See description below (with timestamps at the bottom).
Weather:
METAR EBCI 121350Z 24009KT 220V290 9999 FEW030 18/11 Q1031 NOSIG
METAR EBCI 121420Z 24012KT 9999 FEW033 20/12 Q1031 NOSIG
METAR EBOS 121420Z 25015KT 9999 FEW032 20/12 Q1030 NOSIG
METAR EBOS 121450Z 25013KT 9999 FEW032 20/12 Q1030 NOSIG
METAR EBOS 121520Z 23014KT 9999 FEW032 19/11 Q1030 NOSIG
METAR EBOS 121720Z 23011KT 9999 FEW032 18/11 Q1029 NOSIG
METAR EBOS 121750Z 22010KT 9999 FEW032 17/11 Q1029 NOSIG
METAR EBCI 121820Z 21008KT CAVOK 17/11 Q1030 NOSIG
METAR EBCI 121850Z 21007KT CAVOK 17/11 Q1030 NOSIG
Description:
For the first T-shirt weather flight of 2024 I decided to visit Oostende-Brugge (EBOS). This was the only international airport in Belgium where I have not had a visit before, and during the previous months the runway and most taxiways got resurfaced, so it was time to go! Furthermore, I have NEVER flown over the Belgian coast before, which is almost unbelievable with "so many" hours in my logbook.
The flight there was pretty uneventful, the landing all right, but I very much enjoyed taxiing behind a follow-me car to my parking spot on the apron in Oostende (which was also a first in my pilot career). I knew that visiting aircraft get this treatment here, so I was looking forward to it, and it was as cool as imagined ;)
After a long chat with the friendly ground personnel, I walked across the dunes and along the coast to the new casino building in Middelkerke and back, enjoying the warm weather.
On my way back to base I flew along the coast to Blankenberge, then took the shortest way towards Charleroi - passing over the historic city of Bruges. At EBCI I got to race (and defeat) a Ryanair to land after a direct - very - short final, and vacate to the left already at Sierra 4 (the first exit to the left), which I don't think I have ever done before (or maybe with an instructor very early in a Sonaca 200, but I am not sure).
After all it was again a flight of a lot of firsts: landing at EBOS, follow-me car, flying along the coast, and direct short final followed by an expedited runway exit at S4. It was a fun afternoon, enjoy the video record of it!
00:00 Start-up and requesting taxi from EBCI Ground
01:17 Ready for departure at S4 (waiting for a WizzAir to land)
01:45 Line-up and wait RWY 24
02:12 Take-off EBCI RWY 24
02:50 Vacating the axis (traffic behind) and after take-off flow
03:12 Leaving the CTR overhead NW and checking in with Brussels Information
03:57 Preparing frequencies (staying ahead of the airplane)
04:06 Traffic information from Brussels FIS (overhead The Sloping Lock of Ronquières)
04:35 Welcome message and in-flight briefing for today
05:05 Geraardsbergen area
05:41 Arrival briefing for EBOS
06:05 Listening to (inaudible, via Bluetooth) the ATIS of EBOS and briefing it out loud
06:53 Contacting Oostende Approach (Zendstation Egem visible on the wing view)
07:44 Approaching TURUT and then direct to the field (via GESPO)
07:58 Hand-over to EBOS Tower (small phraseology mistake: not reading back the zero...)
08:47 Starting to configure the aircraft for landing (direct left base)
09:06 Beginning of left base - continue approach
09:46 Before landing checks and turning final
10:18 Cleared to land - followed by some turbulence on final
10:58 Landing EBOS RWY 26
10:24 Instructions to vacate the runway to D1
11:50 Hand-over to EBOS GND for taxi instructions
12:24 After landing flow and taxi to Apron 3
13:25 Follow-me car!
13:50 Marshaller guidance and my first hand signal ever (brakes set)
14:09 Shut-down
14:22 Listening to the ATIS before departure back to Charleroi (seagulls in the background)
14:37 Requesting start-up from EBOS GND (via handheld to save the batteries)
15:00 Engine start (and some after start and before taxi checks)
15:25 Requesting taxi from EBOS GND
15:49 Taxi to holding point C1 RWY 26
17:13 Ready for departure (hand-off to TWR)
17:37 Cleared for take-off and the requested routing after departure
18:10 Take-off EBOS RWY 24
18:44 After take-off flow and turning to follow the coast with great views back to the field
19:23 Hand-over to EBOS APP
20:00 Views of Oostende city (and other places along the Belgian coast)
20:34 Blankenberge and turning towards Brugge
21:13 Views of Brugge
21:53 Leaving the TMA of Oostende (contact with Brussels FIS not shown)
22:04 Some immediate debriefing of the visit
22:21 Abeam Ursel (EBUL)
22:43 Thinking about how much time flying can take (especially with cameras and so...)
23:18 Requesting landing instructions from EBCI Tower
23:42 Spotting the arriving Ryanair that is about to be Number 2 behind me ;)
24:02 Direct short final
24:55 Cleared to land and expedite vacating
25:13 A very unusual view from "base"
25:31 Turning very short final (with passenger terminal views)
26:07 Landing EBCI RWY 24
26:31 Vacating the runway - taxi approved by friendly controller :)
26:56 After landing flow and taxi in with a wing view of the just landed Ryanair
27:25 Short debrief