Goetsenhoven Military Airfield Goetsenhoven Military Airfield is a Belgian Air Component base , located south of Tienen ( Brabant Provincie ) , approximately east - southeast of Brussels ( Bruxelles ) . The airfield is used as a training facility for Belgian Air Cadets , equipped with six Piper L21B Super Cubs , and several Schleicher K 8 B Gliders . History . Goetsenhoven Airfield was one of the first airfields of Belgian military aviation . It was built in 1922 as a grass airfield by the Belgian Air Force ( " Aéronautique Militaire Belge " ) . Its early use was that of observation aircraft of II Group , consisting of 10 Ansaldo A . 300 or DH . 9 Biplanes . On 1 November 1939 , as part of the wartime buildup , three squadrons of British built Fairey Fox III fighter / bombers with Nos . 3 ( II Group ) , 5 ( III Group ) and 7 ( IV Group ) squadrons were assigned to the airfield as part of the 2e Régiment d ' Aéronautique ( 2nd Air Regiment - Air Combat ) In addition to the combat units , Goetsenhoven was also a was a Basic Flight School ( Ecole de Pilotage Elémentaire ) for the Belgian Air Force , equipped with Stampe SV . 4 s . World War II . On 10 May 1940 , Goetsenhoven was attacked by the Luftwaffe as part of the initial German attack on Belgium , killing several personnel , and was sized by the Wehrmacht within a day or two of the invasion . The squadrons of Goetsenhoven had to hastily retreat to other airfields , with the planes that were not destroyed by the Luftwaffe . They were eventually evacuated to France . During the occupation of Belgium , the airfield was used by the Luftwaffe as a reserve airfield , not stationing any units at the field . In late October 1944 , the airfield was attacked by USAAF Ninth Air Force B - 26 Marauder medium bombers and P - 47 Thunderbolt s mostly with 500 - pound General - Purpose bombs ; unguided rockets and . 50 caliber machine gun sweeps to insure that any German forces at the base were neutralized . Allied ground forces moved into the Tienen area around 20 October and the first American combat engineer units arrived at the airfield shortly afterward . The USAAF IX Engineering Command 862d Engineer Aviation Battalion laid down a 3600 ' all weather Pierced Steel Planking runway at Goetsenhoven and rehabilitated some of the buildings for operational use for combat units . On 26 October the airfield was declared operationally ready and was designated as Advanced Landing Ground " Y - 10 " , also being known as " Le Culot / East Airfield " . Shortly after opening , the Ninth Air Force 371st Fighter Group moved P - 47 Thunderbolt fighter aircraft to the airfield , remaining until 20 December until moving east with the advancing Allied ground forces . Once the American combat units moved out , Goetsenhoven became a transport airfield for C - 47 Skytrain s , which flew frequently in and out of the American controlled airfield , supplying the front line forces with the necessary materiel to support their advance . On return flights to the rear area , casualty evacuation was performed by the transports . At the end of the war Goetsenhoven was returned to Belgian control by the Americans on 25 June 1945 . Postwar use . After the war Goetsenhoven was totally rebuilt , with the metal runway being removed and the airfield returned to its prewar configuration as a grass airfield . It was reopened in 1950 , and became the basis of the ESS ( Elementary Flying School ) . In 1969 the flight training was upgraded to the SIAI Marchetti Aermacchi SF . 260 . Also , two all - weather asphalt runways were laid down on the site , replacing the grass runway . In 1996 the flight training of the Belgian Air Force was centralized at Beauvechain Air Base , and the formal military presence came to an end at Goetsenhoven . Besides the ESS during the weekends , the airport is also used by the local flying club De Wouw , following the closure of the ESS was working with engine and gliders . The airport is not open for flying on days that is also used by the Olympia Tiense Wielerschool for the training of young cyclists . Presently two large hangars and a few support buildings comprise the airfield . Behind the hangars is the former military airbase , rebuilt after the war and closed in 1996 . It is mostly in a state of decay and disuse .