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Lunch by plane

Flying from Hilversum to Texel in a Tecnam P2002JF

May 9, 2018 -

This week I was invited to fly along over the Netherlands in a small aircraft, from Hilversum to Texel. A good buddy of mine is a pilot and planned to fly to the Texel island for lunch (and good fun!). The weather was excellent, so packed with my photo camera, I didn't hesitate for a moment to join him for lunch!

Private Pilot and Vliegschool Hilversum

My buddy Tim learned to fly and is the holder of a private pilot license (PPL). He is allowed to fly aeroplanes and knows his way around radio communication, navigation and landing and takeoff procedures.

Willem and Tim
Willem and Tim

He joined private pilot school "Vliegschool Hilversum" to maintain his pilot skills and to share his passion for flying with like minded people. These men and women are genuinely very friendly (and funny) while also being very serious about safety, conditions, procedures and aircraft maintenance. Through them we where able to get a plane for our lunch trip over Holland.

Vliegschool Hilversum
Vliegschool Hilversum

Tecnam P2002JF

It's a small plane with two seats, one for the pilot and one for a passenger. It's build from aluminium and it's powered by a single engine that's directly connected to a propellor.

Tecnam P2002JF - PH-TCM
Tecnam P2002JF - PH-TCM

Tecnam P2002JF Specifications

Tecnam P2002JF dimensions (source: Tecnam)
Tecnam P2002JF dimensions (source: Tecnam)
Rotax 912S2 engine with 100HP
Rotax 912S2 engine with 100HP

The plane is powered by a Rotax 912S2 engine with 100HP. It's a four-cylinder, four-stroke liquid / air-cooled engine that weighs about 60KG. It's fueled with normal car fuel, quite practical.

The flight

Using an iPad the flight plan was plotted from Hilversum (EHHV) to Texel (EHTX) over Noord-Holland and back to Hilversum over the Afsluitdijk, Friesland, Flevoland and Gelderland.

Flight route indicated in purple
Flight route indicated in purple

During the flight I used my camera to shoot some photos out of the canopy of the plane.

Loosdrechtse Plassen
Loosdrechtse Plassen
The Hollandse Brug (A6 near Almere)
The Hollandse Brug (A6 near Almere)
Marken, former Island in the Zuiderzee
Marken, former Island in the Zuiderzee
Marken from the west
Marken from the west
Middelie, with some colourful flower fields
Middelie, with some colourful flower fields
Fields with flowers can easily be seen from above!
Fields with flowers can easily be seen from above!
From above you can clearly spot buildings with solar panels, Smak Tulips near the N240, south of Medemblik
From above you can clearly spot buildings with solar panels, Smak Tulips near the N240, south of Medemblik
De Vlietlanden near Medemblik
De Vlietlanden near Medemblik
Medemblik (with the regattacenter in the top left)
Medemblik (with the regattacenter in the top left)
Flying to Texel (the Medemblik Kaapstander towers clearly in sight)
Flying to Texel (the Medemblik Kaapstander towers clearly in sight)

Once landed at Texel (EHTX) we borrowed a Renault Twizzy to get our lunch. Its a weird sensation being on Texel - which is a relaxed island in the Waddenzee - after leaving Hilversum, seemingly just minutes ago.

Renault Twizzy from Texel Airport
Renault Twizzy from Texel Airport

It's really weird to be able to travel so quickly by plane, no customs, no security check, no waiting lines. It's really unlike commercial flights. It's really feels like hopping in, taking off. After lunch we took off again for our return flight.

Texel from above, near Plassendaal / Westerkolk
Texel from above, near Plassendaal / Westerkolk
Chalets seen from above at Jachtlust Recreatie, Slufterweg 380, Texel
Chalets seen from above at Jachtlust Recreatie, Slufterweg 380, Texel
Westerkolk reflecting the sun light at Texel
Westerkolk reflecting the sun light at Texel
Passengership in de Waddenzee (near Texel)
Passengership in de Waddenzee (near Texel)
Stevinssluizen near Den Oever, part of de Afsluitdijk
Stevinssluizen near Den Oever, part of de Afsluitdijk
Den Oever
Den Oever
Den Oever with the soccer field from VV Wiron
Den Oever with the soccer field from VV Wiron
Flying over De Afsluitdijk from Den Oever to Friesland
Flying over De Afsluitdijk from Den Oever to Friesland
Lorentzsluizen at Kornwernderzand, Friesland
Lorentzsluizen at Kornwernderzand, Friesland
Makkumerdiep and Makkum beach, you can clearly see the differences in water depth from the sky
Makkumerdiep and Makkum beach, you can clearly see the differences in water depth from the sky
Beach Resort Makkum
Beach Resort Makkum
Windpark Noordoostpolder, near Lemmer
Windpark Noordoostpolder, near Lemmer
Urk, the former Island in de Zuiderzee
Urk, the former Island in de Zuiderzee
Industrieterrein Elburg, with the Flevomeer (top left) and Drontermeer (bottom right)
Industrieterrein Elburg, with the Flevomeer (top left) and Drontermeer (bottom right)
Dolfinarium Hardewijk (the blue dome in the center)
Dolfinarium Hardewijk (the blue dome in the center)
Zeewolde Strand
Zeewolde Strand
Bonshaven Zeewolde
Bonshaven Zeewolde
Bridge over Valleikanaal, near junction Holkerweg / Ringweg Koppel in Amertsfoort
Bridge over Valleikanaal, near junction Holkerweg / Ringweg Koppel in Amertsfoort
Stichting Dierenzorg Eemland doing major ground works near Soest
Stichting Dierenzorg Eemland doing major ground works near Soest
De Korte Duinen, Soest, seen from above
De Korte Duinen, Soest, seen from above
Egelshoek, near Hilversum
Egelshoek, near Hilversum
House seen from above near Hollandse Rading
House seen from above near Hollandse Rading
Ecoduct
Ecoduct "Natuurbrug Zwaluwenberg" over the A27 near Hilversum
A27 construction works near Hilversum where the unused connection to the never finished A80 is removed
A27 construction works near Hilversum where the unused connection to the never finished A80 is removed
Hilversum - with the radio/TV tower clearly visible
Hilversum - with the radio/TV tower clearly visible

Conclusion

We landed safely at Hilversum Airport and parked the plane near its hanger. In a way this is pretty much like parking your car.

Inside the Hiversum Airport control tower.
Inside the Hiversum Airport control tower.

Going out for lunch like this is awesome. My flight over The Netherlands also reminded me on how diverse this country is. It's connected and embedded in water like no other country is. It's beautiful and I feel privileged to have seen it from above.

The freedom of flying a plane where you define your own course is fantastic. I am already wondering what the next destination will be!

The sky is limit - or is it?
The sky is limit - or is it?

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