2016 Gilze Rijen spottersdag 30years GRAS

In 2016 the Gilze-Rijen Aviation Society held its 30th anniversary. GRAS has always been one of the prime Dutch aviation enthusiast societies well known among spotters. GRAS is very well organized and covers many area's such as history and databases of the Gilze-Rijen based Dutch helicopter squadrons, wrecks&relics databases, latest news about the airbase and its units, scanner info and historical movements including airshows. Besides this they also have their own forum, magazine and (inter)national base visits!

During 30 years GRAS established a good relationship with the base personell and its commanders - which shows by this 30th anniversary event: in cooperation with the (base) commander(s) they managed to attract a large number of foreign visitors for their celebration!

(Click the banner for the GRAS website)

The French army visited Gilze-Rijen with a tiger c/s 3RHC SA342M Gazelle and 5RHC desert c/s SA330B Puma.

A large number of foreign training aircraft participated this day; adding a nice 'training' session for their instructors and pupils. Three Danish MFI17 made touch&go's together with a Belgian SF260 and three Cazaux base Alpha Jets. The French sent two of their TB30 Epsilons and an other two Alpha Jets. This makes a total of 11 training aircraft - transforming Gilze-Rijen almost into an exercise area!

Several other really interesting aircraft appeared this day: a French KC135FR tanker, one of the Papa based NATO C17's, a French Embraer 121, three Volkel based 313sq F16's, a Belgian ERJ135 and two Belgian F16's and a German Tornado and Eurofighter. Two German HFWS EC135T1's had also visited Gilze-Rijen and departed around 15:00.

The locally based Dutch Helicopter Command (DHC) squadrons also flew with several Chinooks, Cougars and Apaches.

Serial Numbers for this day:  Gilze-Rijen 07-09-2016, RWY10

  • 2xAH64   Q-29, Q-24
  • CH46D     D-665 (with underslung cargo)      
  • CH47F     D-890       
  • AS532     S-454

 

  • AT-10    Alpha Jet     11sm
  • AT-30    Alpha Jet     11sm
  • AT-01    Alpha Jet     11sm
  • CE-01    ERJ135
  • ST-40     SF260
  • FA-77     F16A           Tiger c/s         
  • FA-106   F16A             

 

  • 470 / 93-CA       KC135FR       GRV93          
  • 3862 / GAL        SA342M         3RHC             Tiger c/s
  • 1173 / DAR        SA330B          5RHC             desert c/s
  • 082 / YG             EMB121AA   EAT319
  • 118 / 315-YI      TB30               EPAA315
  • 97 / 315-XN       TB30               EPAA315
  • E83 / 705-TZ     Alpha Jet        EAC314
  • E141 / 705-NF   Alpha Jet        EAC314

 

  • T-426    MFI-17     FLSK
  • T-431    MFI-17     FLSK
  • T-413    MFI-17     FLSK

 

  • 30+81    EF2000           TLG73
  • 82+59    EC135T1        HFWS            dep
  • 82+55    EC135 T1       HFWS            dep
  • 45+77    Tornado          AG51

 

  • J-514        F16A        313sq
  • J-512        F16A        nm
  • J-635        F16A        313sq

 

  • 02       C17A         NATO