Serge "tweety" VAN HEERTUM

Serge was born in 1961. After mechanics-school, his professional carreer passed on from nuclear powerplants to the aviation world with about 15 years at Sabena. He spent 5 years as a specialised mechanic on Boeing 737 and then stepped over to 'Loadcontrol' (the famous Red Caps) for another 10 years.
Due to the bankruptcy of the national airline company, his carreer was directed towards telecommunications.
For more than 18 years now, he's writing and reporting as a freelance journalist for various magazines and other internet sites.

He creates the SBAP site in 2004.

His aim is to share the passion and the joy the world of aviation brings to us.
Accredited journalist from AJPBE
(Association des Journalistes Périodiques Belges et Etrangers).

Serge is the responsible editor and web master of SBAP.

Luc was born in 1975. At the end of his studies he got a university degree in history at Université Catholique de Louvain (UCL) and his study work was axed on the Avro Canada CF-100 in use in Belgium.
Since 1999 he his responsible for the departement history and actuality in a bookshop in Brussels (Librairie Tropismes).
Luc is also responsible for the computerised system of the bookshop.
He already published :
"Inventaire sommaire des archives de la Revue nouvelle (1945-1983)" as collaborator and  "Les chutes d'avions et d'aviateurs alliés en Brabant Wallon 1941-1945". Aviation is his passion for quite some years and picturising  planes a must.
Luc is not a just a spotter but a photographer trying to underline the artistic side of an aircraft picture.
Luc started  his collaboration with SBAP in 2009.

Bruno “Geebee” Ghils

Bruno was born in the early 1960’s. After humanities arts and design graduate, he moved-on as independent graphic-designer. During his military service he was engaged at SID department (Information department of the Belgian Defense, currently IPR) as graphic artist. Afterwards he was hired as teacher at “institute Saint Luc” at Tournai. His teaching domain is also graphics, composition and design. Bruno is interested by aviation since a long time, since the golden years of the “one-O-four”. This passion gives him many travel occasions and along the years Bruno became a great fan of the British airshows. He never misses a Flying Legend or a RIAT airshow. He is also an air museum freak and likes to find out wrecks and relics. His favorite aircraft is the Mac Donnell F-4 Phantom with its special design and heavy black smoke. Thanks to his formation, Bruno participates to different aircraft painting projects like the Belgian F-16 display 2012 (FA84) as co-designer. He is also the designer of the patches and logo of the team. Some other projects are on the way, not only for the Belgian Air Force, but this is still “top secret” for the moment…to be followed on SBAP pages.

Laurent was born in 1968. After working for 15 years as a physiotherapist in an intensive care unit, he is currently working as technical manager of a sleep laboratory in a hospital in Brussels.
 His father having been part of the Belgian Air Force (Meteorological Wing) during the cold war period. He had the opportunity to fly regularly as a technical staff member of different kinds of aircrafts.
In the 70s, his father obtained his private pilot license. In this period Laurent was able to enter in the particular world of aviation in the Royal Flying Club Meuse based at Temploux (Namur).
To work with SBAP, allows him to retrieve  his fascination in the aviation world and share it with his son.

Eddy was born in 1966 in Leuven, after his studies marketing he had different employers but routed his career to telecom first as salesman now as technician of a telecom operator and direct colleague of Serge Van Heertum.

He combines his passion for photography in general with picturing planes. 
He often visits Eastern Europe and in particular Belarus and puts a focus
on the aviation of the former Soviet Union. 
He regularly posts articles for SBAP since 2010
and takes lead as corrector of the published articles.

Régis was born in 1979 in Nice (FRA). After reading chemistry at University he turned to Graphic Design and graduated at the top of his class (Institut Saint Luc, Brussels) in 2004. Now living in Nice again he works as graphic designer and art director for the luxury goods and services industry. Even as a child, Régis was an aviation buff, demanding his parents take him to the few airshows organized on the French Riviera. In 2008,wishing to associate his job and his passion, he pontaneously sent a project depicting his vision of a Mirage 2000 in “Tiger” livery to the Escadron de Chasse 1/12 “Cambrésis”. Two years later, he became the designer of the “Tiger” Mirage 2000 for the 2010 Volkel Tiger Meet. He then designed the “Tiger” J3 Piper Cub belonging to the L.Blériot aeroclub that opened the 2011 Cambrai airshow in front of 70,000 spectators.  In 2012, Régis' collaboration with the Cambrésis Escadron took off again! For the 60th anniversary commemorations and the dissolution of EC 1/12 he designed the complete livery of a Mirage 2000 as well as that of two tails: that of a Mirage 2000 and that of a Rafale (Escadron de Chasse 1/7 “Provence”) for the transfer of SPA 162 Tigre to this unit. As for civil aircraft he designed a new livery for the Cambrai Aeroclub Piper J3, corresponding to these events. In recognition of the excellence of his work, Régis was made Honorary Member of the Escadron de Chasse 1/12 “Cambrésis” and was awarded the unit's official badge by the unit's Commanding Officer at an official ceremony.As a consequence of his artistic training, photography is for him an exercise in the field of “aesthetics”, he is active as a fashion and theatre photographer. Following a number of encounters and opportunities, he has now become a photographer for various airshows, to his greatest delight! He has been working with us since 2011.

Alexander was born in 1976 in Brugge and studied Geology at Ghent University. He still works at the university as hydrogeologists specialized in the simulation of groundwater flow and solute transport. Fascination with aviation was most probably triggered by the comics books of Buck Danny, Tanguy et Laverdure and Dan Cooper. His main interest is in historic aviation(WWII ETO, Middle East, Vietnam, Cold War), Soviet/Russian aviation and evidently current and historic aviation of the Belgian Air Force. Visiting air shows and museums and aviation photography  is not surprisingly a favorite pastime. Alexander his interest in airplane illustration probably also started with the mentioned comic books. Over the years, attention shifted to profile illustrations. This is a particular art, whereby a technical subject is presented stripped of any scenery or back ground. His aim is therefore to combine a technically sound drawing with an attractive look. As much fun as the drawing process itself is the research for appropriate reference material. He illustrated one book (“De snelste mens ter wereld” by Bart Van Damme) and his work also appears in Contact, periodical of the Belgian Aviation History Association.

Guy was born in 1941. Parallel with his studies, he acquired his degree in flying glider planes with the Belgian Air Cadets and afterwards in Saint-Hubert. In 1962, Guy is accepted at the Belgian Civil Aviation School and as soon as he had his licence he started his career in Libya on a Sabena DC-3 leased to Linair. Back in Belgium he became second pilot on European network connections. Some years later, Guy is affected on the international long haul network. In 1980, he is promoted board commander on Boeing B-737. Some month later Flight Instructor and in 1988 he became Senior Chief Pilot for European network. After a full career with Sabena, Guy made his last flight on July 31th, 1998. During 42 years as a pilot and more than 20.000 flight hours, Guy piloted the “Tiger Moth”, Cessna 310, “Caravelle” Boeing B-707 and Boeing B-737. His leitmotiv : "If it's not Boeing, I"m not flying !"
Now in retirement, his passion for aviation is still present and during his travels around the world, Guy make pictures and ensures a collaboration with us since the beginning of SBAP.

Danny Carels was born in 1974.He is accountant from education, and done this for more than 12 years  (of which 7 in his current company) while since 4 years, is working as a HR Manager for the biggest tire manufacturer in the world, Bridgestone. His passion for aircraft and aviation began with scale modeling of aircraft at the age of 8, getting really hooked when seeing his favorite movie “Top Gun”. His first airshow was the airshow of Koksijde in 1991 with a very small camera. It was at the Koksijde Airshow many years later that he got to know the Sabena Modeling Club of which his friend Serge was one of the founders. His biggest interest goes to the war birds and therefore he is a regular visitor of the airshows at Duxford, Cambs in the UK and La Ferté-Alais in France.  He really enjoys the view and mostly sound of those Spitfires, Hurricanes and Mustangs. His dream is to visit the many air force bases in the US and certainly Oshkosh. Danny is a member of the periodic press and also a member/editor of Silver Wing Magazine together with another good friend and Chief editor Eddy Minnen. He currently have a picture database on the web and hoping to expand it with more text and other features: www.tomcatter.zenfolio.com

Serge was born in 1966. After electronics studies, he start working in the main electronic payment company of Belgium and is now working in the telecom world. When he was a little boy, his parents had a friend working as board commandant on a Sabena Boeing 747. It was the first contact with airplanes world…Since year 80’s, he is passionate with all around airplanes and space exploration. He started photos activities on military airshows in Chièvres and Koksijde. In his first professional activity, he starts to spot with one of his colleague along the Zaventem airfield during lunch time and in the week end. He is now colleague with Serge Van Heertum and discovered new photographic techniques to take the best possible shots…

Diederik was born in 1973. After first being scared of everything that flies as a very little boy he recalls his first fascination in aviation around the age of 5. Living near the E-40 in Aalter during summer weekends observation exercises were executed in the Alouette II by the Rijkswacht flying regularly over his parent house. He entered the jest fascination at the age of 8 when two Starfighters made a low pass over his school and after seeing his first f-16 solo display at Ursel in 1986 he knew for sure he would become Pilot. Together with his grandfather he went in 1989 to the airshow in Koksijde where he talked to Cdt. Adrieanssens about becoming a pilot. So he discovered the Belgian Air cadets and joined them for 3 years making a dream come true being pilot. On one occasion in his third year by the cadets he had the opportunity to fly with the SK60 Jet Trainer in Sweden. After this, the flying “career” ended and the main goal becoming a military pilot was not achieved. Passion never ends so he visited airshows regularly together with his friends and of course his son Alexander.

Anthony was born in 1988 in Liège area. After his studies, he got a job in the chemical industry. This is far away of his loved aircraft, but he is still looking for aeronautical opportunities. His first airshow was at Zoersel in 1992, this four year old boy was immediately kept by the aircraft virus...He starts the aeronautical photography in 2005 and his major hobby are the Belgian and other countries airshow trying to take pictures of the most "exotic" air forces. Sadly his current job is not in the aeronautical world, but he already made some amazing flight experience like a Fouga flight with the well-known Jack Krine as pilot. As Anthony said, this was an unforgettable moment in his life. His favourite aircraft is the MIG 29 "Fulcrum" and he has a real passion for this kind of combat fighter.

Marc was born in 1961. This police officer has always been interested in aviation in general and more particularly in the Belgian Air Force. Although he could not fulfill his dream to become a fighter pilot, he did get his pilot licence (non-IFR) and totalizes 652 flight hours on different aircraft types.
Becoming acquainted with the Belgian Air Force Alpha Jet display pilots, Danny Payeur and Pat Deschrijver, he fell in love with this aircraft. As he did not find any thorough publication on the subject, he elected to do some research wich led to his book "20 years of Alpha Jet in the Belgian Air Force".
He is now in his fifth year as a freelance aviation reporter/photographer.
Accredited journalist from AJPBE
(Association des Journalistes Périodiques Belges et Etrangers).

 

Danielle was born in 1961 and went to primary school in Africa (Zaïre). After accounting and linguistic studies in Brussels Danielle started her own translation company. She stopped this activity after 20 years of career. Danielle entered the fascinating aviation world thru her husband Serge. Not really interested in the aviation like the other collaborators, she started the administration aspect of SBAP and makes the follow up of the mails, the shipping and all other administrative task.
Danielle is also the administrator/moderator of our Facebook page

“Vodka” is responsible for the QRA (quick Reaction Alert) in the garden.
Every intruder is quickly controlled and fought out, especially the cats...

"Tippex" is specialised in the laser pursuit and his job consist in the destruction of the toys entering SBAP building.