Very nice travelogue. Only thing missing I would have like to see are runway lengths, conditions, fuel availability, and fees?
Thanks again sounded like a wonderful trip.
Since the airport did not stock AVGAS, I first went to Dubrovnik for refueling.
AFAIK they stopped selling AVGAS only this autumn. Hopefully they change their minds, the current notam extends until March …
When calling Dubrovnik tower, I was informed that Tivat would not take me VFR, apparently Tivat considered 8km visibility SCT 2300ft BKN 3000ft as not good enough for VFR.
That’s truly bizarre, especially under this conditions. But has an airport the authoritiy to deny VFR operations at all? After all, it is the pilot’s task to judge the weather situation.
People make up the rules as they go along it seems. My local airport in Hungary tells me if you take off VFR and want to come back I cant allow you to land cause its not really VFR. Its an uncontrolled pvt field with visibility about 1 mi ceiling none just haze. Certainly VFR in the pattern. Im not sure what would happen if I decided to return and land. After all they are not a real tower just “info”. Thats why youll never hear them say cleared for TO or cleared to land. The word they use is “the runway is free”. Can they close the field without properly trained weather observers with real instruments? In the US if you found your way to an uncontrolled field and landed it was up to you not unicom which is the same as european “Info”.
Only thing missing I would have like to see are runway lengths, conditions, fuel availability, and fees?
This is something I noticed myself when proof-reading. The text was written for a mixed audience, but possibly with a bias to non-aviators. I took care to explain aviation jargon or providing wikipedia links, but I did not note down enough practical information for the flying audience. I’ll try to keep that in mind next time. Thanks for the feedback!
Can they close the field without properly trained weather observers with real instruments? In the US if you found your way to an uncontrolled field and landed it was up to you not unicom which is the same as european “Info”.
The way I see this:
If you’re airborne, the “Flugleiter” (the person you speak with on an “Info” frequency) may provide you with information (that is relevant to the safe conduct of your flight etc.) but cannot issue clearances, i.e. cannot tell you what to do/what not to do in a binding way. They sometimes make it SOUND like they can and it is obviously generally good advice to follow their instructions, but if you don’t see fit, you don’t have to.
On the ground, AFAIK, the “Flugleiter” is indeed responsible for organizing ground movements – e.g. if you are told a parking position, you should follow that “order”. It’s still not a clearance, there’s no ATC here.
I’d also think that he could close the airfield without having to consult anyone. You could obviously still declare an emergency if you really need to land..
LYTV is controlled, so the “Flugleiter” discussion does not apply here. Do they have the authority to deny a VFR approach?
Do they have the authority to deny a VFR approach?
Now we’re getting into national rules, but generally ATC can’t refuse a clearance just because they don’t feel like it. Even if the traffic situation is difficult, they have to let you in eventually.
If the cloudbase at the airport is below 1500 ft or visibility below 5 km (could be higher depending on terrain), they could (and should) refuse to issue any VFR clearances. Special VFR would apply.
In the UK, from memory, every airport in CAS has an operations manual (I believe it is called MATS Part 2, and is commercially confidential; Part 1 only is published) in which they have the weather conditions under which they allow VFR ops.
I believe the ICAO default for an airport in CAS is 1500ft cloudbase. I recall being stuck at Biarritz LFBZ c. 2003 for several days (no IR back then) with a cloudbase just over 1000ft and they would not let me get out of there. They needed 1200ft back then. My guess is that LFBZ is 1500ft now.
As regards viz, I have no idea but VFR is 1500m, as of April 2012.
ATC can’t refuse a clearance just because they don’t feel like it. Even if the traffic situation is difficult, they have to let you in eventually.
On a mayday, sure 
