So, after quite the preparation time, hoping for good weather and trying to find matching schedules, Friday July 10th was the day.
This was my first significant flight outside Dutch airspace: the international flights in PPL training were to Antwerp (EBAW) and Weeze (EDLV), both of which are barely across the border. Fortunately, I had a copilot, a first officer for an airline, and her experience helped me a lot during the preparation as well during the flight.
So, on to the flight:
Aircraft type: 1979 Cessna 172N (PH-BSF)
Flight time EHEH-EGHI: 3hr 16min (block)
Flight time EGHI-EHEH: 3hr 10min (block)
We started the engine a few minutes past 10 in Eindhoven. Our flying club normally isn’t allowed to start flying before 10 o’clock, and today was no exception. We did spend almost 20 minutes waiting at the holding point due to some arriving (IFR) traffic. After take-off, we were instructed to fly around Wintelre and stay clear of the Oirschotse Heide, as there were two Apache helicopters training in that area.
After leaving the CTR, a climb to 4500ft was started, our cruising level for the majority of the flight.
My tablet had some problems finding a GPS signal, so we had to switch to our back-up iPad instead.
Visibility was excellent, despite a little haze, and the cloud base was non-existant. Perfect VFR conditions!
The port of Antwerp in the distance
Town of Goes just below us
Midden Zeeland (EHMZ) on our right side
Lots of cars waiting to be shipped
Vlissingen
Oostende (EBOS), with an An124 parked
Koksijde Air Base (EBFN), did not show many signs of activity except for these:
Just past Koksijde, the first sign of the UK was already visible
Cliffs in sight
Calais (LFAC)
Calais itself
Trucks waiting for the ferry
Eurotunnel station French side, with more trucks waiting
Over the Channel, approaching the UK
South part of the port of Dover. I believe this is where the guys from Top Gear entered the water for their Channel crossing.
The north part of the port, and some more white cliffs
A castle somewhere between Dover and Shoreham
Gatwick (EGKK) in the distance
Passing north of Shoreham
Another (bigger) castle
We were given a direct left base for runway 20. Used to the Eindhoven ATC, which is, shall we say, not very creative at times, we were both fairly surprised.
Southampton (EGHI) while proceeding to that left base
We landed at 12.20LT, only 20 minutes later than the (optimistic) 12.00LT I had aimed for.
We reported back at the gate at 16.30LT. 45 minutes, a security check, refueling, and some paperwork later we were ready to go again. Arriving at holding point B1, ATC surprised us again. We were told to backtrack and take-off, but expedited, as there was traffic on an 8 mile final. Again, in Eindhoven, if you’re unlucky, traffic on an 8 mile final means you’re waiting at the holding point.
Portsmouth, with the Spinnaker Tower clearly visible.
On this leg, we elected to fly along the south coast some more.
Crossing the coastline just west of Worthing
Shoreham, this time from the south
The Brighton Pier
Trucks waiting for the Eurotunnel
Eurotunnel station, UK side
Passing Dover from the south this time
The port of Dover in its entirety
Cliffs, fallen into the Channel (or so it appears)
A cruise ship passing below us
The French coast
A few cars…
Some excavators and other machinery
The Coasta (COA) VOR
Port of Antwerp again, this time a little closer
Woensdrecht Air Base (EHWO)
Seppe, sorry, Breda International Airport (EHSE)
City of Breda
Koninklijke Militaire Academie (Royal Military Academy)
Gilze-Rijen Air Base (EHGR)
This balloon was floating right over Eindhoven, but was clear of the airport and circuit by the time we got there
Turning to downwind
The engine was stopped at 21.25LT.
I left the house that morning at 7, and was back again at 11. It was a long, but very enjoyable day.
This concludes my write-up of this trip. Any tips or comments are always welcome.
Nick
Congratulations on your first trip outside the Schengen area! How did it feel?
I suppose you did file a GAR?
Why did you not stay and enjoy a night out?
Oh. And in a trip report like this, it is very important to include photos of the co-pilot, (and the pilot). 
Thanks for sharing this Nick, looks like you got the perfect day for your trip!
The other larger castle is Arundel Castle its just a few miles away from me. Your photos came out very nicely. Alex
Nice.
I would seriously move away from any airport where I could depart at 10:00 local time only. Ruins your day, particularly in summer. 08:00 is the latest I want to able to depart.
That makes you the exception once again ;) At least at my homefield, it is very rare to see any Cessna or Piper active before 11:00 AM. The field opens at 10, and usually there’s only ultralights waiting to take off. The limitation was, again, a gesture towards the local nimby’s; exceptions are possible however, by prior request.
I must add that, in summer, early departures are often hindered by persistent haze.
Brilliant writeup and photos, Nick
I might have been departing Shoreham on that day.
Haze is a big problem in aviation photos – search EuroGA for “haze” for many solutions.
@T/S: thanks for sharing. I tried to discern my former homefield of Hoevenen EBHN in your pictures of the Antwerp harbour, but couldn’t. The nuclear power plant at Doel, just across the river, is a most prominent aid in visual navigation, sometimes visible from 70-80 km away even if only at 2000’ or so.
That makes you the exception once again
Thanks for speaking for the rest of the forum.
No. What you’re saying likely is because that at your airfield, nobody is not going anywhere far away. “Coffee-flyers” do indeed depart at 11, which allows them to be at their destination before 12. Flying from A to B works to a slightly different schedule.
I think the bigger castle and cricket pitch could well be Arundel.
Airports which open early and close late are a luxury.
ATC salaries together with the legally required shift patterns make long-day openings very expensive. You tend to get this at airports which have a lot of transport jet traffic (which covers the big fixed costs) but whose management has not (yet?) excluded GA. Or at airports which are State funded despite having little traffic – but there are not many of those which have long opening hours.
Of course if you have a farm strip then you have no limits – subject only to complaints from people living nearby.
As an example, Shoreham EGKA opens
and this was fairly recently extended to the above hours. The costs of ATC and fire crew salaries (all fixed costs) are the main factor.
Not many people make use of the early and late times. Most burger runs start mid-morning.
