow the "Drop-off" signage. For the comfort of the passengers, a covered walkway leads from the drop-off zone to the terminal.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

EVENTS

Available

Nieuw Stampe & Vertongen boek verschijnt op

15 oktober 2016