The Eelde Airport (VOLE) and Mobilization for the Environment (MOB) Local Airport (MOB) have taken Airport Eelde to court because they would give too many teaching flights. According to the nature permit, 29,248 flights can take place on the practice circuit annually. Mob and Full state that this was many more in the period 2022-2023, namely 32,347.
“The nature permit means that restrictions are laid on the emissions of both noise and pollutants (for example, nitrogen),” explains Vol-chairman Jan Wittenberg. “We see that the number of circuit flights at Groningen Airport Eelde has increased in recent years. This is partly because there are more students at the KLM Aviation School and because the Martinair Flight Academy moved from Lelystad to Eelde in 2020.”
According to Vole and Mob, this too much flights ensure that nature in the GAE area is charged too much with noise and emissions of harmful substances. This includes the Natura 2000 areas Drentsche Aa and the Zuidlaardermeer.
With this lawsuit, the environmental organizations want to ensure that the nature permit is maintained and that the number of flights is reduced to the agreed number of 29,248.
The case came to court yesterday. According to Wittenberg, the airport and the Ministry of Agriculture, fishing, food security and nature denied that there had been too many flights about the practice circuit in Eelde. “Very strange, because this is just known,” he says.
Wittenberg also says that they are not allowed to view the radar racks, which indicate the course of an airplane. “Why do they do this,” he wonders aloud. The only reason would be because then it becomes clear that there is indeed an increase in teaching flights. “
Groningen Airport Eelde does not respond to questions about the case and says that the judge’s decision awaits.