Groningen Airport Eelde is situated in the Netherlands, Southeast of Groningen near the village Eelde in the municipal Tynaarlo. The airport is owned and operated by the limited liability company "Groningen Airport Eelde NV". The airport has two concrete runways: 05-23 with a length of 1800 meters and 01-19 with a length of 1500 meters. The co-ordinates of the airport are N 53° 07' 10.99", E 0.06° 34' 46.00". The tower frequencies of Groningen Airport Eelde are 118,7 MHz and 119.7Mhz (approach).

The history of Groningen Airport Eelde goes back to 1930 when the council of the municipal Eelde decided to create an airfield of 11¼ hectare at the Hakenkampsveld. On 23 May 1931, the airfield was officially opened. To increase the size and facilities of the airfield in 1933, the foundation of the limited liability company "N.V. Luchtvaartterrein voor Noord-Nederland" was established in the nearby City of Groningen. This resulted in the grow of the airfield to 40 hectare. During World War II, the airfield was used by the Luftwaffe and renamed to Fliegerhorst Eelde. A number of new buildings appeared and the size of the airfield increased. Fliegerhorst Eelde was however hardly used as an airbase. In 1946, the damaged airfield returned under control of the "NV Luchtvaartterrein voor Noord-Nederland". On 3 October 1951, the Dutch government decided that the RLS has to move out of Gilze-Rijen to Eelde and the airfield was appointed as the alternate airport for Amsterdam-Schiphol. The infrastructure of the airfield got radical improved: instead of the grass runway Eelde got two concrete runways of 1500 meters and 1800 meters; a concrete tarmac and new buildings including a new tower. The Government became shareholder in the new "NV Luchthaven Eelde". On 16 August 1954, the RLS moved to Eelde, and their new location and the improved airport were opened officially on 15 May 1957. In 1988, the Ltd. was renamed in "Groningen Airport Eelde NV". The runway length of 1800 meters is a restriction in the development of the airport. In 1968, there were ideas to increase the runway to 3000 meters. The KLM offered to finance a substantial part of the investment. This idea was never given concrete form to due to the condition of the KLM that they would use Eelde as a training location for their airlines. Since the runway length has been discussed over and over. Finally on 10 January 1986, the decision was made to go for a runway of 2500 meters. The procedures to increase the runway to the length of 2500 meters were started. Due to the resistance of some neighbours the procedures are still running. Due to the continuing delay in the decision on the runway extension, the air cargo carrier RDR Cargo has abandoned its plans to build a hangar at the airport and to move a part of her activities to Groningen Airport Eelde.

bmi regional operates a Monday to Friday service Aberdeen-Groningen-Aberdeen, using an Embraer 135 or 145 Jet. Tickets for this service can be ordered via their website. Eastern Airways operates on Monday and Friday a private service Norwich-Groningen flown with the Jetstream 41. Until 1 July 2008, VLM Airlines operated a service from Groningen to Amsterdam and London City, using a Fokker 50.

The holiday destinations out of Groningen Airport Eelde are: Antalya; Bodrum; Corfu; Dalaman; Faro; Heraklion; Kos; Las Palmas; Malaga; Palma de Mallorca; Rhodos and Tenerife. The holiday-flights in the summer of 2010 are operated by Transavia (737-800) and Sky Airlines (A.321-231). The holiday destinations in the winter 2009/2010 are Las Palmas and Tenerife, operated by Transavia (737-800).

From the terrace of the restaurant at the airport is a good sight on the tarmac and the aeroplanes. A number of companies is established at the Groningen Airport Eelde. Over 50 aircraft are based.

City Star Airlines was founded in 2005 as a subsidiary of Atlandsflug ehf and based at Aberdeen Airport, Scotland. City Star Airlines operated 3 Dornier 328-110 airliners. From 18 September 2006 until the summer of 2007, City Star Airlines flew a Monday, Wednesday and Friday service Stavanger-Groningen vv. The TF-CSB was delivered in September 2005. After the collapse of City Star Airlines on 30 January 2008, Dornier TF-CSB was inpounded at Aberdeen. The registration TF-CSB was cancelled in April 2008. City Star Airlines used IATA code: X9, ICAO code: ISL and callsign: ISLANDIA. Dornier 328 TF-CSB was photographed by Jack Poelstra on 22 September 2006.

bmi regional operates a Monday to Friday service Aberdeen-Groningen vv, using an Embraer ERJ-135 or a ERJ-145 Jet. Tickets for this service can be ordered via their website. The ERJ-135 is a 37-seat development of the ERJ-145 and was flown first on 4 July 1980. One of the EMBRAER Regional Jet aircraft used by bmi regional on the service is the 2001-built ERJ-135ER G-RJXJ, which was photographed by Jack Poelstra on 10 June 2004. The G-RJXJ (ex. PT-SVS) was registered in the UK with British Midland Airways Ltd. on 7 July 2001. The 2001-built ERJ-135ER Regional Jet is operated since with bmi regional.

Eastern Airways operates on Monday and Friday a private service Norwich-Groningen vv flown with the Jetstream 41. Their Jetstream 4102 G-MAJV was photographed by Jack Poelstra on 9 June 2006. The G-MAJV was registered on with Air Kilroe Ltd., trading as Eastern Airways, on 10 April 2006. This 29-seat Jetstream J41 is one of four leased from BAE Systems Regional Aircraft by the fast growing Eastern Airways. Including these four aircraft, Eastern operates 21 Jetstream 41 aircraft, making Eastern Airways the world’s largest fleet operator of the type. In addition, the airline operates four 18-seat Jetstream 32s.

The Cirrus Design SR20 and SR22 aeroplanes for Europe and Africa are delivered out of Duluth, Minnesota in the USA via Eelde. General Enterprises b.v. at Eelde airfield is the agent for Europe and Africa. On 28 June 2004, the TFHS - Trafikflyg Högskollan / Lund University School of Aviation (LUSA) signed an order for delivery of 5 Cirrus SR20g2 aircraft as a replacement for their ageing Scottish Aviation Bulldogs in use for their basic aviation training. On 28 February 2005, the Cirrus SR20s were photographed by Jack Poelstra prior delivery to Sweden.

Israel IAI-1126 Galaxy / Gulfstream G200 YR-TYG of TiriacAir came in at Groningen Airport on 15 February 2006. TiriacAIR was founded in 1998 as part of Tiriac Holdings, named after its owner Ion Tiriac. Its operation base is Otopeni International Airport near Bucharest in Romania. The YR-TIG was built in 1999 as an Israel IAI-1126 Galaxy. It started its services with Ion Tiriac Air as N845GA. After this registration was cancelled on February 2nd 2006 the aircraft was registered in Romania as YR-TIG. On 16 January 2009, the Tiriac Israel IAI-1126 Galaxy YR-TIG was substantial damaged when the aircraft skidded of the runway after it landed at Oradea Airport. The IAI-1126 Galaxy was originally marketed and supported by Galaxy Aerospace Inc. After Galaxy Aerospace was acquired by Gulfstream in 2001, the IAI-1126 Galaxy was renamed Gulfstream G200.

The bulk of the holiday charters out of Groningen is flown by Transavia Airlines. In the summer of 2010 Transavia flies to Las Palmas; Faro; Mallorca; Tenerife; Heraklion; Corfu; Kos; Rhodos; Antalya and Dalaman. It is possible to book the flight as a regular service on a number of these destinations. Transavia operates the Boeing 737-700 and 737-800. During the summer 2007, three Transavia Boeing 737's wear logo jet colours for the Dutch supermarket Jumbo. Boeing 737-8K2 s/n 28248 l/n 1126 flew first on 17 April 2002 and is owned by International Lease Finance Corporation. The Boeing was registered PH-HZX with Transavia Airlines CV as holder on 26 April 2002. Since this the Boeing was sub-leased by Transavia twice to Sun Country Airlines.

Sky Airlines operates the Boeing 737-400, Airbus A.321-231 and Airbus A.320-211 on the holiday charters Groniongen-Antalya. The Turkish charter airliner Sky Airlines (SHY) was established in 2000 as an affiliate of the KayiGroup, located in Antalya. In 2009, Sky Airlines operates six Boeing 737-400, one Boeing 737-800, two Airbus A.320-211 and two Airbus A.321-231 airliners. Airbus A.320-211 c/n 148 was test flown as F-WWDO on 30 November 1990. On 14 February 1991, the aircraft was delivered as JA8383 to All Nippon Airways in Japan. In March 2008, the aircraft was withdrawn from use with ANA and the Airbus was registered N148LC in the US. After the Airbus was delivered to Sky Airlines registration N148LC was cancelled. The Airbus A.320-211 entered service with Sky as TC-SKK.

LZ-CBE Antonov An-12B c/n 6343708

Heli Air Services (HLR) is based at Sofia Airport, Bulgaria. Heli Air started in 1990 as a helicopter operator. In 2006, Heli Air is operating scheduled and non-scheduled passenger and cargo air transport, aerial works, offshore operations, air ambulance and fire fighting. Early 2006, Heli Air Services operated a fleet of a single Mil Mi-8 MTV and seven Mil Mi-8 helicopters, six L-410 and four AN-12 airliners. The AN-12 cargo aircraft operated by Heli Air can carry up to 20 tones at a distance of 1,300 km. Their Antonov An-12B LZ-CBE came in at Groningen Airport Eelde on 24 February 2006. Jack Poelstra photographed the aircraft on 26 February when it departed to Dakar loaded with 12 tones cargo.

On 23 April 2009, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden visited the province of Groningen. The Swedish royals departed at the end of their visit to the Netherlands from Groningen Airport Eelde in the Swedish Air Force Gulstream GIV-SP 102004 '024'. The Swedish Air Force operates this GIV-SP, designated as Tp-102C, in the VIP transport rule for the Swedish Royal Family and the government. The 1996-built Gulfstream Aerospace GIV-SP c/n 1274 was registered LV-WOM with Sogma SA in Argentina in March 1996. The aircraft entered services with the Swedish Air Force in October 2000. Gulfstream G-IVSP 102004 is operated by Svenska Flygvapnet Transportflygenhet F-17M / Swedish Air Force Transport unit F-17M at Stockholm-Bromma.

In November 2000, the Dutch Flight Academy was qualified by the Nederlandse Luchtvaart Autoriteit (NLA) as Flying Training Organisation (FTO) according to the JAR-FCL norms. DFA is based at Groningen Airport Eelde in the Netherlands and operates four SOCATA-GA TB-10 Tobago, two Piper Warrior and one Piper Turbo Arrow single-engine aircraft and three twin-engine Diamond DA-42 Twin Star aircraft. Next to thes aircrafts, DFA operates a high-tech AlSim flight simulator and an ALSIM DA-42 Twin Star simulator. A SIM Industries FTD 2A MMC simulator, an exact copy of a Boeing 737-800NG cockpit, is on order for delivery in September 2009. On 29 April 2001, the in 1993 built SOCATA TB-10 (ex G-BZRK, VH-YHD) was photographed on the tarmac.

All photos on this site are copyrighted by international copyright laws, and remain the property of the relevant photographer. Prior permission should always be sought directly from the photographer for any other means than private viewing. If no photographer is mentioned the photos on these pages are made by Jack Wolbrink.

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to insure the correctness of data. However, I disclaim any responsibility in case of any errors or omissions. I am not responsible for the content of the linked websites.

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