Neighbour Days 2023 full of info and spectacle

'How fast does a fire engine go? And how often do you need to put out a fire in a plane?'* Just a couple of the questions asked during the Schiphol Neighbour Days 2023. Together with more than four thousand neighbours and many other players in the aviation sector, we made it a hugely successful weekend.

While this is a recurring event, it had been four years since the previous Schiphol Neighbour Days. First it was two years of the coronavirus pandemic that put a spanner in the works. And last year, the hectic spring and summer season led to our decision to fully focus on the operation and to therefore cancel the event.

Listening to our neighbours

Thankfully, all that is behind us now and we were once again able to welcome our neighbours. Which is something we like to do in order to stay connected with our local environment and to listen to the issues at hand. And at the same time, we can show what we're up to. We're very aware of our impact and realise that Schiphol needs to be quieter, cleaner and better.

Those who wanted to know more about this were in for a treat at the extensive information market. We (along with many other players in the aviation sector) told our story in the building where the snow fleet is usually parked. Air Traffic Control the Netherlands, Dutch Customs, the Schiphol Fund, the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre, KLM, MBO College Airport, DeNoize and many others joined us in engaging with visitors and answering their questions.

Impressive machines

The snow fleet was parked outside. Visitors of all ages made use of the opportunity to get behind the wheel of these impressive machines that help us to keep the runways free from snow during the winter.

Volunteer Carola, busy stocking up on the Schiphol water bottles that visitors could take home with them, was pleased with how the day went. 'Great fun, I'm seeing lots of happy faces. It's also nice to see all the children enjoying the spectacle.'

Oohhs and Aahhs

Talking about spectacle, the fire brigade gave a demonstration at the nearby firefighter training site. Judging by the amount of oohhs and aahhs heard as flames leapt metres into the air from the engine of the training aircraft, the audience was impressed. Fortunately, we have an excellent crew who quickly brought the fire back under control.

10-year-old Krijn from Aalsmeer was also impressed. He was with his father Harold and his mother Minke, and this was their first time at the Neighbour Days. He enjoyed the demonstration. 'But also, when I could scan my father as a security officer, I really liked that,' he says enthusiastically. Mum and dad enjoyed the day out too. 'We sometimes see the training aircraft in flames when driving along the motorway, it's great to see it up close now.'

Relive the experience

To sum up, the Schiphol Neighbour Days 2023 will go down in the books as an extremely successful event. Want to relive the experience? You can watch the video below. If you, as a neighbour, would like to stay up to date with developments and activities at Schiphol (including the Neighbour Days) sign up for the Neighbour Newsletter.

* The crash tenders at Schiphol can go up to 130 – 140 km per hour. Not bad for a vehicle that weighs 49 tonnes (49,000 kg). Every year, the fire brigade at Schiphol responds to around seventy to a hundred reports of fires in planes. In most cases, it turns out to be a false alarm. About five to ten times a year it's necessary to put out a fire, but truly major incidents are fortunately rare

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