This years show at Koksijde could be last time that it will be held
this way because there are plans to shorten the runway to a length of
about 1200m and that would mean that for most of the fast jets it is
impossible to use this field for touchdown if they want to preform their
demo.It has been said that for those aircraft who are not able to use
Koksijde that nearby Ostend could be an alternative like they do with
Sanicole airshow(most aircraft at nearby Kleine Brogel).Lets hope that
the plan is not executed at all so that we can enjoy this wonderfull
happening once more.
To get to Koksijde is for me a 4 and a half hour trip all the way
from the northern part of the Netherlands(my home base EHLW).I left home
at 4 in the morning and got underway to Koksijde.The trip was
uneventfull and arrived early at a 0815 but wasn't the first to arrive
at the gates.Already some 50 cars in front of me but I didn't mind
because I would be 1 of the first at the airfield and that would be a
good oppertunity to walk along the static without having to wait for a
good spot for taking pictures.
At 9 o'clock the gates opened and the public was streaming on to the
base with their cars.Early on in the morning the light is still on the
good side of the aircraft but during the day the sun is behind the
static which makes it difficult for making good pictures.Within the hour
I had done the entire static and was back on my way to my car because
the best photo-oppertunities for the airshow are outside the airfield
which gave me plenty of time to spare to find a good spot because the
heavy metal wouldn't start before 12 o'clock.
Almost every type in the inventory of the belgian defence was
participating at this show and sad to say it is probably the last season
to see the Fouga Magister in action with his extremely low departure
because there seems to come an end in the ability to get spareparts for
this aircraft.At around 1030 I arrived at my desired spot outside the
base-parimeter and moved down some high grass so they wouldn't be in my
way during the day.This spot is along the taxitrack which runs from the
maintainance-hangars passing the tower to the other side of the field to
runway 29.
It was a very warm day with tempratures in exces of 34 degrees in
the sun.Normally with this kind of weather the wind would come from the
east but luckely for us it was coming from the west so all departing
aircraft had to pass in front of us.Sadely at the second part of the
afternoon the wind shifted to the east leaving us with only the aircraft
that needed the entire runway to come to a stop( so no gripen,swiss
hornet,cartouche doree and spanish mirage F1).
