No, Mike, the Feuervogel club takes pains to convince visitors from Germany that they need not fear the tax (which was 87 euro originally but has since followed inflation, through our famous “index” model). They stress they particularly inquired with the Brussels authorities, but they are not writing publicly that one need not be worried. It seems obvious to me that our CAA convinced them that they were not to worry, and neither should their foreign visitors – but it is somewhat understandable that the CAA would not like to see the fact publicly announced, hence Feuervogels recommendation to call them in case of doubt.
And yes, the tax IS meant for Belgian based planes on foreign registry.
BTW if my memory serves, your source PatoWalker has or at least used to have good connections in southern Belgium, he should be able to get confirmation.
(pour la petite histoire iow fully off-topic: this German speaking territory of less than 100.000 people was annexed by Belgium after WW1, reverted to Germany in 1940 and back to Belgium in 1945. Inhabitants of proper sex and age were conscripted to the German forces, and promptly accused of collaborating with the enemy after the war. The amnesty law to correct this was only passed in 1989. Vive la Belgique! )
I did my best Jan, but I stopped speaking German 20 years ago !
Thus I can’t tell if it means German visitors are inhibited by fear of the Eu87 tax, but need not pay (?) and in fact only Belgian residents with French reg a/c must pay ? Or do all visitors however brief get dunned ? [The Eu87 cup of coffee !]
mike
If you can make out the Teutonic, check what our only German-language club have to say about the matter:
http://www.feuervogel.be/de/02_pilotinfos/ueberfluggebuehr.html
I suspect this below is the same document as from ‘pioucandco’ which another kindly guy put up for me on the LAA forum – I could not resist one more try !
mike hallam.
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Re: CAA announce 8.33 Hand Held Radios are Legal
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*by Donald Walker » Sat Dec 07, 2013 8:20 pm
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*Mike,
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*All foreign aircraft which lack a CofA are required to obtain permission to fly in Belgium. Simple as that. What UK pilots object to is having to pay for the privilege.
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*It is all explained in this Royal Decree http://reflex.raadvst-consetat.be/reflex/pdf/Mbbs/2009/04/16/112680.pdf
Merci bien, Plouc.
You have very correctly stated the purpose of this regulation – I always believed this was the subject -
The goal is to prevent non Belgian registered homebuilds/experimentals/permit to be permanently based in Belgium.
This regulation was never meant against occasional foreign visitors.
As I understand it, it has never been applied in this way.
All non Belgian registered homebuilds/experimentals/permit to fly need to seek permission prior to enter BE airspace.
On this page, you will find needed information Link. Google translate is your best friend here as information are only available in Dutch or French.
Related cost to get this authorization is 94EUR. It is valid for max 1 year and 30 days to execute the flights. The goal is to prevent non Belgian registered homebuilds/experimentals/permit to be permanently based in Belgium. This negatively impacts all BE overfly of non certified aircraft. Anyway, it is straightforward to get it. Just e-mail scan of documents, the filled in template and you get the authorization in your inbox after 2-3 days. Well, you also need to pay the 94EUR when you get the bill…
And as for the LAA, if ever any of their members offers a lead I’ll be glad to follow up, truly hoping to dissolve blind rumour – which is all I can see today.
Mike,
Welcome you are! Above all, consider the annual fly-in at EBDT Diest
http://flyin.dac.be/
16th and 17th August 2014
with its long tradition of UK attendance – there’s always a handful of Jodel’s, and at least one or other Falco derivative, and for the last couple of years we were happy and grateful to see the Miles M38 G-AJWB http://flyin2.dac.be/sites/default/files/Albums/vliegtuigen_a/target221.html
Thank you Jan,
I think I’ll have to let the LAA continue without pursuing third and fourth party inputs, – it would just get too complicated.
In general despite the somewhat discombombulated appearance of the forum, the LAA organisation & volunteers’ negotiation results with outside bodies have over many years proved pretty good for the lighter and ex-military a/c end of the aviation spectrum.
Thanks too for your welcome offer, I’d be delighted to plan a flying visit or two to Belgium & its fly-ins with the Rans in 2014.
mike hallam
Well, I can’t see any reason for joining LAA, so if they only want members I’m afraid their forum will have to do without my direct input. I will gladly correspond through any relay, though – you are welcome to my private mailbox, actually you already have an address in the distribution list of your excellent newsletter.
First questions are obvious:
-) as already asked, to what bit of regulation are they referring?
-) what contacts to the point have there been with what Belgian authorities?
(edit: I took a “read-only” peek at the LAA forum and there is not a beginning of an answer to either question – not very impressive, I must say)
