what_next wrote:
2000m of runway
If I were like a lot of people I would say I dont need 2000m. 1000m is all I need so bury the rest.
There are lights today whose bulbs cost a lot less than 80 Euros. But Im not going to argue that. It is rare that you would need lights during the day. Unless its 400’OVC and/or less there is no need to have a rabbit leading one in. However in Augsburg if you come in at night you have to pay for the lights. Fair enough. But you know what the cost is ahead of time. The bigger the airport the more lights and higher the cost.
In the US 1/2 the small airports would go away without providing additional services. Did the airport your mentioning ever go to the town or village govt to seek help in the fact that the airport brings in business (Euros) into their community? Perhaps one handwashing the other might be of some help.
But once again this is a distraction from the topic of being charged an IFR enroute fee disguised as an IFR Approach fee.
That’s not correct. You filed an IFR flight plan, which was transmitted to the airport, so you were an arriving IFR flight to them. Then you cancelled IFR but unfortunately they still charged you.
I admitted that it’s unfortunate that they still charged you. I am sure that it’s not a “money making scheme” though, that’s really a bit unfair, they are really nice folks down there. I am sure you will get the € 4,20 back if you talk to them.
(Only about 40 percent of all German highways have no speed limit, all federal roads are 100 km/h and it’s 50 in towns)
Peter wrote:
More importantly, that person clearly doesn’t care about attracting traffic.I wonder if the management knows about it? I would send them a letter.
The management had given the order. The employees ( German Flugleiter) must follow the instructions although they do not see this as correct.
Isn’t it nice that aircraft under 2000 kg pay no airway fees? I think so.
@highflyer
While you might not like it (which i don’t either!) the AIP says the Airport opens at 7. Did you ask them if you can take off without a PPR fee and before 7?
I would say you made a mistake, not the “Flugleiter”
1000m is all I need so bury the rest.
OK. But this will take away all the above 5 ton aircraft from that airfield each of which pays 200 Euros for a landing and another 100 Euros for the instrument approach. This will leave the airport with people like yourself who pay 8,90 Euros per landing and expect the instument approach to be a gratuitous bonus. They will have to close their field tomorrow then…
Did the airport your mentioning ever go to the town or village govt to seek help in the fact that the airport brings in business (Euros) into their community?
Yes, they did, and they even got subsidies for a couple of years. But this being in eastern Germany, tax money is not in plentiful supply and required to patch one hundred more important holes than providing rich boys with a free playground.
what_next wrote:
one hundred more important holes than proving rich boys with a free playground.
Thats the whole mind set issue. Its not about toys but an alternate form of transportation. If you guys were around when the horse and buggy were being replaced by the automobile we would still have dirt roads and horses and buggies along with a few rich boys and their cars.
…If you guys were around when the horse and buggy were being replaced by the automobile
If my historic recollection is correct, “we guys” were the ones who invented both the automobile and the aeroplane (Lilienthal) 
Alexis wrote:
Then you cancelled IFR but unfortunately they still charged you.
Nothing unfortunate about it. Ive argued with them about it a few times after you and I had that flight. It is their policy to charge for any flight which has filed an IFR flight plan in or out. They bought this computer program with this in mind. They basically said, in order that they can charge their IFR approach fees and now departure fees that nobody sneaks in. Was the way one guy put it. Thats when I said why dont they just put up cameras and retire all of you since the cameras can do it for less overhead. They didnt like that but all I was trying to do was to give them advice for making the airport more profitable for the city of Straubing. Alexis wrote:
they are really nice folks down there
Never said they weren’t nice. But they are greedy and trying to circumvent the system.
Alexis wrote:
I am sure you will get the € 4,20 back if you talk to them.
So to finish its basically an enroute fee which they cant call it that so they say its an IFR approach or IFR departure fee. They cant even call it an IFR arrival fee cause Im arriving VFR.
what_next wrote:
“we guys” were the ones who invented both the automobile and the aeroplane (Lilienthal)
Yes but if it wasnt for American genius like Henry Ford 1/2 the population would still be using horse and buggy because only rich would be able to afford cars. Since there would only be rich men’s toys nor would any road paving take place. 
Ok gotta hand it to you Germans your great engineers. Going to the Aero gives me hope that there are still dreamers out there that will advance aviation in spite of the jealousy and greed that pervades the thinking of the powers that be. “If you can afford an airplane you can afford to (pay) get socked.”
