Note: I was the person in charge from 2018 till 2022 to keep the contact list and the website up to date and to organise the yearly gathering in Koksijde. I decided to retire from this task at the end of 2022, so now, we are awaiting a candidate to take over that task. Candidates, please contact Philip.

Membership is automatic for all retired Search and Rescue air crews having flown Sikorsky, Alouette III, Sea King or NH-90 NFH from Koksijde Air Base. Included are pilots, navigators, SARSO's, flight engineers, rescue divers and medics. Also included are all retired Belgian Navy air crew who have only flown Alouette III, as we consider them also SAR air crews for helping the Belgian Air Force whenever the Sea King was unserviceable ;-)

Normally, every retired SAR air crew receives an invitation to the yearly meet. To date, the database contains 149 names, however I know for sure it is not complete. Some names are missing, some home addresses are missing and a lot of email addresses are missing. Please help me to complete the database! Particularly, if you have previously not received any invitation by email, please contact me (Philip Avonds) with your email address or let me know if you don't have one!

If you happen to qualify as a SAR air crew member as described above and you have not received any invitation for the yearly meet, please contact me (Philip Avonds) in order to be added to the list. I need the following info: full name, address, email and the extra  info now requested to all members below.

Also, if you happen to know colleagues who have not received an invitation, please pass on the info to them!

It would be nice if we could expand our database with more info from our members. I'm thinking of info like your function (pilot, navigator, SARSO, flight engineer, rescue diver or medic), the types of aircraft you have flown, the number of hours and the time frame on each aircraft, the date when you started your air crew career and the date of retirement etc. Also nice would be a photograph of yourself. If concerned about privacy, see the statement below and do not hesitate to let me know if anything may be worrying you.

Members info will be displayed on this page.

I would also like to invite you to contribute to the website with suggestions, photographs, stories etc. You can send all this to me.

Board members: Eddy De Landtsheer and Marc Gyssels.

e-mail: info@avonds.com

Up to date: April 8th, 2023

Website sponsored by Philip Avonds Scale Jets