Airbase Beauvechain and after that

Airbase Beauvechain

Originally published in April 2018, refreshed in 2026.

On 27 April 2018 I had the chance to visit Beauvechain Air Base, not far from Brussels. A look behind the scenes of an air force base doesn’t happen every day 😉

A base full of trainers and helicopters

Beauvechain is home to the 1st Wing) with its A109BA helicopters, and to the Basic Flying Training School) with the colourful SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 trainers. It’s where Belgian military pilots take their first steps, and where the helicopter squadrons keep their machines in shape.

I had an early start with Hans Paul Hemelaar, my brother in crime, to meet our Belgian aviation friends. Sharkmouth trainers on the platform, A109s in the hangar, a look under the cowling of an SF.260 and even an NH90 in maintenance. What a day! 🚁

Two Belgian student pilots in flight gear climbing into a yellow sharkmouth SF.260 trainer at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018.

Below you’ll find a selection of my favourite shots from this visit 📸

Grey Belgian SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 ST-41 with wolf tail art and two pilots in the cockpit at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — Grey-Wolf-ST-41.jpg

Belgian Agusta A109 H38 parked on the platform at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — H38-on-the-Platform.jpg

Belgian Agusta A109 helicopter in maintenance inside the hangar at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — Hangar-Check.jpg

Retired Agusta A109 helicopter hulk with number 03 in the grass at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — Last-Landing.jpg

Overhauled Lycoming piston engine of an SF.260 trainer on a stand in the hangar at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — Lycoming-Heart.jpg

Belgian Agusta A109 H27 medevac helicopter with red cross hovering above the taxiway at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — Medevac-H27.jpg

Belgian Air Component SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 ST-06 of the Red Devils in flight at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — Red-Devil-in-the-Sky.jpg

Line of yellow and grey SF.260 trainers being refuelled by a fuel truck at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — Refuel-Line.jpg

Belgian NH90 helicopter RN-08 in maintenance inside the hangar at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — RN-08-in-the-Hangar.jpg

Yellow sharkmouth SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 ST-26 taxiing with propeller spinning at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — Sharkmouth-ST-26.jpg

Grey SIAI-Marchetti SF.260 ST-46 parked on the platform with chocks at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — ST-46-at-Rest.jpg

Stripped fuselage of a retired F-16 on the airfield at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — Stripped-Viper.jpg

Yellow SF.260 trainer taxiing head-on, framed by the wing of another SF.260 at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — Through-the-Wing.jpg

Mechanic checking the Lycoming engine of a yellow SF.260 under the open cowling at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — Under-the-Cowling.jpg

Wolf nose art on the side of a Belgian Agusta A109 helicopter in the hangar at Beauvechain Air Base, Belgium, April 2018. — Wolfie.jpg

Then I heard a noise…

After the visit we drove on to Brussels Airport to photograph some landing airliners. We stopped at a plain piece of ground, and it didn’t take long before I heard a sound that definitely wasn’t a landing plane.

I had heard plenty of them before, but they’re not easy to photograph. And there it was: my very first Blue-headed Wagtail! 🐦

This wagtail (Motacilla flava flava) belongs to the pipits and wagtails family. It grows to about 16 cm. Loving this one…

Blue-headed Wagtail (Motacilla flava flava) perched in the grass near Brussels Airport, Belgium, April 2018.

And Frisian Flag

Earlier that month I also visited the 2018 Frisian Flag exercise at Leeuwarden. Awesome again!

Enjoy! ✈️✨