This website went ‘live’ 2017-01-25 and was last updated on 2022-08-28
Please keep checking the website and the Facebook page for any updates.
Thank you!
Ben Ullings
Happy to be back at Schaffen-Diest (EBDT)
After missing the 2019 edition and then Covid and aftermath blocking the event the following two years, it was a delight to be back at EBDT for the annual fly-in.
Some 150 aircraft were present on Saturday August 13th and more were visiting the next day. It was dusty on the airfield and hot, very hot!
Thanks to the fly-in organizers, it was possible again to fly a couple of air-to-air sessions with some very interesting participants.
The Reni-Aviation CASA212 N620AR is regularly used as a parachuting platform by the Belgian Military and thus was a little ‘at home’ at the Schaffen-Diest military para center. Quite a unique aircraft. Its pilots (with the help of a bit of flaps) managing well to keep up with the Cessna 172 camera plane.
Visiting from Luxembourg was a beautiful Cessna O-1 Birddog in Canadian Army livery. A very welcome addition to my portfolio.
The Romanian built IAR823 (F-AZLQ) that is based in Belgium was on my ‘wish-list’ already for some time. It was great to have it accompany Robert van Diemen and myself for a while on our way back to Teuge early evening.
Colombian Fokker F-28 Fellowship (2022-08-03)
Since its arrival at Woensdrecht in December I worked towards arranging a meeting in the air with FAC1041. Most likely the last chance ever to portray an F-28 in Dutch Skies.
It became a process with lots of challenges and even the evening before the planned flight, it seriously looked like a 'no go'. However the plan ultimately did get together when Texan PH-TXN moved in alongside the 1980 built Fellowship. A beautiful "aging Lady", as it was described bij Fokker Techniek performing the major overhaul.
So grateful to all who assisted in this unique session!
Finally catching up!!!!
Fortunately the frequency of my air-to-air sessions is on the rise again and there are quite some interesting projects ‘on the horizon’.
The "Recent Encounters" gallery was renewed with photography gathered in the second half of 2021 and with material produced so far this year.
Flying in a Spanish Air Force Airbus a400M in October during exercise Ocean Sky was an exiting experience. Unfortunately the front row positions were taken by other photographers, limiting the possibilities to take pictures out of the rear, holding the camera high (with seatbelts fastened). But still a great sight!
Being able to portray Spitfire G-AVAV on its arrival in Dutch skies was a delight, as was the unique chance to catch a Royal Netherlands Air Force Historic Flight three-ship formation end October.
Two Diamond DA50RG aircraft could meanwhile be added to the portfolio. An interesting type!
On March 30th I flew alongside Dakota PH-PBA capturing the former royal aircraft against a royal background. However, release of the material is waiting for the completion of a book on the 40th anniversary of the DDA Classic Wings organization.
My most exiting photography moment of 2022 so far was not in the air but on the ground, witnessing the first flight of Fokker D21 PH-XXI from Hoogeveen in the evening of May 23rd. The wait is now for test flights to be completed and wheel fairings fitted before I will be able to meet up with this spectacular machine in the air.
And furthermore, in June there were two maritime encounters in the air with airplanes, each performing fascinating missions.