Location: BRU/EBBR

Photo: collection Skystef

Description: this factory fresh Embraer Xingu was on February 5 1981 registered to the Belgian State, department Ministry of Communications, for Ecole d’Aviation Civile / Burgerlijke Luchtvaartschool (founded in May 1952) but operated by Sabena and based at Brussels Airport. It arrived in the first week of February as "PT-MBF" being the second airframe after having some technical issues (while OO-SXB arrived earlier at the end of January) during a ten day ferry flight from São José dos Campos Airport. Here it's seen after it came in the Belgian register in a white Sabena livery with small "EAC-BLS" titles above the cheatline and "Aeronautique Civile" titles in the tail.

Location: BRU/EBBR

Photo: collection Skystef

Description: view of the cockpit. After the Belgian State ended its financial support on December 31 1989, Sabena was on January 12 1990 authorized to continue these kind of operations by creating a few weeks later on January 26 a 100% subsidiary of Sabena called the Belgian Aviation School (B.A.S.), based at Grimbergen airfield. But this airframe operated from Brussels Airport, officially being transferred to B.A.S. on January 15 1991. On December 18 1992 it migrated to Decoutere Luchtvaartmaatschappij based at Wevelgem airport. Since July 1996 it was at its home base used for spares and in 2003 on loan it was transported to Koninklijke Atheneum TA Heule (Belgium) being used as instructional airframe, currently such still there.