30 helicopters, 350 visitors, one unforgettable evening: Toran Café Summer makes history in Bellem

At the stroke of 11 p.m., the curtain fell on an evening that will go down in Belgian helicopter history. Toran Café Summer, the summer networking event organized by Toran Heli Services & Academy, not only drew dozens of pilots and hundreds of visitors to Bellem, but it also set a record that, until recently, seemed unbreakable.

A record that stands: 30 helicopters

Under the banner of Toran Café Summer, Toran invited virtually the entire Belgian helicopter community to an evening full of meetings, conversations, and, above all, lots of helicopters. Pilots, entrepreneurs, aviation enthusiasts, and anyone else interested came together in a relaxed atmosphere, set against a beautiful backdrop.

The result exceeded all expectations: 29 helicopters touched down at the temporary landing site. This makes this summer event officially the largest civilian helicopter event ever organized in the Benelux, a title previously held by the 2023 Dutch Heli Days, which featured 25 aircraft.

A new milestone, achieved on Belgian soil.

Nearly 350 visitors for a true summer celebration

In addition to the dozens of pilots and their crews, the event also drew nearly 350 visitors. They turned it into a full-fledged summer celebration, complete with music, refreshing drinks, and, of course, conversations that kept circling back to the same topic: helicopters. For the pilots and drivers among them, plenty of non-alcoholic alternatives were also provided.

It was precisely that combination of accessibility and passion that gave the event its unique character.

"Aviation is more accessible than many people think"

Arno Soete, Managing Partner of Toran, looks back with satisfaction:

“We want to show that aviation—and helicopters in particular—are more accessible than many people think. The fact that we were able to welcome nearly thirty helicopters to a single location made this summer edition of Toran Café truly special.”

That message of accessibility is exactly what Toran has stood for for more than 25 years. From the first introductory flight to a full PPL(H) license: the barrier to taking to the skies is much lower than many people think.

A 4-hectare temporary airport

For one evening, a 4-hectare site in Bellem was transformed into a fully-fledged temporary airport. The Helispot team was there and created an extensive photo report of the event, which will soon be available on Helispot.be.

See you next year

Toran Café Summer proves once again that the Belgian helicopter community is growing, thriving, and loves to get together. A record of 29 helicopters isn’t just a number. It’s proof that events like this are becoming a staple of the Belgian aviation calendar.

Would you like to experience firsthand what makes a helicopter so special next time? At Toran Academy, you can take the first step with an introductory flight.

Discover the introductory flight at Toran → Learn
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