Weekend in Belgium

[SP-THC]

Hi, we plan a weekend in Brugge (Belgium) in April, with possible day trip to Ghent,
can you advise a friendly airport with Avgass to land (i fly both IFR and VFR, we do not need customs or any paper work as flying within Schengen)?
I heard Ostende (EBOS) is nice but Ursel (EBUL) looks much closer?

[dirkdj]

Your two realistic choices are EBOS and EBKT. It is easy to get from the airport to the Ostend train station by bus. Frequent trains to Brugge and Gent. From EBKT to Kortrijk station is easy by taxi or bus, also frequent trains to Brugge and Gent. Ursel is in the middle of the woods, old military airfield, aeroclub runs the place now.

EBKT is probably easier and quicker to get in/out and the airplane is parked within walking distance of the terminal. EBOS is near the coast with all the attractions that come with it.

[sternone]

I would do EBOS. It's much closer than EBKT and the connections to Bruges are way better. After all, they call it Ostend-Bruges Airport. The train ride to Bruges from Kortrijk is way too long.

Forget Ursel, there is nothing descent over there to help you getting into Bruges.

[letpmar]

Just be careful about customs and immigration the UK is not in the Schengen agreement so you should do something on first arrival in Belgium if flying from the Uk

Pete

[OwnNav]

Got to be EBOS, usually quiet, avilable for IFR approaches if required, good cheap bus service to Ostende, good flight planning/briefing service. The Non Schengen thing is not an issue really (not in my many visits anyway).

[stiknruda]

I've flown in and through Begium a few times recently. Just do be aware that they tend to do things slightly differently - nothing major but expect the unexpected: downwind landing probably the most abstruse. Unpublished frequencies and poor hand overs to Mil bases. No formation departures - probably won't affect you. Aeroclube at Kortrijk very welcoming.

Stik

[SP-THC]

thank you very much :)
looks like EBOS is best option
Greg

[Piper19]

EBOS. Trains from Oostende to Brugge about every 15 minutes. Only bad thing is connection EBOS to train station, which needs a bus or tram ride.
Ursel is indeed shorter in distance, but no easy connection to Brugge, and difficult opening hours of airfield (military).
Unpublished frequencies, downwind landing never had a problem with these in 10 years of Belgium flying. Poor handovers may occur in 1% of the cases, some controllers expect that you know where you are and expect you to avoid certain areas by yourself. Bru info will always help you when in doubt.