North Sea Island cargo delivery. Helgoland express | SWS | Kodiak 100 | XBox X | 4K | SU5.1 | HDR10

Pre-Flight at Norddeich (EDWS) The morning sun reflected off the tidal flats surrounding Norddeich Airfield as I completed the exterior pre-flight walkaround on the Daher Kodiak 100. Today was a clean repositioning flight - no passengers, no cargo - just flying out to Helgoland-Düne (EDXH) to position the aircraft for an afternoon passenger charter back to the mainland. The Kodiak stood tall on its high-clearance, rugged landing gear. I checked the PT6A-34 turboprop intake, verified pitot covers were stowed, visually inspected the fuel drains, and ensured the life raft and emergency equipment were secured in the cabin. Operating a single-engine turboprop over the open North Sea always demands strict attention to oceanic survival gear. Before stepping up into the cockpit, I pulled up the latest METARs on my tablet. Because Helgoland-Düne does not issue its own automated METAR, standard procedure for the German Bight relies on nearby naval and coastal reporting stations such as Cuxhaven/Nordholz (ETMN) and Wittmund. METAR: ETMN 100920Z 33014KT 9999 FEW035 19/12 Q1019 Weather Summary: Wind: 330 degrees at 14 knots. Visibility: 10+ kilometers. Clouds: Few at 3,500 feet. Temperature / Dewpoint: 19°C / 12°C. QNH: 1019 hPa. Condition highlights over the Wadden Sea were stellar VFR: a crisp North-Northwesterly sea breeze, scattered cumulus, and excellent visibility. Engine Start & Departure Sitting in the left seat, I switched on the Master Battery, initiated the Garmin G1000 NXi avionics boot sequence, and cleared the prop area. 1. Starter engaged: Spooling up N1 past 14%. 2. Condition Lever: Introduced fuel to Low Idle. 3. Engine light-off: Smooth ignition; ITT stabilized well within limits, and oil pressure climbed smoothly into the green band. After setting QNH 1019 hPa and calling Norddeich Info for wind and taxi approval, I released the park brake. The Kodiak rolled smoothly onto Norddeich's grass runway. With zero passenger weight and a light fuel load, performance calculations indicated a ground roll of under 600 feet. I lined up on the runway, advanced the power lever to takeoff power, and felt the 750 shaft horsepower push me back into the seat. At 55 knots, gently back-pressuring the yoke lifted the Kodiak into the air cleanly before reaching the half-way mark. En Route Across the North Sea Climbing to 3,000 feet, I cleared the coast and trimmed the aircraft for cruise. Below, the Wadden Sea extended out in a mosaic of sandbars, shallow gullies, and the barrier shapes of Juist and Norderney. Transitioning over open water, I routinely cross-checked engine instruments - torque, ITT, fuel flow, and oil temperature - and established contact with Langen Radar for flight information service. Cruising at 160 knots true airspeed, the trip across the German Bight toward Helgoland takes barely 12 minutes. Ahead, the red sandstone cliffs of Helgoland Island rose sharply out of the dark blue North Sea, with the low-lying island of Düne sitting just to its east. Approach and Landing at Helgoland-Düne (EDXH) Helgoland-Düne (EDXH) is notorious among European pilots for its extremely short runways and unforgiving coastal winds. Runway 33: 371 meters (1,217 ft). Runway 03/21: 480 meters (1,574 ft). With winds reported from 330 degrees at 14 knots, Runway 33 offered a direct headwind. I initiated a descent over the water, lowering the first notch of flaps (20 degrees) to bring airspeed down to 85 knots while turning onto a wide downwind leg around the main island. Turning final over the sea, I configured the Kodiak for a short-field landing: Flaps: Full (35 degrees). Propeller: Full Forward. Target Speed (Vref): 62 knots. The threshold of Runway 33 starts practically at the water’s edge over the beach. Crossing the threshold with precise airspeed control, I eased the power lever to flight idle and flared gently. The Kodiak’s trailing-link landing gear touched down softly on the short strip of asphalt. Immediately upon touchdown, I lifted the power lever back into the Beta range and applied gentle reverse thrust. The combination of full reverse pitch, heavy braking, and light aircraft weight stopped the Kodiak effortlessly with plenty of runway remaining. I taxied onto the apron, parked facing the small terminal tower, and performed the turbine cool-down checklist before shutting down the PT6A. With the prop brought to a standstill, I opened the pilot door to the crisp, fresh North Sea salt air - ready to await the afternoon charter passengers.