1 of former my belgian collegues was a naval aviator on a Allouette 3.At the time he was still working, now and then he had to make pratticeflights to keep qualified to fly. I had asked him if it was possible to join him on 1 of these flights and he told me that it wasn't a problem. Due to operational commitments on my part I hadn't been able to join him before he retired from the service.Once in a while he still visits us and he made me a promiss to arrange a flight with a fellow aviator and all I had to do was give him a call to set a date.
The 24th of april it all took place and drove from my station towards NAS Koksijde from where my scheduled flight would take off.After the neccessary safetybriefings and instructions we had to wait untill the belgian UAV's(B-Hunter) had finished flying and our take-off was set for 2pm.Once in the air we circled the field several times to do communicationchecks with the BNS Louise-Marie(F931) at various altitudes and when those were completed we flew along the coastline towards Ostend.
Arriving at Ostend we changed our course out to sea to rendez vous with the belgian frigate to do some more testing with the communication.When those were completed we returned towards the coast heading for Ostend.Passing by the flat I live in and over the barracks where I work towards Snaaskerke to follow the canal that runs to Nieuwpoort to bring us back to Koksijde. Back at the platform the sky opened its fly to let go all the water it had been carrying lucky for us it happened now and not during the flight.
     

Jan Eenling 2008©