A day after an audience with Pope Francis in Vatican City, United States President Donald Trump will fly to Brussels to join a NATO summit (Meeting of the North Atlantic Council at the level of Heads of State and/or Government). The event will include an inauguration of NATO’s new headquarters with a military air parade.
United States President Trump is expected to land at Brussels Airport (or Melsbroek Airport) on Wednesday 24 May between 15:45 and 16:00. Both Air Force 1 and 2 are expected to land on runway 25R.
On the 24th, in the afternoon (about 17:30), a general rehearsal will happen of the flypast. This rehearsal (and the actual flypast the day after for the inauguration of the new NATO building) will include a number of different aircraft, including a Eurofighter, several Gripen, a Rafale. To finish off the parade, an AWACS in a special NATO livery will fly by in close(-ish) formation with Dutch F-16s. A total of 5 F16’s and 6 A-jet will complete the airshow.
This “Marine One” from the HMX-1 squadron was flying above Brussels today at 16:30. It arrived with a C-17 Globemaster III registered 21099 earlier this morning (exemplary picture below).
On Monday 22 May 3 C-17 Globemaster III arrived at Brussels Airport, registered: 08-8203 RCH295, 03-3120 RCH294 and 04-4137 RCH293
NATO summit Brussels: advisory to passengers travelling on 24 and 25 May
On 25 May, a NATO summit is held in Brussels. In Brussels, as well as at Brussels Airport, special security measures will be in place on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 May.
These may cause delays at certain moments and involve traffic diversions on the roads around the airport, especially for traffic coming in from Brussels. So please make sure you check the traffic updates, leave well in time for the airport or take the train, especially if you are coming in from/travelling to Brussels. The car parks at the airport will be open and accessible.
Real-time traffic info: www.verkeerscentrum.be (Dutch) or www.inforoutes.be (French).
We are making every effort to limit the impact on air traffic and the airport but we cannot rule out minor delays as the local airspace will be briefly closed for the arrival of the American president and for the inauguration flyover to celebrate the official opening of the new NATO headquarters.
President Trump will leave immediately after the summit in the evening of 25 May (20:00 LT) to attend a G7 summit in Taormina, Sicily. The closest airport is Catania, the probable next destination of Air Force One
Forum discussion: http://www.luchtzak.be/forums/viewtopic.php?f=21&t=61197
Note: This article will be updated if we have more information. Last update 24 May 2017 12:52, all times UTC +2 (local time in Belgium)
Last Air Force One visit to Belgium was 3 years ago (4-5 June 2014) where President Obama joined a G7 summit.
Example of a Boeing C-17 Globemaster III
Let’s wait for updated infos.
Thanks in advance
Willy