25/26jun 2016 Belgian Air Force Days Florennes, off-topic

[okerkhof]

Thanks okerkhof!

Yor welcome!

Regards, Olaf

[Gietje]

TuAF F-4 here too, not noted ?

I only logged actual movements as I was not on base.

[Betman]

Parked early in the morning on blue. The entrance was closed until 9.15. People with regular bags we're returned, with camerabags no problems. Later on base I saw more with camerabags.

From the entrance, security check and ticketcheck to the static in 45 minuten (we went almost as last through the fence but choose the middle lane by the security) Beware of a lot off meters for your feets.

The Alpha Jets came exactly 10 o clock and will enter the base from the north.

Dennis

[falcon01]

Connie arrived around 1730
Don't know where it parked as I was already off base. It was a 45 minute walk from the end of the static to the blue car park..

How was the condition of the blue carpark when you left?

[borbla]

thanks frank kramer! i will be there 7:15 in the morning XD

[Einstein]

Parked early in the morning on blue. The entrance was closed until 9.15. People with regular bags we're returned, with camerabags no problems. Later on base I saw more with camerabags.

From the entrance, security check and ticketcheck to the static in 45 minuten (we went almost as last through the fence but choose the middle lane by the security) Beware of a lot off meters for your feets.

The Alpha Jets came exactly 10 o clock and will enter the base from the north.

Dennis

Thanks Dennis! Groeten aan je pa!

[frank kramer]

Connie arrived around 1730
Don't know where it parked as I was already off base. It was a 45 minute walk from the end of the static to the blue car park..

How was the condition of the blue carpark when you left?

not too bad, actually. better than in my memories of TLP-days...

[frank kramer]

and as for the saga of the bags: first guard tried to send me back, but allowed me through when I showed him it was a cameras bag full of cameras. Next came the security lines. Some security lines got checked more thorougly than others and thus moved slower. If you're in a slow lane be prepared for a serious wait. Also, the first aircraft on the static are at least a mile from the entrance on the eastern side, but the static display line can only be entered from the western side close to the treshold of the runway. So, that's another brisk walk, and you have to return the same way too... It looks like the distance from the blue car park to the AWACS (where you enter the static) is 3km or more.

Having said that, once you have arrived it is not entirely bad news. Take offs are far away, even for a 400mm, but during the display aircraft come closer. people moving in front of and behind the static, but with patience and creativity most things could be 'graphed.

[dirkmans]

I arrived at 8.45 at the yellow parking, it seems to me that the gates were closes until 9.30.

The security check was heavy, especially for the camera bags, I think I have been standing in the row for almost 90 minutes...

Then it was a nice walk (about 30 minutes) to the static.

So I arrived at 11.00 or so, and I missed Zeus, the Spanish F-18 and the Polish MIG-29...

It was not busy at the fence, there was plenty of space.

Have fun today!

[Richard from Rotterdam]

We got sent back to drop off our camera-back packs (medium sized) and many more people with us. This was in thew "yellow parking", around 10:30AM. Not allowed even to walk to the security check area with them. Surprisingly people with larger back packs were seen on the show.

[Polecat]

Hi,
Same here; arrived at the main gate parking 08.00 sharp, stood in line for over an hour,(gates opened at 9.15 or so..) than bag checks (extremely random), some had to actually take pictures with their camera and show it to the guard whereas others -like myself- only had to undo one zipper of the 10kg+ big and heavy photo bag...??! Than detection gates, than ticket control, and after that the Florennes march followed.. With no very obvious signposts to the static, a "follow the leader" crazy detour through the on-base woods took over half an hour, resulting in us missing the alpha jet and Zeus demo completely...

On a more positive note, nice and varied static and flying programme, plenty of toilets and waste-bins, plenty of food and drink, really a huge difference from leeuwarden imho... Pity about the weather, although it cleared up really wel late afternoon, the walk back to the car was sunny..

[57HEAVY]

Pfff, dus morgen nog drukker.

Don't think so. No tickets for sale at entry tomorrow.
Cancelled my trip for sunday.....what a joke

seems that ticketing is working today...
what a joke...indeed

[K-9]

Several things are to be given extra attention during future visits...

I went yesterday ....
All went pretty smooth until arriving near the main gate.
A kind ( read = dutch speaking ) police officer, told everyone who came to visit the show, to turn right.
He forgot to mention that after the directions he had given, no more directions would be given , signs either ...
This gave us a free tour through the Florennes country side. Thank god a fellow "lost soul" spoke french and met a local farmer. The farmer could provide us with some welcome information, regarding parking.
All in all ... after turning right, it took us almost 1 hour to reach parking yellow.

Parking went smooth, walk to the main gate went well too ( 10 min walk ).
Upon the main gate, we had to wait for over 1.5 hours, before being cleared to enter the base!
One could reach the static area via 2 routes, one through forrest ( closest but no signs .... ) and one taking you to the west side of the base.

Unfortunatly a lot of vehicles were driving through the spectators area , creating "unwelcome" situations !

A positive note ; the show had some nice participants and a lot of above mentioned problems were also seen by someone from the european airshow council ( or such organisation ). So who knows ....

Certainly room for improvement, during future editions. But than again, have been saying that before ....

[Moonfox]

I was there for the spotters day on Friday and the open day on Saturday.

Friday all was relatively okay. I have missed it if this information was posted, but only by pure luck I decided to follow the VIP/press parking signs after first showing up at the main gate and then the blue parking. I also noticed other cars driving around the base randomly. Still managed to arrive 08:45. Getting on/off the base was pretty easy although they could have used a few more buses collecting everyone after day was done. Had to wait pretty long. Also, in the morning, watching the arrivals the area was pretty small and people were standing 3-4 rows deep. Decided myself not to and move to another corner so couldn't snap much decent pictures. Would have been better if they stretched the area out a bit more so everyone can take a decent spot. In the afternoon things were better as the area was further stretched out and it seems most people could find a decent spot (although you had to choose between taxi-way or airshow side).

Saturday was mostly okay too, especially compared to the h**l that was Luchtmachtdagen earlier. I parked on blue around 8 and got into the queue for the gate. Think there were about 50 people in front of me. First there was a single line, but towards when the gates were opened around 9:00 multiple lines where formed and in the end everyone just pushed forward. Single line should have been better enforced as it is unfair to those that did get inline earlier. Security check was a scam. There were four lines and of course I got into the slowest. Only had a small camera bag and folding chair. Line was moving painfully slow, think it took 30m. In the end didn't even need to open the bag. Very strange. I saw many others with big camera (back)packs, ladders, folding chairs, coolboxes etc. No one got turned back, but like I said speed depended on who was checking you. Long hike to to showline but easily managed to install myself at the barriers. Show was good. Weather cleared up only towards the end of the day unfortunately. Had to suffer 1:30 hr of rain.

So all in all better than Luchtmachtdagen but still some room for improvements.

[Hornet69]

Me too went yesterday. Why people keep complaining I truly do not know. Yes I had long waits (was announced about the security checks, you could expect this), had a long walk (blue parking), weather was not great, runway far away and what ever else people can think off to complain about. Many events the same sh!t. And I am sure people will complain about upcoming events too like Fairford (to expensive, to many grand stands, to few airplanes, to crowded, etc).

You always have a choice, take a risk and go to an event (does not matter what kind of event, movie, concert, fun park, air show) with a chance to be disappointed or stay home and do the things you like to.

At the end mostly you see/read the spotters complaining about an airshow event. Most people have just a nice day out with family and friends