The Sabena Aeroclub was founded on 11 September 1946.
In 1946, a small group of Sabena staff members (Belgian airline company) established a general aviation section: the SSTA. The objective of the new association was “to promote ‘the Art of Piloting and Navigating’”, as was announced by an early leaflet. The new formed club was open to employees of Sabena and of its branch offices.
Austers (OO-SOC) and Piper Cubs (OO-EAB) were the first planes owned by the club. The planes flew of from the airport of Grimbergen (which existed since 1939, previously as a military spare airport).
A few years later, moreover in 1954, the association became a non-profit organisation. The memorandum of association appeared in Het Staatsblad.
From 1965 on, more modern airplanes were added to the fleet, like a OO-SEZ (a Cessna C-150). In 1966 the club bought its first four-seater, the OO-SEY (a Cessna C-172). In 1974 an extra C-150 was necessary, due to the large number of members (120): the OO-SEW.
In 1985, under Sabena CEO Carlos van Raefelghem, the SSTA was transformed into the Sabena Aeroclub, the flying club of the Sabena Airline. Due to this change, the airplanes also needed a new look: they were painted blue and white (the official Sabena colours), besides the classic S-tail (the Sabena logo) on the airplane’s tails. Soon the association would reach its record number of members: 280.
In 1994, when the club would celebrate it’s 40th birthday, the Grimbergen airport was closed. Local pressure groups – complaining about sound pollution in their self-picted living area – forced contemporary politicians into it. (The airport was to be reopened a few years later.)
But the club got an exception from the government to land at the airport. Sabena CEO, Pierre Godfroid and representative of the Parliament and chairman of the Flemish Aerospace Group (FLAG), Herman Candries were present at the celebration.
In October 2001, mother company Sabena suddenly went bankrupt and so the club abruptly lost its main and only fundings. But it well and sound managed to survive on its own.
After the breaking news the club negotiated with the Sabena curators about the release ownership of some of the aircrafts of the Aeroclub fleet, which were still Sabena property. The transaction was successful (the Club paid the current value) and from that point on the Aeroclub legally owned all of its aircrafts.
On June 26th 2002 new rules were voted in the general assembly, under which the Aeroclub activities continued. According to the new statutes, anyone with a healthy interest in aeronautics can become a member.
In 2004 the club celebrated its 50th birthday.
And in 2005 the club received the title Royal by his royal and Belgian Majesty King Albert II.
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