BELGIUM RETIRES SEA KING SAR HELICOPTER

The last flight is planned for March 2019.

Belgium retires Sea King helicopter
Belgium retires Sea King Mk48.

Five Westland-built Sea King Mk48 helicopters were delivered to the then Belgian Air Force in November 1976. Today, three of these venerable Rolls-Royce Gnome-engined helicopters remain in Belgian Air Component service, operated as they have always been by 40 Squadron at Koksijde on the North Sea coast. Their primary role is search and rescue. 

The type is being replaced by the new NHIndustries NH90. The fleet has notched up somewhere in the region of 60,000 flying hours over the course of four decades, and even more impressively given the demanding nature of rescue helicopter operations has suffered no airframe losses in that time. 

According to Koksijde AB social page, the Sea King will fly its last mission in March 2019. Aviation enthusiasts can greet the helicopter during the farewell tour that will start at Ursel Avia 2018, Jun 30 - Jul 1.


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