On 23 and 24 January 2019 the Defence Helicopter Command (DHC) of the Royal Netherlands Airforce, the 11 Air Mobility Brigade (AMB) of the Royal Netherlands Army and the German Army practised the so-called rigging and flying of loads under helicopters. The 11 AMB and DHC are together integrated in the 11 Air Manoeuvre Brigade, which itself is incorporated within the German Division Schnelle Kräfte.
Last autumn a large scale integrated exercise Falcon Autumn took place in the Netherlands, see our the item on our website about Falcon Autumn 2018.
The 2019 exercise was meant to further integrate the German and Dutch helicopters and to finish the training of Rigger Marshall course for the 11th Supply Company. A landing zone was created at the heath near the city of Ede. The loads were picked up from Deelen airbase nearby.
The Germans participated with two NH-90TTH helicopters from THR 10 Faßberg and THR 30 Niederstetten, operating from Gilze-Rijen airbase together with the Dutch helos. On the first day three CH-47 Chinooks, two AS-532U2 Cougar and two NH-90 TTH helicopters participated picking up their loads in three rounds both in the afternoon and at night. On the second day one German helicopter had technical problems and could not particpate. Again three loads were flown in the afternoon from Deelen airbase to the landing zone at the Edese heath and back at night.
The weather conditions provided the participants with extra challenges as it had snowed the days previous to the exercise. |It offered the helicopters the opportunity to fly whiteout landings creating a white scenery for the riggers and spectators.
A rare cargo load was the large forklift truck, weighing 8750 kilograms, requiring special permission from the HQ to be airlifted.
The next combined Dutch German exercise will be held in Germany coming May.
The team of Northern Skies Aviation would like to thank the 11 AMB for their hospitality!