I had a discussion here in The Netherlands about flying straight-ins to uncontrolled airfields/ports such as Teuge or Lelystad. Formally the circuit is mandatory as I would have to either fly the circuit or stay away from it (article in Dutch law), but in the Dutch AIP it discribes VFR straight-in procedures for faster aircraft for Teuge or Lelystad. Now, I would assume the AIP does not have the same legal status as the air law, but how do you guys look at conflicts between the 2? Or how many of you fly straight-ins to non-towered or towered but non-controlled airfields when e.g. you seem to be alone in the sky early in the morning or at the end of the day?
Everything not prohibited explicitly, or prohibited on grounds of public policy, or maybe some other general stuff, is 100% legal.
Is there a law (or an AIP statement) in The Netherlands that states that straight in approaches are prohibited?
If there isn’t, they must be legal 
It would be utterly incredible if there was such a law. Straight in is allowed everywhere I have ever been to. Why not join straight in? That is the most obvious way to land a plane.
I will always try to fly straight in if I can. Safer, easier, quieter.
I fly straight-ins to both of my ‘home’ fields all the time. One is mostly deserted and non-towered (LEAX) the other towered with loads of traffic and a mix from light sport to jets (KSMO). Not long ago flew what was effectively a 100-mile straight in to KSBP. If there really is such a law in NL, then it must be a local ‘specialty’.
As an aside: it’ll be interesting to see how EASA is going to change these local anomalies. Some have already disappeared – e.g. the ‘in sight of surface’ while VFR for UK pilots, the night VFR prohibition in Spain – but there must be many more lurking in the national AIPs / air laws.
There is a Dutch law (‘luchtvaartwet’) that states something like that you must either follow the circuit or stay away from the circuit when approaching uncontrolled airfields. Seemingly it is interpreted here by some as meaning you MUST fly the circuit and that it is not an option.
" … bijzonder acht gegeven op het verkeer, teneinde een botsing te vermijden;
b. het door luchtvaartuigen gevormd luchtverkeerscircuit gevolgd dan wel vermeden;
Then in the Dutch AIP we find for 2 airfields a conflicting option for fast aircraft to arrange a straight in VFR approach at Teuge (EHTE) and Lelystad (EHLE).
EHTE AD 2.22 FLIGHT PROCEDURES
1 VFR FLIGHT PROCEDURES AND REGULATIONS
A straight-in approach is possible for aircraft unable to follow the standard circuit for performance reasons. A straight-in is only allowed after coordination with Teuge Radio. Report a straight-in well in advance to Teuge Radio. When established on final report also ‘final straight in, two minutes out’. When a go-around is required, leave the circuit area as published and report to Teuge Radio.
Assuming that the Dutch law prohibits straight in procedures (that is VFR to uncontrolled airfields) and that the Dutch AIP is in conflict, then what is the legal status of the AIP “rules” as the Dutch AIP gives lots of rules on how to behave, where there are mandatory reporting points, etc.
In practice, I tend to fly straight ins to grass strips and uncontrolled airfields if there is hardly any traffic. When there is lots of traffic I will tend to follow the circuit.
Of course, most of my flights are IFR, but sometimes I fly to uncontrolled airfields where IFR procedures are not allowed (according to the AIP), so I cancel and fly a straight in (if possible).
Some pilots here in the Netherlands perceive this as unsafe and illegal to do. I see no problem of mixed IFR traffic with VFR circuit traffic elsewhere around our small country, but was wandering if anyone could help out.
Well you can always upset people if you barrel into a busy circuit straight in but I see nothing wrong with announcing a straight in join if there are other aircraft so long as you are considerate and careful.
> states something like that you must either follow the circuit
Flying the Final leg is arguably “following the circuit”….it can’t possibly mean you need to fly all 4 legs
Jason, of course I don’t frustrate traffic in the circuit and behave well, but the discussion going on here in the Netherlands is that straight-ins (VFR that is) are never, ever allowed and are not safe. I objected, but then got the critique that straight-ins are not legal, ever and should never be done to uncontrolled airfields. I now wandered if I was doing something out of the ordinary.
I would start by looking for the ICAO definition of a circuit, and then check if NL has filed a difference to ICAO 
The AIP is not law. The law is normally the national aviation law. In the UK it is the Civil Aviation Act, and the ANO. Then we have a mountain of CAA publications (like the AIP) which range hugely in their quality but have one thing in common: most pilots think they are legally mandatory. But statements in these could, I am told by a lawyer, be used against you in a court case.
But the UK (as the NL) is now bound by EU law which overrides national law on any point of conflict.
Has EASA defined a “circuit”? If not, I would go back to my 1st sentence above. EASA member states are ICAO contracting states.
FWIW I think banning straight-in is completely crazy and I can’t believe it was really the intended effect. In the absence of conflicting traffic, it is the safest way to land.
Thanks Peter. Anyone else wants to share their light or opinion on this?
