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2011 |
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This years grandfathership of the 2011 edition of the Tail wheel meet is assumed by a whole team of people who are involved in keeping our aviation heritage very much alive and kicking:
369 Sqn - the Belgian Vintage Aircraft Association
This association not only intends to unite owners of vintage aircraft to display their collection on the ground as well as in the air at venues at home and abroad. It aims to inspire young and old and wants to enable them to discover the developments in Belgian Aviation History within a technical, social, cultural and historic context. Consequently, our motto is "You don't have to own one, you don't have to be able to fly one, you just have to love them ! "
Of course, preserving the aircraft in flying condition is paramount in the activities of the organization, but an active social life is as well. Therefore, during the year, the association will organize several events so as to cater to every members' needs.
The association was started by 5 seasoned pilots (professional and leisure) and vintage aircraft enthusiasts. Meet them (and some other members) at the Tail Wheel Meet on 6 & 7 August at EBGG:
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2010 |
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 This year's Tailwheel Meet is an anniversary edition.
For many years, even before we baptized this event the Tailwheel Meet, Jan Voeten (1953) and his friends were present at our annual gatherings at Overboelare airfield. That is why we asked Jan to assume this year's grandfathership and fortunately he accepted.
Jan grew up next to Seppe airfield (The Netherlands) and as a youngster he was already fascinated in the Tiger Moths flying by towing publicity banners. At the age of 17 he became a member of the Seppe Flying club. In his early days he tried to earn a ride in a plane by helping out in the clubhouse, washing planes and so on. This is how his flying career started.
7 hours and 25 minutes after his first flying lesson he made his first solo flight and somewhere in 1977 he earned his PPL-I license. Some years after making frequently use of his precious license, he started to get interested in historical aviation. In 1989 he bought a Tipsy Nipper (OO-EFA) and on the 20th of March 1990 he started the Flying Museum Seppe together with 2 of his flying-friends.
Because "tail dragging" is part of historical aviation they immediately bought the PH-VCY, the only airworthy Piper Cub available in Holland at that time. This purchase was soon followed by the acquisition of a Tiger Moth (1939) G-AJHS.
The past 20 years, Jan and his friends have spend a lot of time in formation flight training and the aircraft collection was recently expanded with two more Tiger Moths. A new challenge for the future was born: having an own formation team.
In the years to come, the Tiger Formation will represent the Flying Museum Seppe at national and international fly-ins, air shows etc. Two weeks after our Tailwheel Meet, the Flying Museum Seppe will celebrate its 20th anniversary.
Our flying friends from Seppe will participate at the Tailwheel Meet to celebrate, together with all other tail dragging fanatics, the 5th anniversary of this event.
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2009 |
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This year's edition of the Tailwheel Meet is held under the grandfathership of Guy Valvekens.
 
Some of Guy's history...
It was back in 1977 that he first started thinking of buying a Stampe and consequently fell in love with taildraggers. Guy bought a ‘project’ which was finally finished in 1985 after hard labour and quite some sweat, blood and tears. Since then, a lot of tailwheel flying has been part of his flying career.
Besides all that, Guy is the founder and onmi-present host of the well-known Schaffen-Diest Fly-in. An event that can be considered as one of Europe’s major light aviation events. During the 1997-edition, 449 aeroplanes visited the event, a record that still stands today.
This year, the 26th edition of the International Oldtimer fly-in will take place from August 15th till 16th 2009. Once again hundreds of beautiful aircraft are expected to attend this event which has a very strong tradition for more then 25 years now. |
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2008 |
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The grandfathership for the 3th edition of our Tailwheel Meet was assumed by ERIC VORMEZEELE.
 
In his early years, Eric decided to start a military career, mainly determined by the things he withnessed as a child during the 2nd WW. During his studies at the military school, he learned to fly at his own expenses at the airfield Grimbergen. It was only later that he became a pilot at the Army (Light aviation). Here grew his love for taildraggers due to the fact he had to fly these aircraft in very demanding circumstances.
After a while he converted to helicopters and became the leader of the famous "Blue Bees" helicopter demo-team.
With a well-filled career behind him, Eric retired as a Colonel from the army but could not refrain from flying. For many years he continued to use his flying-skills to fly over the African jungle for 'Doctors without borders'. Meanwhile he developped his personal collection of (airworthy) vintage aircraft and warbirds.
Eric has been very active at the European airshow-scene and acted now and then in some flying movies. Nowadays he can be spotted with his beautifully restored FIAT. His sons are also bitten by the same aviation bugg and one of them is performing displays with a magnificent P-51 Mustang called 'old crow'.
The spirit of preservation of our aviation herritage is pretty well garanteed! |
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