• NAVRO proposal of the regeling modelraketten (in Dutch).
• Collective proposal of the rocket clubs of the regeling modelraketten (in Dutch).
• The final regeling modelraketten (75kB .pdf file; in Dutch).

Finally! From 29 November, 2006 the "regeling modelraketten" (regulation for rockets) is effective. Now it is possible to legally launch "modelraketten" (literally it means model rockets, but it legally non-professional rockets) in The Netherlands. The usage of airspace by model rockets, HPR rockets and amateur rockets is now legalized. It was illegal to use the airspace for these types of rockets before, as they were legally non-aircraft (except for the airspace at restricted area's as the ASK).

Getting this regulation through was hard. The "regeling" has a long and laborious history! It started like this:
Early 2000 the DRRA, NAVRO, NERO and Tripoli The Netherlands were approached by the Rijksluchtvaartdienst (RLD, the Dutch aviation authorities), because the RLD was getting more and more requests for approval of launches, the RLD thought it was desirable to consult the chairmen of the four rockets clubs. This consultation took place on 3 January, 2001. It was decided then and there that a regulation was needed for usage of airspace by rockets in The Netherlands. The four rocket clubs were recognized by the RLD as authorities on amateur rocketry and the four chairmen were therefore were requested to make a regulation, modelled on the "regeling modelvliegtuigen" (model aircraft regulation). This unique opportunity was gratefully accepted.

The NAVRO soon made a proposal of the regulation. In February, 2001 this proposal was offered for review to the chairmen of the three other clubs. Following several meetings between the chairmen who consulted their members, the final proposal of the regulation was ready early April, 2001 and presented to the RLD. These meetings were constructive, but were sometimes very laborious.

Then began a period of discussion between the chairmen and the RLD. To ease these discussions, a representative was chosen to speak on behalf of the chairmen of all rocketry clubs to the RLD. It soon became apparent that the RLD required that a "modelraket" user could show an altitude calculation of the rocket before a launch. The NAVRO then reworked an old calculation method, originally for programmable calculators, in a spreadsheet (Excel). Using the new calculation method, which was named Altical, it is possible to make a relative simple and precise altitude calculation of a rocket. Altical was approved by the RLD for use with the regulation. Some other remaining items needed attention. Due to the fact that during 2001 the RLD was reorganized and renamed as the "Nederlandse Luchtvaart Autoriteit" (NLA) and a year later yet again reorganised as "Ministerie van Verkeer en Waterstaat divisie Luchtvaart" (MvVW), it was as late as early July 2003 that a MvVW-proposal of the regulation appeared which the chairmen of the rocket clubs could evaluate.
Now the concluding consultations could start. However due to the busy agenda of the MvVW there was little progress. Also, priority of the "regeling modelraketten" wasn't very high. Other cases like an investigation into the approach lanes of Schiphol (our biggest airport) had of course a much higher priority! Also, after another round of negotiations, was the revised regulation to be evaluated by the Ministry of Defence, a juridical department and several other concerned organizations. In other words, the revised regulation was some two or three months in circulation, before it returned to the MvVW. At our end things weren't as smooth. The function of representative changed three times. This certainly resulted in more delay and didn't do us any good! All well, 25 October, 2006 the final regulation appeared, which after a little more than a month became effective. A very important and significant historical moment for rocketry minded Dutchmen! It was a long time in the making but we succeeded. From the end of 2006, the airspace usage by model rockets, HPR-rockets and amateur rockets is finally legal.