Menu Sign In Contact FAQ
Banner
Welcome to our forums

VFR flight UK - NL - UK

I’m planning a VFR flight from Denham EGLD to a private site in Holland.

The flight will be done in a R44 Helicopter but the same rules apply as to fixed wing.
I want to depart from EGLD DENHAM, cross the channel from Dover to Calais and then fly to EHBD (BUDEL).
At Budel I will refuel and then fly 6 mins to a private site in the town called Someren, just 20km South of Eindhoven EHEH.

- Can I leave from Denham or do I have to depart from another Airport
- Should I fly straight from Calais to Budel EHBD or first follow the French and Belgian Coast and then enter Holland
- If I’m right, I need to stop on a customs airport, what would be the best option, stop in Belgium or Holland?

On the way back, I need to depart from a customs airport I guess, can this be in Belgium or must that be from Holland?
Budel EHBD has customs but not immigration…is customs good enough.

It’s the first time I will cross country borders and don’t want to break any rules or need to arrange plans while airborne. 80% of the flight is the planning so I rather do that with both feet on the ground :).

Plan:
Day 1: trip from EGLDEHBD
Day 2: some flights in Holland
Day 3: trip back from EHBDEGLD.

Your advice is much appreciated.

Chris

Can I leave from Denham?

Yes. No GAR required either.

Should I fly straight from Calais to Budel EHBD or first follow the French and Belgian Coast and then enter Holland

Airspace permitting, your choice.

If I’m right, I need to stop on a customs airport, what would be the best option, stop in Belgium or Holland?

Generally speaking, landing fees are lower in Belgium than in Holland. Same goes for Avgas prices.

However, if you look at at customs aerodromes only, it’s pretty much the same.
Ostend and Antwerp are ~ 30 Euros for a fixed wing SEP – don’t know about Helis.

On the way back, I need to depart from a customs airport I guess, can this be in Belgium or must that be from Holland?

Your choice.

Budel EHBD has customs but not immigration…is customs good enough.

No, you need immigration only.

Last Edited by boscomantico at 17 Jul 09:47
Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

Especially when flying mid-week, be aware of the numerous military training areas along the FR-BE border, and the military airbase Koksijde. Check NOTAMS carefully! I should think you will be flying too low to go over the Koksijde CTR? Get in touch with Brussels information as soon as you can, or with Ostend Approach or Lille approach, they will know what is active and what not. I am not sure they will have your flight plan, though.

My suggestion would be to clear immigration either at Calais or Kortrijk, in both directions. And though you might not need a GAR on the outbound flight, I think it will be required on re-entering UK.

EBZH Kiewit, Belgium

And, err, do I understand rightly that you are the same person that asked a rather similar question on another forum in another language under another nickname, a couple of months ago? Nothing wrong, there, of course… But all that was said then and there still holds true today.

Last Edited by at 17 Jul 11:27
EBZH Kiewit, Belgium

Boscomantico, thanks for the feedback.

Antwerp is a good place for me to do the customs/immigration and refuel.
Although the option Calais, specially on the way back, is a good option to have full tanks when crossing the channel.

Jan: Yes I also posted this on the Dutch website but due to less active users (I think), and the fact that the flight is UK→NL→UK I thought I might get some extra/new input for my trip..
As mentioned, I rather work out everything on the ground instead of bumping into suprises in the air.

Flying Dutch

Hello all – my first post.
Re Belgian airspace – is there a charge to enter, even if passing through?

No charge to enter under VFR if below 5700kg.
No charge to enter under IFR if below 2000kg.

Those are the standard limits in Europe, though the first one can, I believe, vary. Also there may not be any VFR at night, in some countries so any night flights over 1999kg gets billed for the route charges.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

If you are flying a UK LAA aircraft you do need to pay (officially).

Norman
United Kingdom

Hi all,
The plan as it most likely will be:
Aircraft: R44 Helicopter
1 pilot – 0 pax.
Outbound: 22-08-2014
File a flightplan
GAR form (optional)

It’s a VFR flight but I will use VOR’s as a guideline.
EGLD (DENHAM) → VOR LAM (LAMBOURNE/STAPLEFORD) → VOR DET (DETLING) → VOR DVR (DOVER) → VOR KOK (KOKSIJDE) → VOR ANT
Customs/Immigration and fuel at Antwerpen
EBAW (ANTWERPEN)→ SOMEREN (20NM SE of EHEH).

RETURN: 25-08-2014
File a Flightplan
GAR form
Identical to outbound trip.
Customs/immigration at Antwerp.
Landing at EGLD (DENHAM) or do I first have to stop at an international airport in the UK?

I prefer skipping the french airspace, if I go via Calais, then I will need to go around LFP26 Prhobitied area.

This is my first international flight so any advise regarding this trip, filing the GAR form and flightplan, inbound and outbound will be hugely appreciated.
After the trip, I will post pictures and a report of the trip.
Thanks

Customs/immigration at Antwerp.

Someone correct me if I get this wrong, but you don’t need any customs/immigration airfield for leaving Schengenland to the UK. The GAR form is enough.

36 Posts
Sign in to add your message

Back to Top