An important training area for Dutch fighter aircraft and helicopters is the Cornfield (Vliehors) Range. This NATO shooting range since 1948 is located on the westernmost part of the Wadden Island of Vlieland. It is an area of about 17 square kilometers. During exercises the Cornfield (Vliehors) Range is closed to the public. There are warning signs along the practice area and during exercises there are also red flags.
Several targets have been set up on the range for bombs, airborne weapons and missiles. There are exercises with practice ammunition throughout the year. From September 15 to February 28, it is allowed to shoot at this range with real ammunition. Then the planes are also allowed to drop real bombs. This does not happen often, because it is very expensive. The pilots are allowed to drop a maximum of 70 bombs during the practice period. When this happens, the planes fly from the North Sea. In this way, they limit the inconvenience for the Wadden area as much as possible.
How much noise is audible also depends on the weather conditions. If the weather is going to cause too much nuisance, the exercises will not go ahead. In order to measure this, the Royal Netherlands Air Force is setting up a measuring station on Texel. This mobile measuring station is in direct contact with the control tower of the Cornfield (Vliehors) Range.
On 22 February 2001 a German Marine Flieger Tornado IDS mistakenly fired its 27mm cannons at the control tower, hitting it seven times. Nobody was hurt and the tower was repaired.
Photos Rob Vogelaar
