Walem Heliport

The closure was a direct result of economic factors. The heliport was a stop on Sabena's pioneering international helicopter passenger service, which proved to be financially unsustainable. The high operating costs, fuel consumption, and intensive maintenance required for the Sikorsky S-58 helicopters, combined with increasing competition from faster and more economical rail and road networks, led Sabena to discontinue the entire helicopter network.

The site of the former Walem Heliport has been completely repurposed. It is now part of the grounds of the Nekkerhal, a large exhibition and event venue in Mechelen. The specific area where helicopters once landed and took off is now used as an extensive parking lot and open-air event space for the Nekkerhal. There are no remaining physical traces or infrastructure of the former heliport.

Walem Heliport holds a unique place in aviation history as an integral part of the world's first international scheduled helicopter passenger service. Operated by the former Belgian national airline, Sabena, this network launched in 1953 and connected Brussels with key cities in Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and Germany. The Mechelen-Walem heliport, located at the Nekkerhal, served as a vital link in this network, primarily handling flights with Sikorsky S-55 and later the larger 12-seat Sikorsky S-58 helicopters. It represented a futuristic vision of city-center-to-city-center air travel in the post-war era.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening Walem Heliport. The site is fully integrated into the operations of the Nekkerhal event complex. The original purpose of providing scheduled passenger service is now obsolete due to modern high-speed train and motorway networks. Reopening the site as a heliport is considered extremely unlikely.