1.1.1   General

Aircraft registered in a member state of ICAO and aircraft registered in foreign states with which reciprocal agreements concerning aircraft and aircrews have been concluded, may be navigated in Belgium, subject to the observance of the applicable rules, conditions and limitations set forth in this document and in the legislation described in GEN 1.6, § 1.

1.1.2   Noise certification

Take-off and landing on Belgian aerodromes of civil subsonic jet aeroplanes is forbidden unless granted noise certification to the standards specified in Part II, Chapter 3, Volume 1 of ICAO Annex 16.

This prohibition applies only to civil subsonic jet aeroplanes with a by-pass ratio of less than two and with a MTOW of 34 000 KG or more, or with a certified maximum internal accommodation for the aeroplane type in question consisting of more than 19 passenger seats, excluding any seats for crew only.

This prohibition does not apply to:

• take-off and landing performed by aircraft carrying members of the Belgian Royal Family, the Belgian government, the regional and community governments and foreign Royal Families and heads of state or leaders of foreign governments, presidents and commissioners of the European Union, on official missions;
• take-off and landing performed with regard to missions in case of disasters or for the purpose of medical assistance
• take-off and landing concerning military missions;
• take-off and landing performed in exceptional conditions such as:
  • flights on which there is immediate danger to the life or health of persons, as well as animals;
  • flights diverted for meteorological reasons.

Exceptionally and on explicit justified request, the Minister of Transport may authorize a take-off or landing of a non-compliant aircraft. The operator of a flight seeking an exemption shall obtain prior permission from the CAA (see GEN-1.1).

Between 2200 and 0500 (2100 and 0400), flights of re-certificated civil subsonic jet aircraft are only authorized in clean configuration (landing gear and wing flaps retracted).

1.1.3   Crossing of the External Borders of the Schengen Area

Title II, Chapter I, Article 5 of Regulation 2016.399 of the European Parliament and of the European Council imposes restrictions on the crossing of the external borders of the Schengen Area. They may be crossed only at the official border crossing points notified by the EU Member States to the European Commission.

The Schengen Area, within which no restrictions to air travel apply, currently consists of 29 countries:

Flights arriving from any other country should only use the official border crossing points when landing in Belgium. Likewise, flights departing to any country outside the Schengen Area shall take-off only from the official border crossing points.

The official border crossing points are EBAW, EBBR, EBCI, EBKT, EBLG and EBOS. Incoming persons may travel freely in the Schengen Area after the border check at the official border crossing point.

When travelling by air in Belgium, entering or leaving the Schengen Area from any other aerodrome than the official border crossing points mentioned above, is illegal. Active surveillance will be carried out by the Belgian Federal Police and violations will be subject to law enforcement measures.

Further information can be obtained from:

1.1.4   Submission of the General Declaration to Belgian Air Border Guards

Additionally, according to the Schengen Border Code Regulation EU 2016/399 a General Declaration is a mandatory immigration document for general aviation flights leaving or entering the countries of the Schengen Treaty.

Belgian border guards of the Federal Police require a General Declaration in advance, prior to take-off, by means of a submitted General Declaration (inbound and outbound).

A Federal Police website www.generaldeclaration.be allows to create and submit automatically and secured the General Declaration to the competent Border Guards.

Further information can be obtained from:

Federal Police – Aviation Police
Belgian General Aviation Information Bureau

1.2.1   General

Overflight of Belgium by foreign military and governmental aircraft is subject to the approval of the Minister of Defence. No military and governmental aircraft of another State shall fly over the territory of Belgium or land thereon without prior authorisation, and in accordance with the terms thereof.

Standing diplomatic clearances can be obtained on an annual basis. The request for standing diplomatic clearance has to be introduced via the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The standing diplomatic clearances, and the terms thereof, are notified to the requesting countries via diplomatic channel.

1.2.2   Designated Authorities

Within the Ministry of Defence, the designated authorities concerned with diplomatic clearances are as follows:

The MTCC (Movement Transport Coordination Center), as part of ACOS Ops & Trg, is stationed at Evere. The MTCC, Cell Diplomatic Clearance, is responsible for the overall regulation of the diplomatic clearances, and administer the standing diplomatic clearances for foreign countries’ military aircraft.

The ADNC, as part of CRC, is stationed at Beauvechain and provides, under delegation of the MTCC, Cell Diplomatic Clearance, occasional diplomatic clearances for foreign countries’ military and governmental aircraft.

1.2.3   Procedures

The standing diplomatic clearances numbers, and the terms thereof, are notified to the concerned countries via diplomatic channel.

The terms of those standing clearances depends of the bilateral or multilateral agreements. Those terms are:

• The reference numbers of the standing diplomatic clearances;
• The aircraft that are covered by the standing clearances;
• The airfields that can be used with the standing clearances;
• The notification delays that must be respected;
• The addresses to which the notification must be sent.

1.2.4   Flights of Foreign Military Aircraft over Belgian Territory

All foreign MIL flights within the Brussels FIR/UIR may be conducted according GAT or OAT rules, depending upon operational requirements of the mission. OAT flights are only possible during the Steenokkerzeel ATCC operating hours (see GEN 3.3) and, other than transit flights, are forbidden on SAT, SUN and national HOL. COMOPSAIRCOMOPS AIR&SPACE can grant exceptions to this rule.

Aircraft flying according GAT shall establish radio contact with Brussels ACC/APP/FIC on frequencies stated in ENR 2.1, § 3.

Aircraft flying according OAT shall establish radio contact with Steenokkerzeel ATCC, call sign ‘Belga Radar’, on frequencies stated in ENR 2.1, § 3.

Foreign OAT flights requesting

• airspace for Tactical Air Ops or other than Tactical Air Ops shall follow the booking procedures as described in ENR 5.2, § 1.3
• the use of danger areas or restricted areas shall follow the reservation specifications as described in ENR 5.1, § 5
• the use of Helicopter Training Areas (HTA) or Low Flying Areas (LFA) shall follow the booking procedures as described in ENR 5.2, § 2.2 and ENR 5.2, § 3.2

Combined OAT missions with BEL and foreign military aircraft shall follow the domestic booking procedures.

EUROAT rules are applicable as described in ENR 1.1, § 2.1.2.2.

OAT and GAT flight plans shall be submitted according to the rules laid down in ENR 1.10.The use of tactical call signs within the Belgian airspace is prohibited for non-Belgian military aircraft. QRA missions (training and real) are exempted from this rule. Other exception requests for the use of tactical call signs within the Belgian airspace need prior approval and can be sent, at least 5 working days in advance, to:

1.2.5   Landing of Military Aircraft at EBBR

Aircraft of the 15W: No restrictions.

Liaison aircraft: must file an IFR FPL and be able to select the appropriate radio frequencies stated in ENR 2.1, § 3.

Jet fighter aircraft will only be allowed to land at EBBR in exceptional circumstances. When a jet fighter aircraft is authorised to land, the same prescription as in above will apply. The authorisation to land at EBBR must be obtained via COMOPSAIRCOMOPS AIR&SPACE Air Operations Support.