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Year Review 2016

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Below you will find an overview of photographs made in 2016.

January

Greek AF ERJ-135BJ	Swiss AF Falcon 900EX-EASy	French AF Falcon 900
Spanish AF Falcon 900	Italian AF A319-112CJ	One of the two RNLAF F-16's.

Several military VIP aircraft visited Schiphol. The first a Greek Air Force ERJ-135BJ on January 13. On the 25th six aircraft could be photographed at the ramp of Schiphol Oost. F-16's at Schiphol? Two visited on January 26. Both took part in the QRA training exercise.

February

RNLAF Chinook supporting RNLA 11 LMB during Frostfire.	Swedish AF TP.102C	Czech AF Yak-40
Finnish AF Learjet (Lj.35A)	Greek AF ERJ-135LR	Italian AF Falcon 900EX
A Polish AF C-295M.	Spanish AF Falcon 900.	Spanish Navy SH-3H Sea King.
Spanish Navy SH-60B Seahawk.	Belgian AF ERJ-145LR	German AF Global 5000
RAF BAe-146	RAF Chinook HC.6

February started with a visited to Zutendaal, Belgium. The military facility is known as one of the U.S. Army pre-positioned stock (APS) sites in Europe. The Belgian base also serves as a reserve airfield. On February 1 it was the located for air assault operations by Royal Netherlands Army 11 Air Mobile Brigade during exercise Frostfire. A day later a Swedish AF Tp.102C (Gulfstream G.1159) visited Schiphol. The same location saw several European military VIP aircraft visiting. Like January some night shot could be made. Visiting were a Czech AF Yak-40, Finnish AF Lj.35, Greek AF ERJ-135LR, Italian AF Falcon 900EX, Polish AF C-295M and Spanish AF Falcon 900. On February 5 a Spanish navy vessel made a port visit. Its two helicopters could be photographed on its deck at the Vlothaven. At Schiphol a Belgian and German Air Force aircraft were present. The next week it was Schiphol again. This time the Royal Air Force visited with a BAe-146 C3 on the 11th. The next day a Chinook HC.6 arrived.

March

French AF CN.235	Royal Jordanian AF Il-76MF.	U.S. Navy C-40.
The Moroccans visited with a C-130H	and a KC-130H.	G550 at Schiphol's Romeo apron.

The first visit in March was made to Schiphol where yet another military aircraft made a visit. This time a French AF CN.235-200. March 8 saw a Royal Jordanian Air Force Il-76MF visiting Eindhoven. It was then time for several visit to Rotterdam-The Hague airport. First for a U.S. Navy C-40A on the 14th. Little over a week later the king of Morocco visited The Netherlands which saw several C-130's visiting as well as a G550 which flew to Schiphol.

April

F-15C assigned to the 131st FS MA ANG	and F-15C assigned to 194th FS CA ANG	Italian KC-767A departing Eindhoven.
PAF photoshoot Volkel	French AF A340	and its little sister the A319, German AF
A BMVg (German AF) Global 5000	HAW C-17A.

The annual Frisian Flag exercise was held in April. For the second year the Air National Guard started its Operation Atlantic Resolve deployment at Leeuwarden. Both the 131st FS, 104th FW Barnes ANGB, MA and 194th FS, 144th FW Fresno ANGB, CA arrived. More photographs of the exercise can be viewed at Frisian Flag 2016. At the same time Eindhoven hosted the EART 2016. Spotting Group Volkel and Volkel air base organized the PAF F-16 photoshoot. A total of 19 F-16's to be sold (Project Afstoting F-16 - Project Divestment F-16) or instructional airframes could be photographed on the ramp known as Safaripark. On April 21, Eindhoven saw several VIP flights arrive. Except the aircraft participating in the European Air Refuelling Training exercise a French AF A340 and German AF A319-133X and Global 5000 visited. A regular visitor, a Heavy Airlift Wing C-17A also arrived. The HAW flies mission for its members with The Netherlands having 500 flight hours annually to support its heavy transport demand.

May

Soesterberg missing man formation	Haarlem NH90 supporting liberation day	F-002/OT first visit at Volkel

May 4 (Remembrance Day) and May 5 (Liberation day) meant a visit to the annual RNLAF missing man formation over former Soesterberg Air Base and to Haarlem. Defence Helicopter Command squadrons fly artist to several liberation festivals across the country. It provides an opportunity to photograph either a Cougar assigned to 300 squadron or a NH90-NHF assigned to 860 squadron in another setting. The RNLAF flew its two F-35A Lightning IIs (F-001/OT and F-002/OT) to the Netherlands. Both would fly missions at Leeuwarden and Volkel to measure the aircraft sound compared to the F-16. A report covering the "belevingsvluchten" can be read at F-35 to The Netherlands May and June.

June

Hungarian based USAF C-12C	F-001 with its chase (photo ship) F-16BM J-065	The F-5E involved in the midair collision landed safely at Leeuwarden.
KC-135R, 434th ARW at Eindhoven.

The first day of June saw USE Budapest C-12C visiting Schiphol. Related to the above mentioned "belevingsvluchten"  (see May) the a F-35A flew a mission over The Netherlands visiting several landmarks. Soesterberg was also part of flight and it was nice to see F-001 flying over "de bakermat". The locations where it all began over the Royal Netherlands Air Force but also the base where my aviation photography hobby started. Both Lightning participated in the Luchtmachtdagen 2016 before continuing back home to Edwards AFB, California. At the Luchtmachtdagen the Patrouille Suisse suffered a midair collision resulting in the crash of one F-5E. Its damged colleague was able to land at Leeuwarden. Eindhoven was visited by an Illinois Air Force Reserve Command KC-135R. The tanker assigned to the 72nd ARS "Mash" or 74th ARS "Indy", 434th ARW are operating from Grissom AFB, IL could be photographed at the ramp from the P4 parking garage.

July

German AF CH-53 on final approach	Belgian AF C-130H	Last visit of a BO-105P, German Army
Polish AF PZL-130 Orlik

On July 4 three German Air Force CH-53GA/GS Stallions were operating from De Kooy. Two days later Eindhoven welcomed a Hercules from the Belgian Air Component, 20 Smaldeel. On July 11 Volkel hosted the German Army and Polish Air Force aircraft who returned from their participation at RIAT 2016 held at RAF Fairford. The Messerschmitt-Bölkow-Blohm BO-105P made its last visit as the type was withdrawn from service. Polish Team Orlik (PZL-130) displays at several air shows and was on its way to their home base at Radom.

August

C-17A assigned to 437 AW.	Orange Pride with its QRA F-16 escort.	Italian AF flying a local mission at Volkel

Schiphol was visited by a C-17A Globemaster III assigned to the 437th Airlift Wing, Charleston AFB, South Carolina on August 9. The airport saw the Dutch Olympic team return on the 23rd. The KLM Boeing 767 "Orange Pride" was escorted by two RNLAF QRA F-16's and landed on runway 27. On the last day of the month Italian Eurofighters assigned to 4° Stormo flew local missions with the based F-16's.

September

A French AF C-135FR on final approach runway 10 during the Gilze-Rijen spotters day event.	Royal Canadian Air Force CC-150 Polaris.	Overshoot by the special Transall before its final landing.
The Portuguese stretched Hercules.	Para drop by a RNLAF Hercules, Houtdorperveld.	French Army PC-6 at Rotterdam.

Gilze-Rijen air base was home to a spotters day organized by the Defence Helicopter Command and GRAS (Gilze-Rijen Aviation Society) on September 7. An invasion of aircraft at Eindhoven on the 12th. It marked the final flight of German Air Force Transall 50+95. The aircraft assigned to LTG 63 based at Hohn had received a special color scheme. The C-160D is now preserved on base in front of the European Air Transport Command (EATC) building. The Royal Canadian Air Force visited with a CC-150 and their colleagues from Portugal with a C-130H.30 which has also received special markings. Eindhoven welcomed the participant for exercise Falcon Leap. The Houtdorperveld and Ginkelse heide served as landing zones for the paratroopers jumping with the automatic opening parachutes. More photographs of the exercise can be viewed at Falcon Leap 2016. Italian Tornadoes assigned to 6° Stormo operated from Volkel on the 19th and Schiphol welcomed a French Xingu on the 26th. A day later a rarely seen French Army PC-6 visited Rotterdam-The Hague airport.

October

German Army NH90-TTH at Gilze-Rijen.	RAF BAe-146 at Schiphol Oost.	A Greek AF F-16C arrives at Volkel
as well as an Italian AF Tornado.	RAF Lakenheath 48th FW Strike Eagle.

On October 6 two German Army NH90-TTHs visited Gilze-Rijen Air Base. Schiphol was visited by a French EMB-121AN on the 8th. A few days later, on October 13th, the airport handled a Royal Air Force BAE-146. Exercise Cold Igloo took place at Volkel Air Base. Except the resident F-16's the Greek Air Force (F-16C/D) Italian Air Force (Tornado) and United Sates Air Forces Europe (F-15E) took part in the exercise.

November

A RAAF C-17A parked on apron Romeo, Schiphol	A Chinook assigned to 298 squadron over de Ginkelse heide	And another Chinook working at the Ginkelse heide.

On November 2 a Royal Australian Air Force C-17A visited Schiphol. It was parked at the Romeo apron. During the last days of the month (29 and 30) 298 squadron was active at the Ginkelse heide. The location is frequently used by Defence Helicopter Command squadrons. Either training by themselves or with their Royal Netherlands Army colleagues from 11 Luchtmobiele Brigade. The later preparing the sling loads to be picked up and dropped by the transport helicopters.

December

Unfortunately, no photos of aircraft in the last month of 2016.