So good so far, flight went perfectly to plan.
1:14 flight. Mega busy arrival with stacked aircraft, and a trainee controller who switched runway at the last minute without informing me and after I confirmed the ATIS. As a result I joined the wrong downwind, and received a telephone apology on landing. All good, and a lovely bike ride to the Hilton.
I think I remember reading that RocketRoute and SkyDemon have a non-AFTN electronic connection to LVL (Dutch AIS) to file VFR flightplans.
Also, note that the Netherlands accept VFR flightplans from other AROs over AFTN or SITA. So if your homebase ARO accepts to do it, you can use them.
PapaBravo wrote:
I have personally filed outbound VFR flightplans from controlled airfields in The Netherlands using SkyDemon last month, and many times before. Worked flawlessly.
Good to know, I’ll probably do some test runs as well for the next flights and see how it goes.
carlmeek wrote:
So all ready to go.
Might be stating the obvious, but if you haven’t done it maybe reserve your tables, especially for Friday and Saturday evenings, as the increased Corona-measures often mean fewer seating availabilities in restaurants. Had my brother over last weekend and needed to be creative …
Put the RV10 to good use :)
SD uses EuroFPL.eu to file FPs, so that’s a really useful data point which contradicts the previous reports.
I wonder if anyone working in NL ATC is reading this?
Well, unless SD is sending the NL ones by fax, which was discussed as one solution.
I have personally filed outbound VFR flightplans from controlled airfields in The Netherlands using SkyDemon last month, and many times before. Worked flawlessly.
Luckily that confirmation came quickly for me :)
So all ready to go. What a silly business with outbound FP!
SD pireps say that you must receive confirmation from the aeroclub for tour handling request, otherwise you have to use the handler (3 times more expensive).
You can still file VFR FPL on SkyDemon and call the Belgian ATC to activate it for you (or do it yourself in the air), but it will not work for departures from Rotterdam CAS for that you need to call the FIS phone number 
for visiting Rotterdam city, Breda International (EHSE) could be an option, they are VFR only but have customs, about 1h15min train & taxi from aircraft stand but way less crowded than 45min to aircraft stand in Rotterdam (EHRD) 
Hmmm. Not accepting FPs over the AFTN like most of the rest of the universe, but providing a phone # for phoning them in. You know what this tells ya
I am sure there is a telex machine there somewhere, with a dedicated team maintaining it, and the output of it is converted to a fax, which is then read over a phone line to the above number where somebody types in the FP
