For purely political reasons, some are denying the progress and technological evolution in aviation at Brussels-National, namely the use of GPS systems to guide aircraft to runways.
The latest quarrel between Minister Galant and Chairman Ledoux of SPF Mobilité concerns flight operations in EASTERN winds, and the use of a GPS-guided landing procedure on runway 07 left when arriving via Dilbeek to the training site at Schaerbeek station.
For philosophical reasons, namely that Laurent Ledoux is opposed to any overflight of Brussels, he and the FPS Mobility are not only jeopardizing the airport’s economic future, they are also putting all local residents overflown by runway 01 in real danger.
Indeed, the lack of improved approach procedures on the 07L greatly reduces the safety of flight operations, which is no longer fully guaranteed at Brussels-National.
Because if the wind is from the EAST, and there is no GPS procedure on runway 07L, we prefer to use the NORTH-facing runway 01, against all basic safety rules, and have the aircraft operate on this runway with a strong LATERAL wind (CROSSWIND), i.e. an extremely dangerous procedure in the final phase of the approach to runway 01.
Local residents from Waterloo, via La Hulpe, Groenendaal, Watermael, Auderghem, Woluwe, Kraainem, Wezembeek and Sterrebeek are overflown by planes flying dangerously overhead in crosswinds, forcing the pilot to constantly try to straighten the plane along the NORTH axis of the runway, throttling back and running the engines at low altitude over densely populated areas built before the airport existed.
To guarantee optimum air safety, all runways at Brussels Airport must be equipped in the same way, and it must be wind and weather alone, NOT POLITICAL POWER, that decides on runway use.
See the article“Jacqueline Galant sur le point de valider une nouvelle trajectoire aérienne au-dessus de Bruxelles” published in Le Vif / L’Express on Friday March 18, 2016.
See also Belgocontrol’s press release of Thursday, March 17, 2016 on satellite-guided landings at Brussels Airport.