Merchtem

50°56'17"N 004°12'27"E

Runway: 09/27 - 300x40m - grass (CLOSED)
Runway: 10/28 - 300x40m - grass (CLOSED)

Airfield Merchtem (dutch: vliegveld Merchtem, ICAO: EBME) was a small private ULM airfield 15km (9mi) nortwest of Brussels.
It was built around 1985 and played a key role in the Belgian acceptation of ULMs. It was home to the 'Butterfly', one of Belgiums first generation ULMs.


Google Maps photo with the runway layout drawn in by E. Godfroid.


The Butterfly during a flight from Merchtem (photo via E. Godfroid).

It is not known when (or why) exactly the airfield closed. Although the flight infrastructure and runway markers have been removed, the airfield still exists. It is not suitable for flight however, as the trees surrounding it have grown considerably since the last flight..

Thanks to Emmanuel Godfroid for pointing out this former airfield!