Dutch coastal route below 1500' / Valkenburg

[Aussie Andy]

Hi all,

A bit of local knowledge would be helpful: anyone familiar flying along this bit of the Dutch coast?

On return leg of a flight being planned to northern Germany for next weekend, we're thinking of routing back via a slightly different route.

So, having transitted central Holland on the outbound trip, I am thinking of routing back VFR via IJmuiden thence coastal until past Rotterdam, to the HSD (Haamstede) VOR.

This looks OK on the Jeppesen VFR chart as long as we obviously stay below the Schiphol class A, which starts from 1500' and up... the only apparent obstacle being the class C airspace (from surface to 3000') surrounding Valkenburg naval air station about 10NM south east of Schiphol.

We'll be doing this on the Monday, so presumably they'll be working? Or is Monday of the May Day weekend also a holiday in Holland?

Assuming they are open, then can I further assume that I would reasonably expect to get a transit through their space?

Cheers all!



Andy

P.S. my working assumption for pronunication of IJmuiden is "eye may den" - anyone care to set me straight!?

[dirkdj]

Andy,

Valkenburg is usually not a problem to cross. Amsterdam Info will tell you if it is active or not.

Keep a good lookout, a lot of airplanes are flying along the coast and Amsterdam Info is not providing traffic information (usually).

When flying that route, I usually tend to keep one NM or so over the water, instead of over the beach.

Also call Ostend radar on 120.60 before entering their TMA. They are very cooperative for VFR along the coast.

Dirk

[Aussie Andy]

Thanks Dirk... any tips on pronunciation of IJmuiden then?

[Flyin'Dutch']

AA

any tips on pronunciation of IJmuiden

eye-may-den should do the trick.

FD

[Aussie Andy]

Thanks guys! We're really looing fwd to this trip, and as usual the planning for a foreign environment has been half the fun!

Now, the only challenge seems to be the approach to Hilversum!!

Andy

[Aerobatic Flyer]

Now, the only challenge seems to be the approach to Hilversum!!

I used to do it regularly, and - if nothing's changed in the last few years - it's a piece of cake.

Easiest way to find it is from the West. You cross the main A2 motorway, running North / South, then cross a couple of medium sized lakes. The southerly lake has a very distinctive causeway which has a right-angled bend in it. Hilversum airfield is a couple of miles further East.

When I flew there, nobody used the radio much. I used to overfly the airfield at 1200ft and check the signals square, then descend to 700ft circuit height and do the rather strange standard Dutch joining procedure - a perpendicular join onto the downwind leg, from outside the circuit.

Hilversum had a collision in the circuit a couple of years ago, so the radio is possibly used a bit more now. It's a lovely place to fly - enjoy it!

[gasax]

No problem routing along the coast. We used this route on the way to Denmark and Rotterdam cleared us down to 500 foot to avoid holding for traffic from Valkenburg. We just routed a little way offshore so as not to cause any nuisance to the kit flyers and windsurfers.

Interestingly as soon as you get north of Den Hag(?), the minimum altitude is 1500 as all the islands are classified as nature reserves. Dutch Mil cover this airspace and a suitably relaxed about VFR traffic

[Jude]

Have a great time Andy,
Also took this route on the way to scandinavia, Dutch Mil very relaxed on the way there, got vectored around a bit on way back to avoid a mil exercise. No problems at all. Do drop in to Texel if you have time, very helpful FISO and a lovely cafe on the field as well as the smoothest grass airfield i've ever landed at. 1100m of bowling green. Enjoy.

[Aussie Andy]

Jude, gasax: Cool! We'll see how time goes on the way back, but reading about Texel in (Flyer?) magazine article about someone's Scandinavian trip it sounded nice so have thought about it! I don't have the b*lls to fly direct across the North sea as per the magazine article though!

Andy

[Archard]

If dropping into Hilversum be advised that they do not accept credit cards for fuel. Cash only which left us rather short of Euros! Also, refuelling not the easiest procedure involving a complicated sequence and the use of a "credit card" and pin number issued for the purpose.

In addition, not much help with regard to flight planning and local procedures. The person concerned gave the impression that he thought we ought to know it all!

However, a local aircraft owner did provide us with tie down ropes free of charge, which we duly returned with many thanks the following morning, so not all bad news!

We entered and exited Holland through Midden Zeeland, which we found first class and most helpful in every regard.

For what it is worth, Paul A.

[Aussie Andy]

Archard, thanks for the tips! I am not planning overnight in Hilversum but some friends are so will pass this on, and will make sure we have loads of Euro cash!

Andy