Where have you been? What have you seen?
#1477127
An camping overnighter in a Europa to the Vintage fly in at Diest/schaffen EDBT, just west of Brussels on 13th and 14th Aug 2016.
My first flight into Belgium heartland clearing customs at Calais (LFAC). Belgium is interesting in that its populace seems to be fairly evenly spread over the area rather than distinct towns and villages, plenty of rivers and canals.
I hour from Leighton Buzzard to Calias, 10E landing fee, customs and staff casual and helpful. A second hour almost direct to Diest at 2500ft just below the cloud base. The Mil restricted zones (EBR24&25) declared inactive by Lille and Brussels. No squawk allocated. Permission granted to fly at 2500 right through into Brussels airspace decending to 1400ft for the last leg.

No landing fee at Diest instead a voucher for a couple of drinks and a large ham salad roll for lunch. 15E brought a ticket to an excellent BBQ in the evening; very organised, good food, beer, music, relaxed and well attended by road and air. Around twenty G registered aircraft. I had to pay E9 (by post) being on an LAA Permit aircraft and to email insurance, cert of validity and registration details to the event organisers in order to get permission fly in Belgian airspace.
Over 200 planes plus vintage vehicles and vendor stall some displays from local teams. Diest is a grass military base that transforms for a weekend a year. Some war displays and lots of memorabilia around plus lots of classic cars.
Departed around om the Sunday 9:30 in a high pressure haze talking to Brussels again for an information service but staying under their airspace at 1100ft, good job its flat! Weather very poor viz till 20min from Calais. Calais radio unmanned open and air to air calls can be made. Landed and collected fuel (30 litres E1.64 per) and a coffee. No sign of customs (except a helicopter in for lunch and fuel). Departed with the cliffs of Dover seemingly a stones throw away. Some from Diest were using Kortrijk for customs to return to the UK so that only two flight plans are needed. I filed 4 from SD plus the GAR on the 12th before leaving.
I can recommend the Diest Old Timer fly/drive in as an event for next year; a good buzz, see https://flyin.dac.be
4 legs around 1hr each

Imageroute by Graeme Bird, on Flickr

ImageDSC08823 by Graeme Bird, on Flickr

ImageDSC08839 by Calias Graeme Bird, on Flickr

ImageDSC08859 by Graeme Bird Approaching DIEST in murky weather, on Flickr

ImageDSC08879 by Great BBQ Graeme Bird, on Flickr

ImageDSC08881 by Graeme Bird, on Flickr

ImageDSC08885 by Graeme Bird, on Flickr

ImageDSC08896 by Graeme Bird, on Flickr

ImageDSC08909 by Dover Graeme Bird, on Flickr
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1477130
I went on Friday, though left about 17:30L on the Saturday as I had to be home for a party, so missed the barbecue! :D Flying in on Friday evening and home and Saturday evening, the weather was superb, couldn't ask for better flying conditions.

Oh, and I didn't camp, I stayed in a hotel. :clown:
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1477219
hatzflyer wrote:1) he was early.


Early is relative. I had originally planned to go much earlier and have lunch at the airport in Calais, but circumstances led to a change of plan.

hatzflyer wrote:2) he declined cake !!!!!


Ah, well, yes, um, I have no excuse for that! :D

I'm not actually a huge fan of cake, it's just that it's normally only cake that's available at an airfield once the kitchen has closed! :wink: