The demo pilot of the Air Component F-16 Solo Display 2009 - 2011 is Michel "Mitch" BEULEN of 349 (F) Squadron at Kleine Brogel Air Base.

Mitch was born on June 16th, 1975 in Oostende and lives together with Kim and his 2 sons, Niels and Mathias, in Hasselt since 2003.

He acquired his first flying experience with the Belgian Air Cadets (BAC) in 1992. In October 1996 he included the promotion pilots (Prom Pil) 96B. From January 1997, Mitch received basic flight training in the 5th Squadron at Beauvechain on SF260 Marchetti, the advanced flight training on Alpha-Jet in the 7th Squadron and the initial operational training in the 11th Squadron. On 17 December 1998, he received his pilot wings.

In September 1999, Mitch moves to Kleine Brogel for his operational conversion on the F-16 in the Operational Conversion Unit (OCU). Initial on F-16 OCU (block 15) and then F-16 MLU (Middle Life Update). In September 2000, he joined 349 Squadron. Mitch traversed the entire trainingcycle from Combat Ready to Force Leader in his Squadron. He took part in various specialized courses such as the Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP) in Florennes and the Operational Test & Evaluation Course (OT&E) in the National Test Pilot School (NTPS) in California (USA), and exercises such as: ACMI - NOMAD - Maple Flag - Red Flag - Green Flag - NATO Air Meet (NAM) in Konya (Turkey) - Bold Avenger as Director of Operations (DOO) in Örland (Norway) and Air Defense Meet in Landivisiau (France).

He participated in the F-16 M4 test program (Early Operational Assessment and Operational Test & Evaluation). Mitch took part in Operation Joint Falcon in Amendola (Italy).

Mitch totalizes more than 2000 flight hours of which 1950 on F-16.

http://www.f16demo.be/

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