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Flying VFR through Belgium and Germany

I am planning a trip from EGNM to EDKB Bonn-Hangelar in May VFR in a Cirrus SR22T. My intended routing is EGNM – CLN – KOK – BUN – FLO – LNO – EDKB.
The airspace in Belgium looks fairly congested. Having not flown in Belgium before I was wondering how accommodating they are in granting transits through CAS and if I have chosen the best routing? Finally what altitude would you recommend (weather permitting).
Any advice would be much appreciated.

United Kingdom

I have flown similar routes in either direction many times, both VFR and IFR, and over Belgium the two are very similar, the ATC will just control you through their airspace seamlessly. In fact, sometimes they are even oblivious to your VFR status – I was once vectored to ILS when arriving VFR to Liege. My routing was usually a bit south of yours in the western half of it, crossing at DVR and touching a bit of France. My altitudes on different flights varied from 4000 ft to FL90.

Last Edited by Ultranomad at 27 Mar 21:46
LKBU (near Prague), Czech Republic

I am having a go to London to Maastricht the first weekend of April and report how it goes

Probably off topic: any idea of nice VFR airstrips to visit around the area?

I enjoyed a stepover in Keiwit last time, so looking for samilar spirit (ps: as always we plan to clear customs/fuel in Calais), also any tips on VFR airstrip flying in Belgium, Netherlands, Germany will be helpful…

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

I looked into a similar routing from the UK to Germany for VFR.

The posted route from EGNM to EDKB looks ok but is a slightly longer stretch over water and Class A above 5500/6500 feet. A deviation to the south (Dover, EBOS) would give you higher VFR levels and shorter time over water.

The channel waters are cold, either fly as high as you can get from ATC for gliding distance (12000 feet should work for the 22NM stretch between Dover and Calais) or a raft would be my suggestion.

always learning
LO__, Austria

Ibra wrote:

Probably off topic: any idea of nice VFR airstrips to visit around the area?

Spa EBSP – the town of Spa and the racing circuit.
Stadtlohn-Vreden EDLS – if you want some night flying practice, they have regular evenings with runway lighting at no extra charge. Very friendly, too.
Bonn-Hangelar EDKB – very friendly; a short tram or bike ride to Bonn and Cologne.

LKBU (near Prague), Czech Republic

I started a thread on this last summer because I was planning on flying EDKB-EGKA VFR through Belgium. Unfortunately the weather meant I had to can the trip but there was some helpful advice in the thread here.

I later flew to EHMZ partly through Belgium airspace and was completely surprised to find out that VFR in Belgium is apparently not allowed above 4500ft. My trip report and the resulting discussion of the 4500ft “rule” is here.

If you want any help/info about the Bonn/Köln area then send me a PM and I’ll be happy to help, if I can!

EDLN/EDLF, Germany

When I used to fly there VFR I just arrived (from the UK) at KONAN at FL074 or something like that (OCAS in the UK) and asked Belgian ATC for a transit across Belgium, giving the few waypoints like KOK MAK LNO (a route they all know because thy make all the IFR GA traffic fly it too ) at FL075 and they just gave it to me. Obviously for VFR you need to not be in cloud at that level…

I got the impression the key thing was to show that you know what you are doing and won’t give them any hassle. The route takes you over Brussels etc – quite scenic in places.

One report here.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Ibra wrote:

Probably off topic: any idea of nice VFR airstrips to visit around the area?

There is EDKA Aachen. You need to take a taxi to go to the town, but the city is quite charming if the weather is right.

EDMB, Germany

Plan between FL090 or higher (max FL190) and your routing will 99% for sure be accepted. Make sure to plan for an IFR level (drop the xx5) in controlled airspace. Chances are indeed high you will get a routing overhead Brussels airport (and thus the city).

EBST, Belgium

Ibra wrote:

Probably off topic: any idea of nice VFR airstrips to visit around the area?

Traben Trarbach, beautiful strip above the Mosel river between the vineyards; never landed there, it’s not too accomodating for the Mooney, but I did visit by car. I want to visit Idar Oberstein too and order my diner over the radio, the flugleiter grills your steak over a fire when you taxi in. Again not very accomodating for the Mooney…

EHTE, Netherlands
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