Frequently asked questions

For scheduled flights, the operator is required to send a request for a winter or summer schedule at least one month before the start of the respective winter or summer schedule. For non-scheduled flights, the operator is required to send a request at least 48 hours in advance (not counting weekends and bank holidays).

TRACON only issues block permits for Bonaire, St, Eustatius (Statia) and Saba.

If the flight is delayed beyond 48 hours, or is advanced, in case of a change of aircraft, a change of flight number, a change of operator, wetlease/subcharter construction, etc., a change of permit is required.

Applications or scheduled flights to Bonaire and Statia should be filed one month prior to the start of the applicable IATA winter/summer season  For unscheduled flights applications should be filed 48 hours in advance (not counting weekends and bank holidays). However, the lead time of 48 hours is only valid in case the aircraft has been approved by the Civil Aviation Authority (ILT) beforehand. Since Saba is closed for regular operators, it is only possible to operate to Saba, if an exemption has been granted by the Civil Aviation Authority (ILT).

Please fill in the application form. The following information should be available:

• name of the operator
• type of flight
• routing
• date of operation and ETA/ETD
• flight-number
• aircraft-type and registrations

Permission is not necessary for private, positioning, ferry, delivery, maintenance and test flights. Please check whether a permit to fly is required on the airworthiness exemptions page.

Permission or notification is not necessary for private, business and commercial flights with a combination of an MTOW of less than 45 tons and a configuration of less than 20 passengers.

A permit is not required for fuel stops and technical stops, on the condition that the aircraft and the operator meet all the requirements of ICAO and EASA and that the country of origin of the operator is registered in IASTA.

Only for an operator originating from a country that did not ratify the International Air Services Transit Agreement and in case of flights with dangerous goods category ‘forbidden forbidden’.

Yes, permission is required, as well as an exemption from the Dangerous Goods department. More information can be found on the dangerous goods in aviation page.

In the EASA TCO database, the operator, aircraft, as well as the authorization to transport Dangerous Goods needs to be approved by EASA, before it is possible to transport Dangerous goods to The Netherlands. An exemption is required from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) the Netherlands in the case of the category Forbidden/Forbidden Dangerous Goods. In that case the operator is requested to have an exemption from the CAA NL, before the permit from TRACON can be obtained.

A state/VIP flight is a flight for which diplomatic clearance is required and for which the Foreign Office is responsible. A state flight refers to an aircraft operated by a government for sovereign, non-commercial purposes, such as military, customs, and police services.

For The Netherlands, an EASA TCO authorization is required and the valid insurance documents have to be uploaded in the EASA TCO database. No further documents are required, unless the application is for Bonaire, Statia and Saba. For Bonaire, Statia and Saba, the following documents should be sent to TRACON for inspection:

Documents BES small aircraft (below 5700 kg and less than 19 pax)

1. Copy of Air Operators Certificate (AOC)
2. Copy of airworthiness and registration certificates
3. Copy of insurance certificate in compliance with EC Regulation No. 785/2004
4. Statement, by the government, that the aircraft complies with the requirements about FM immune radio and nav equipment as specified in ICAO Annex 10, Volume I, Section 3.1.4, 3.3.8 and Volume II, Part II, Section 2.3.3
5. Statement about the carriage of Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System
6.    (EGPWS)or equivalent on board the aircraft, as required by ICAO Annex 6, Part I, 6.15. (if installed)
7. Copy of Operations Specifications with the authorization for GNSS Operations.
    

Documents BES large aircraft (above 5700 kg and more than 19 pax)

1. Copy of Air Operators Certificate (AOC)
2. Copy of airworthiness and registration certificates
3. Copy of insurance certificate in compliance with EC Regulation No. 785/2004
4. Statement, by the government, that the aircraft complies with the requirements about FM immune radio and nav equipment as specified in ICAO Annex 10, Volume I, Section 3.1.4, 3.3.8 and Volume II, Part II, Section 2.3.3
5. Statement about the carriage of Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System (EGPWS)or equivalent on board the aircraft, as required by ICAO Annex 6, Part I, 6.15. 7.
6. Copy of Operations Specifications with the authorization for GNSS Operations.
7. Statement, that the aircraft is equipped with ACAS II version 7.1
8. Statement, that the aircraft is equipped with ADS-B

This is only possible for emergency cases, such as AOG or humanitarian flights.

• Aruba
  Department of Civil Aviation Aruba is Sabana Berde 73-B, Oranjestad, Aruba. Telephone: (+297) 523-2665
• Curaçao
  Curaçao Civil Aviation Authority
  Seru Mahuma z/n, Edifisio Siegfried Fransisco, Mahuma, Curaçao
  Telephone: (+5999) 839-3319
• St. Maarten
  Sint Maarten Civil Aviation Authority is Department of Civil Aviation & Shipping and Maritime, Airport Road 69, Simpson Bay, St. Maarten.
  Telephone: +1 (721) 545-2024 or +1 (721) 545-4226

For route permit applications for Aruba, St. Maarten and Curacao, you are requested to send an application to the respective authority.