4th Ercoupe Flyin – Antwerpen (EBAW)
15-16 May 2010
by Robert Rombouts, BelgiumFor the 4th year, our Fly-In together with the 20th Stampe Fly-In (SV4 aircrafts), was a success in Antwerp. We thank; the commandant of the Antwerp airport Mr. Wim Verbiest, Mr Karel Bos, Mr. Danny Cabooter president of the Stampe Museum, Mr. Dirk Buytaert president of the Aviation Society of Antwerp (A.S.A.) and all the members volunteers of this society for the wonderful work they did to make this event a real success.
During the two days, we had a fair flying weather in Belgium, but not for all Europe. We had many public visitors, the nice weather, a lot of publicity; newspapers, radio, posters and personal invitations, were part of this success.
For the first time in Europe, 8 Ercoupes joined meeting at Antwerp, a never seen picture of delight, the tarmac was full of Ercoupes. The weather was terrible in Germany, flyable in the UK, fair in Belgium. Each Ercouper steer their lovely bird in this awful conditions to attend Antwerp, they receive all the credit of this never seen before success.
From England, Mike Willis and his friend Brain came one day before on Friday, after trying to find fuel in Kent. Headcorn was out of fuel; Mike was obliged to land at Lydd to feed his G-HARY before reaching Antwerp. This was the first visit of the white-blue Alon in Antwerp, well-done Mike; you did all what was possible to join us, thanks a lot.
On Saturday arrived at first from Sweden, Sven-Eric Pira with his polished and nice SE-BFX, as for the 4th year in a row he received the trophy “Longest Flight”. With more than 11 hours flight, trying to avoid the bad weather in Sweden, Denmark and Germany, he finally arrived save at Antwerp. He didn’t miss one Antwerp Fly-In, the first time it was in 2007, thank you very much Sven-Eric, you are fantastic.
Then a wonderful formation from Germany came in around 14:30, with three Ercoupes from Worms, D-EJOR of Stephan Vatter, D-EOPI of Ronny and Sandra Druck and the last D-ENUC with Heiko Binder and his father.
Two magnificent, identical, silver Ercoupe twins D-EJOR & D-ENUC was the big surprise of the Fly-In, amazing restoration, fantastic Ercoupes and marvellous Ercoupers thank for coming Stephan and Heiko.The oldest European Ercoupe D-EOPI, serial number 541 came for the second time to Antwerp, but now with a new enthusiast owner, Ronny and Sandra Druck welcome to the Ercoupe world, we were all happy to meet you and Sandra. Their flight was not without problems, first the bad weather over Germany, but the skill’s of all three professional pilots made it possible to welcome them in Antwerp with a small delay. A much appreciated thanks to you.
Just after, Sid & Keith landed with the yellow-black Forney G-ARHB, for the second time we welcome the two nice Ercoupers in Antwerp. Your flight was not in perfect weather conditions, but you find Antwerp and we were so happy to meet you again. If we had a price for the best attendants of meetings in the UK, you will deserve it. All our thanks to be present at the Antwerp meeting.
Happy as a fish in the blue sea, we admire the wonderful row of Ercoupes and tough, this is a European “Grand Cru” never seen before in Europe.
Very wrong, late around 18:30 an Ercoupe was landing, N3330H from Schönhagen near Berlin. The all day I was in full desperation, no news from Hartmut and Rainer Beil. But they did it, how, it is an horror story; flying between mountains with a minimum visibility, returning and trying to find a hole in the low clouds, then landing at an unplanned airfield to resume the situation, afterwards trying again and again until they found finally in rather bad conditions a way to Belgium. Luckily, the situation was better in Belgium and reach after so many hours Antwerp.
Sorry Hartmut and Rainer, I didn’t foreseen a price for the “Most Merit” but it will be yours. In addition, the spotless, best mirror polished Ercoupe of Europe, and technically perfectly running motor as a watch, is the N3330H. Congratulation for your plane and coming for the second time to Antwerp in such bad weather conditions. We appreciate also the kind remarks you find on all our birds.For me it was a 45 minutes flight with the OO-PUS form Ostend to Antwerp. I did it on Thursday because I intend to visit first the Chipmeet at Zoersel airfield. Due to the lousy weather the last 15 minutes, I decided to land immediately at Antwerp and abort the Zoersel visit.
In order of arrival at Antwerp:
OO-PUS with Robert Rombouts (Ostend)
G-HARY with Mike Willis and Brain (Bourn UK)
SE-BFX with Sven-Eric Pira (Sweden)
D-EJOR with Stephan Vatter (Worms Germany). Imported from the USA in 1947 in Antwerp.
D-EOPI with Ronny and Sandra Druck (Worms Germany)
D-ENUC with Heiko and his father (Reichelsheim Germany). Imported at Antwerp in 1947.
G-AHRB with Keith and Sid (Earls Clones UK)
N3330H with Hartmut and Rainer (Schönhagen Germany)
Because Heiko had to work on Sunday he flew back the same day to Reichelsheim, he had a problem with the fuel pump and could only fly for one hour. Luckily he arrived save and well at his home base.
More Ercoupers came, Hilde van Haarlem who bought the G-COUP and restoring it now, joined us to take a lot of pictures and information in order to make the most original Ercoupe.
Rob Maatman, owner of the PH-NCE flew in with a beautiful restored red Stinson and hope to join us next year with his restored Coupe. This mean two more for the next year.We missed Jean Flacelière, he intended to come and send me a message two days before the fly-in that it was impossible to attend. We hope to see him on an next meeting.
In the evening we had our BBQ together with the SV4 pilots, instead to have a friendly talk together, it was more a loud shouting, our table was just before a huge loudspeaker, next year we improve it. But the trophies were given to all the courageous Ercoupe pilots who participate this Fly-In, it’s YOU who made this success, thank you to all; Mike – Brain - Sven-Eric – Stephan – Ronny – Heiko – Sid – Keith – Hartmut – Rainer.
Surprise came from Mike, who gave me a reward for the “Best not flying excuses during 2009-2010”, thanks Mike, a very good remember for a bad flying year.After a silent and peaceful night, the return home had to be prepared. The weather checked, the flightplan filled the planes full with fuel, and one by one all the Coupes left Antwerp for home. The final lap of a too short visit, but we had that wonderful friendly Ercoupe feeling, belonging together with a marvellous modern plane designed by a genius “Fred Weick”.
Now we had an opposite weather situation; for the UK pilots, Belgium was fair with a nice head wind, but flying direction Germany, they break all speed records in good flying conditions. Hartmut & Rainer arrived in Schönhagen after a little more than 3hrs, normally it is 5hrs flying. Mike & Brain and Keith & Sid had pour visibility and rain in the UK. Sven-Eric was the same day already in Sweden but need some more hours to fly home.
Very dear friends, this Antwerp Fly-In was a real smashing one, next year the Fly-In will be renamed to the “ERCOUPE & SV4 Fly-In” instead of the opposite.
I cannot repeat enough, THANK YOU to all of you who made this meeting a wonderful “GRAND CRU”. Next year we will do the same, and the weather will be much better, promise.
Regards, Robert
