Belgian NH90 NFH makes first flight
Source: NH Industries, 10-Apr-13
NHI is proud to announce the first flight of the first NH90 NFH Nato Frigate Helicopter ordered by the Belgian armed forces. For this first 45 minutes flight performed on april 5th at Eurocopter facility Donauwörth in Germany, the crew successfully tested the basic systems of this new generation aircraft. After landing, the pilot expressed [...]
UK – Hayward & Green launch A109 component support programme
Source: HeliHub.com, 20-Mar-13
Hayward & Green made a very short announcement on their website – “We are pleased to announce the launch of our A109A/C and E model component support program. Please enquire for the level of support we can offer across a large range of A109 components. All stock is available with Full trace and EASAF1/8130-3 Release [...]
Website shows live heli traffic in Belgium and Netherlands
Source: HeliHub.com, 17-Feb-13
The Belgian based website helispot.be has recently launched a new page, featuring the helicopter traffic which flies each day. For every tracked helicopter that flies in Belgium and Netherlands, you can see the first and last recorded track times each day [in UTC], along with the registration, type , serial number, operator, pressure altitude and [...]
Eurocopter hands over NH90s to Belgium and France
Source: Eurocopter, 01-Jan-13
Eurocopter achieved a new milestone on 21st December in its NH90 program with two ceremonies held at its Marignane facility near Marseille in the south of France, during which the manufacturer delivered Belgium’s first NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) in the presence of the Belgian Defense Minister Pieter de Crem; along with the French DGA [...]
EDA completes successful 3rd Helicopter Tactics Symposium
Source: European Defence Agency, 28-Nov-12
The third Helicopter Tactics Symposium was held from 19 – 21 November in Luxembourg. 43 participants from 16 Member States (AT, BE, BG, CZ, DE, ES, EE, FI, FR, HU, IT, LU, NL, PT, SE, UK) and additional guests from New Zeeland and the Joint Air Power Competence Centre exchanged views on the status of [...]
Belgian Police grounded by budget issues?
Source: HeliHub.com, 04-Nov-12
Multiple media oulets, including the La Dernière Heure website, have filed a story in recent days saying that the helicopters of the Belgian Federal Police are grounded by budgetary issues. The problem reportedly covers the refuelling of the helicopters at airfields where a fuel card would be used – and the fuel card has no [...]
Bell continues momentum in Europe
Source: Bell, 14-Sep-12
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company (NYSE: TXT), continues to increase its sales and customer support activities in Europe delivering seven aircraft and signing nine contracts within the last three months, as well as launching Bell 407GX and Bell 429 flight demonstration tours, and gaining EASA approval for a new customer support facility. “Bell Helicopter [...]
NHV acquires two EC155s from Bristow
Source: HeliHub.com, 25-Jul-12
HeliHub.com understands that Belgian operator NHV has acquired two Eurocopter EC155s from Bristow. One – with UK registration G-ISSU – has already been delivered to NHV’s heliport close to Ostend Airport, and will presumably move to the local OO- register and be repainted yellow in the near future. A photo of it on arrival in [...]
Bell delivers six helicopters into Europe
Source: Bell, 16-May-12
Bell Helicopter announced at EBACE it completed deliveries of six of its newest aircraft in Europe during the last month. Three Bell 407GX aircraft, the first of its kind in Europe, took flight in Belgium, Denmark and, most recently, Iceland. Bell also delivered three additional Bell 429 aircraft in Russia and Ukraine. “We are excited [...]
Europe’s first Bell 407GX arrives in Belgium
Source: HeliHub.com, 03-May-12
Air Technology Belgium has handled the import of Europe’s first Bell 407GX on behalf of its owner, Jan Construct NV. The helicopter will be operated by HeliPlus (in similar ownership to Jan Construct) and based at their facility at Spiere Heliport near Warcoing. The company currently operates two Bell 407s, a Eurocopter EC120 and a [...]
French Navy returns second Dauphin to NHV
Source: HeliHub.com, 01-May-12
The French Navy has completed its lease of a AS365N2 Dauphin – and returned it to Belgian operator NHV. The helicopter was noted outside NHV’s base at Ostend on Saturday, covered over and with its main rotor blades removed. It is expected to be repainted back from the grey/red French Navy scheme to the standard [...]
Belgian operator NHV orders ten EC175s
Source: Eurocopter, 13-Feb-12
Eurocopter has expanded its EC175 order book with Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen’s 10-aircraft acquisition of this new seven metric ton-category helicopter. Deliveries of the EC175s will begin next year for Noordzee Helikopters Vlaanderen (NHV) and are to continue through 2015, with the rotary-wing aircraft equipped for missions that include transportation flights for the oil and gas [...]
Belgian Federal Police reaches 20,000 hours
Source: Police Aviation News, 20-Dec-11
The MD900 fleet operated by the Belgian Federal Police has now reached 20,000 hours. Originally acquired by what was then the Gendarmerie in 1997 the fleet now consists of four airframes. The first two G-10 c/n 900-00034 and G-11 c/n 900-00045 were delivered new in 1997, the third to arrive was G12 c/n 900-00038 in [...]
Christoph Europa 1 marks 50,000th mission
Source: HeliHub.com, 02-Jun-11
ADAC, the German-based rescue organisation, has announced that it’s “Christoph Europa 1″ base achieved its 50,000th mission on 18th May. Based at Aachen-Merzbrück airfield, the helicopter was on its 725th Use this year after being called to an emergency to Baesweiler. These impressive figures reflect a high daily operating frequency, which averaged five missions per [...]
NLR helps with NH90 trials on Belgian Navy frigate
Source: NLR, 01-Mar-11
The NH90 helicopter recently made its first deck landing on an M-frigate, while the ship was under sail. This first-ever landing occurred as part of a qualification measurement procedure for a new helicopter transport system. The National Aerospace Laboratory (NLR) conducted these measurements during the certification process, with dedicated measuring equipment for the ship, helicopter [...]
Corruption investigation at Belgian Police Air Support unit
Source: HeliHub.com, 14-Feb-11
On Thursday 27th January, the Air Support Unit at Melsbroek Airport was raided by up to 30 investigations after allegations of corruption. Investigators took computers, office records, accounts and flight log books. Allegations include private use of police helicopters, failure to comply with official procurement procedures and irregularities when entering into contacts with private companies. [...]
Connexxion to lose one million Euros on Helinet
Source: Rotorspot.nl, 07-Dec-10
The Amsterdam-based Helinet helicopter company is bankrupt. Helinet, who wanted to set up a helicopter network connecting 22 cities in the Netherlands and Belgium, has run out of money. Regional carrier Connexxion loses one million euros. Helinet wanted to set up its own heliports in 22 Dutch and Belgian municipalities, but did not get any [...]
Helicopter wreckage found after 45 years
Source: LeVif, 06-Dec-10
The helicopter, which was found very recently, had disappeared in July 1965 around Buta, in north-eastern Congo.
Fourth Belgian Police Explorer now delivered
Source: HeliHub.com, 12-Oct-10
Further to our recent report of the Belgian Police air unit purchasing an MD902 Explorer to add to their existing fleet of three MD900s, we can now report it has been delivered. Dutch website Avia DejaVu reports it stopping at Groningen Airport yesteday en its delivery route from Odense to Melsbroek airport in Brussels. This [...]
Belgian Police order fourth MD Explorer
Source: DHnet, 02-Oct-10
The Belgian Government agreed Friday to purchase a used MD902 for the Politie (Belgian Police), adding to the three MD900s they already have
Belgian military using disposal agency to sell five A109s
10-Sep-10
The Belgian military are using disposal agents GEO Business Objects to market five of their Agusta A109BA helicopters. The five helicotpers are quoted as 1992-4 manufacture with just 1,200-1,800 hours on each airframe. A suggested sale price of 1.6 million Euros (approx UK£1.31M or US$2.03M) We assume that all the normal component data and equipment [...]
Azor 2010 exercise will involve 32 helicopters from 9 nations
Source: EDA, 01-Jun-10
As part of the European Defence Agency’s Helicopter Training Programme (HTP), Spain will host a Multinational Helicopter Exercise in June 2010. The Exercise is the largest of its kind so far, with more than 32 helicopters and 500 people attending from 9 nations and yet takes place less than a year after the Ministerial endorsement [...]
Belgium releases details of A109 display team for 2010
Source: Belgian Military, 14-May-10
Belgium has for many years had a two-ship demonstration team comprising of two AgustaWestland A109BA helicopters. This year is no exception, but the military command is clear that the two helicopters can be pressed back into military service on request, ready to intervene in various scenarios such as: Peace keeping and enforcement operations Help to [...]
Belgian Alouettes take-off for the last time
Source: DefPro, 09-Sep-09
This Wednesday, September 9, a farewell ceremony for the helicopter “Alouette II” will be held at the military base Bierset, Belgium.
Blue Sky Network Chosen by NHV for Around-the-Clock Helicopter Location Monitoring and Comms
Source: Blue Sky Network, 15-Apr-09
Belgian operator NHV has selected Blue Sky Network’s satellite tracking and communication solution for use aboard its work and transport helicopters, which include Dauphin, Explorer and Calibri models. These new technologies will help keep copter pilots and passengers safe and in constant communication with land and other air personnel as they work throughout the day [...]
