In the operational year 2024-2025, there were violations at Groningen Airport Eelde (GAE) regarding departure procedures, during a circuit flight, and the rules for minimum flight altitude. The aviation authority of the Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT Aviation Authority) has warned the parties involved.
The airport also remained well within the noise limits this operational year. This is stated in the enforcement report Groningen Eelde Airport, which was sent today by caretaker minister Tieman (Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management) to the House of Representatives.
Supervision of regional airports
All Dutch regional airports, such as Groningen Airport Eelde (GAE), are subject to noise standards and rules for the use of the airport. Additionally, there are specific rules for GAE regarding the use of the departure routes. These rules are established to minimize flying over inhabited areas. The ILT Aviation Authority monitors whether GAE and the parties operating flights at GAE comply with the noise standards and rules. If they do not, the aviation authority can impose a measure, penalty, or fine. At the end of an operational year, the ILT Aviation Authority prepares an enforcement report with the results of its supervision. This report covers the period from April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025.
Violations of departure procedures
The ILT Aviation Authority investigated 98 flights that deviated from the departure routes. It found 2 flights where the captain deviated from the assigned departure route without valid reason. In both cases, this deviation was not due to additional instructions from Air Traffic Control Netherlands (LVNL) or weather conditions. The airlines Flexflight and Silver Cloud Air GmbH received a warning for this.
Use of the airport
At the airport, there were a total of 385 aircraft movements after 11:00 PM. These flights complied with the rules. They were flights categorized as rescue operations, assistance, or medical flights requiring immediate takeoff or landing. No irregularities occurred during parachute flights. In this operational year, 74 of the maximum 400 permitted military flights were conducted. The ILT Aviation Authority also found no violations during the controlled military training and exercise flights.
Violation during circuit flight and minimum flight altitude rules
Regarding circuit flights (test, training, or exercise flights), the ILT Aviation Authority received 6 complaints. The aviation authority investigated whether there was a violation of the Conversion Regulation and the Aviation Act. 1 captain received a warning for prematurely turning during the circuits without additional instructions from LVNL. As a result, he flew over the contiguous buildings of the village of Yde. Additionally, the captain did not sufficiently consider the area to be avoided indicated in the circuit area, as specified in the Aeronautical Information Publication (AIP).
The ILT Aviation Authority has also taken enforcement action twice for violating the minimum flight altitude. In the Netherlands, the minimum flight altitude above contiguous buildings is 1000ft (300 meters). Outside the contiguous buildings, the minimum flight altitude is 500ft (150 meters). The ILT Aviation Authority found that 2 flights occurred below the minimum flight altitude. The involved captains were addressed on this and explicitly requested to adhere to the minimum flight altitude rules.
