7.1 Aerodromes

For the following civil aerodromes balloon ascents are allowed under certain conditions:

• AMELAND/Ameland
• BREDA/Seppe
• DEVENTER/Teuge
• HILVERSUM/Hilversum
• HOOGEVEEN/Hoogeveen
• MAASTRICHT/Maastricht Aachen
• MIDDELBURG/Midden-Zeeland
• OOSTWOLD/Oostwold
• TEXEL/Texel
• WEERT/Budel

The conditions have been laid down in the decree of designation of the aerodromes in question. For ascents from these aerodromes permission from the airport manager is needed. For ascents from Hilversum aerodrome the balloonist will also need exemption from clause 34 of the Dutch Aviation Law.

A request for exemption can be submitted via email to the following address:

For ascents from any aerodrome not mentioned in the list above, an early application for permission shall be made to the aerodrome authority, since this authority will in turn timely need to request exemption from clause 33 of the Dutch Aviation Act. Moreover the balloonist will have to request exemption from clause 34 himself (see above).

For ascents from a military aerodrome permission from the aerodrome commander shall be obtained at least three weeks in advance.

7.2 Areas other than aerodromes

No exemption is required for balloon ascents from areas other than aerodromes, providing that the ascents are carried out in accordance with the rules concerning the use of areas other than aerodromes (Regulation of 14 oktober 1988 [changed on December 29th, 1997]). All balloonists are expected to know these rules.

If a balloon ascent can not be carried out in accordance with the rules named above, exemption from clause 14 of the Dutch Aviation Act shall be requested. Requests for exemptions must have been received at least 14 days in advance. A request for exemption can be submitted via email to the following address:

7.3 Crossing circuit areas

Avoid the circuit areas of uncontrolled aerodromes during the balloon flight. If crossing the circuit area can not be avoided the balloonist should co-ordinate this with the airport manager by telephone.

For safety reasons you are strongly advised to keep two-sided radio contact with the airport manager when flying close to or crossing the circuit area of an uncontrolled aerodrome.

7.4 Permission from air traffic services for flights within local control zones (CTRs)

7.5 Flight plans and accessibility

The flight plan needs to be filed in accordance with the rules laid down in the AIP ENR 1.10 (Ref. Regeling Vliegplannen of September 15th, 1998, NR. DGRLD/JBZ/L98.210524). VFR flight plans for a balloon flight from a designated aerodrome have to be filed at the ARO concerned; for flights from a non-designated aerodrome this should be done at the Amsterdam FSC or the flight data NOTAM office (Mil FDNO EHMC) at MILATCC Schiphol. Filing a flight plan is obligatory (Ref. article 31 LVR, first paragraph) for controlled flights and:

• each controlled VFR flight within airspace class A, B or C;
• each flight in areas or along routes for which the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has stated a flight plan is required;
• each international VFR flight.

Filing a flight plan for flights within local ATS airspace (class C) is obligatory, unless the relevant air traffic service has agreed otherwise by telephone (see paragraph 7.4.1).

It is always possible to file a flight plan for a VFR flight if the captain finds it advisable with regard to facilitating search and rescue missions in case of an accident (Ref. article 31 LVR, third paragraph).

An important issue with the flight plan is closing it by means of an arrival report. It is of the utmost importance to make sure the arrival report can be submitted to the relevant authority within 30 minutes after the end of the flight. An overdue arrival report may result in unnecessary search and rescue missions and is as such an offence - as is not submitting an arrival report at all (Ref. article 63 LVR). The arrival can be reported by telephone to the relevant ARO or FIC. The captain is therefore required to make sure he can report the landing from the landing site.

If the captain decides to cancel or postpone the flight or to carry it out differently, he remains responsible for submitting the correct flight plan data to the air traffic services involved. This means he is responsible for sending the necessary data according to the applicable rules (ENR 1.10) (Ref. article 31 LVR, first paragraph).

Item 9 (aircraft type designator) of the flight plan should read “BALL”.

It is no longer allowed to fill in “RMK/NO EET” in item 18 (flight duration) of the flight plan. Flight plans that do not mention an EET will no longer be accepted. An estimated time needs to be stated, taking into account amount of available fuel and general planning.

The balloonist should mention the number of the mobile phone on which he can be reached under item 19 of the flight plan. This will enable the air traffic service to contact the balloonist in case the arrival has not been reported.

7.6 Prior notices

It is not necessary to contact ATS by telephone, except for announcing or canceling planned balloon flights within CTRs. Balloon flights in airspace classes G and E can take place according to visual flight rules without prior notice to ATS.