Thanks Guys,
I’ve been too busy enjoying San Sebastian this week to progress this
much further, but with all the replies noted, I wish to thank all for
the input. Cannot attend COPA because the trip is planned for last
two weeks of April and first week of May. Strongly agree with the
point that EasyJet destinations are better served by EasyJet than by
Private flight – however, the wife strongly wants to go to specific
ports. We are tempted by Venice, but will leave that to another trip
in preference to visiting Croatia where neither of us have been.
Greek Islands are very much on our list, and as long as the weather
allows, we would hope to take a couple of fuel stops in the area in
order to bounce around a couple of the less touristed islands (yet
including Santorini, as the CEO has strong thoughts about visiting
there as well).
Returning from Greece via Malta (never been), and then a fuel stop
that allows us to visit Sardinia (so Figari en route Olbia). Finally,
home via San Sebastian (which was absolutely delightful), but finding
fuel somewhere nearby (fuel cost Euro 2.53/l this weekend).
Planning on 25 hours max over 23 days. Fly, 2 days off, fly. Max
flying in a day should be no more than 3 hours.
Guernsey
Zurich
Split
Dubrovnik – fuel – Iraklion
Greek Island hopping
Malta
Olbia
Figari- Mallorca, or Girona, or Perpignan
Pyrenees tour to San Sebastian
La Rochelle/Dinard
Guernsey
pg,
All you need to know about Sardinia is here (use google translate).
Avgas is totally scarce in Sardinia. Essentially, you will only find it in Cagliari, and it’s among the most expensive in Europe. Landing is also something like 250€. People visiting Sardinia use either Olbia or one of the small strips around the country (especially Castiadas, San Teodoro, Platamona or Stintino, all fantastic places in summer).
Avgas is tankered at either Figari or somewhere on the Italian mainland (Terni comes to mind).
Re the general planning of such a big trip:
1. it all depends on exactly which season you are loking at
2. the secret of making it turn out well is to not overdo it. Some suggestions here are hillarious. Plan something which sounds reasonable and doable, then reduce the number of destinations and flying hours by 20-30%. That is about right and enjoyable, especially for non-pilot pax.
Actually, pondering this some more, here’s a thought: don’t go to places that are easily accessible by CAT. Many places in the Med are now so dirt cheap and easy to get to from the UK, that it hardly makes sense to fly your own airplane there (leaving the pleasure of flight aside for a moment!). I’d suggest you go to places that are much more (or only) accessible by private aviation, such as Evora and Coimbra in Portugal, Cordoba and Vigo in Spain, places along the Croatian coast, Elba in Italy, etc. There are AFAIK also some Chateaux in France with their own airstrip.
PG – if possible, worth considering joining myself and other Cirrus pilots on the COPA migration to Greece at the end of May. More details here…
https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/default.aspx?EventID=1786238
How good is your passenger on long overwater legs? You have a few in there that would make me think a bit about survival equipment etc.
Sounds like an epic trip. I am jealous!
Very nice, excellent route. If you include Venice (I agree with idea) use Nicelli Airport on Lido & you might consider Puglia after Greece.
Obviously missing from your list is Venice: San Nicolo as your planned destination, the main Venice airport or perhaps Treviso as alternate.
For myself I would not include so many Mediterranean destinations, I am afraid you are going to find them all boringly alike. Add salt to the dish with some historic cities (Prague? Dresden? but also the Spanish cities mentioned above).
Oh, and include Belgrade for affordable refuelling.
As already pointed out, “when” is an important factor – depending on your preferences. Myself would avoid tourist destinations in high season. So if the trip must be done in July-August, I would prefer smaller cities off the beaten track; given a choice, I would plan the trip in late September or so, when the worst crowding is over. Venice, though, I only found enjoyable in February…
If in high summer, an alternative might be a tour of the Baltic Sea – full of surprises! Visit Klaipeda, Riga, Gotland, Gdansk, and enroute enjoy Bremen, Hamburg, Copenhagen. Detour into Poland offers more variation, superb scenery of woods and lakes in the North, mountains in the South.
So far then…
ZRH; night stops and local Alpine flight?
Pula. Hire car to waterfalls, Split, drive back to plane
Dubrovnik. Nightstops.
Greece – TBD
Malta? Nighstops
Sicily for fuel
Sardinia – Olbia. Nightstops
Marbella – TBD
Spain / France / home.
Sounds more like 4 weeks already…
Before you wake up…. ;-)
It depends a bit on the time of year and if you’re more into cities or beaches. If you can do this outside the main summer tourist season and heat, I would add Rome and southern Spain (Seville, Cordoba, Granada) and possibly a swing through Morocco to the mix. Portugal is definitely worth a trip.
In Sardinia stop at Olbia (LIEO)
