August I will be departing from Houston Texas and flying to Europe in a Cirrus Jet.
In my first post, I got a great deal of help and a lot of ideas from this community.
One user pointed me towards X-operations to assist with flight planning and coordination. Thank you for that recommendation. If anyone else has comments on international flight support organizations, please let me know. At €50 per landing, this seems like a pretty good option.
I think I have our overall itinerary set… if any of you have opinions on which airport offers a GA friendly environment, reasonable costs, and short drive times to city centers, etc… I would value your opinions!
Greenland
Iceland
Bergen
Gothenburg
Copenhagen
Wroclaw
Prague
Bratislava (maybe)
Ljubljana
Barcelona
Possible day trip to Minorca
Seville
Lisbon
Guernsey
Ghent (which airport do you propose)
Wick Scotland
And then back across…
Thank you!
Texan-AV8R wrote:
Gothenburg
What runway requirements does the Cirrus Jet have? If you can do with 1085 m (a bit more is available for takeoff), then Säve ESGP is the best choice for GA visiting Gothenburg. It is 20-30 minutes to the city centre by car (taxi). The airport is VFR only, but it does have a cloud break procedure for arriving IFR traffic with an MDH of 610 (day) or 1110 (night).
Säve does not have immigration, but if you arrive/depart from/to Schengen countries like Norway and most of the EU, then you don’t need it anyway. Säve also does not have customs, but on a private flight where you’re not carrying cargo or goods “under customs surveillance”, then you don’t need it. You do have to file your flight plan at least one hour before EOBT, though, and any changes to the EOBT must be made at least one hour in advance. (If you read the sections in AIP-Sweden regarding customs, you will find contradictory information on whether you need a customs airport or not. I have previously checked with the customs authority and the requirement to use a customs airport only applies if you’re carrying cargo.)
There are also an aviation museum, on the airport focusing on air defense/cold war. It is partly housed in old underground hangars. (The airport used to be an air force base.) They have lots of aircraft on static display and a whole bunch of simulators of various complexity ranging from the Bulldog over Viggen to Boeing 737. Unfortunately the museum is on the other side of the airport so you’d need to take a taxi. (Walking would take more than an hour.)
The alternative to Säve is the main airport Landvetter ESGG where you will get full service of everything including buses to town, but also compulsory handling, airport slots, high fees etc.
Texan-AV8R wrote:
Copenhagen
The airport of choice for GA is Roskilde EKRK. Very friendly and inexpensive. Instrument airport with customs and immigration, 1 hr PN. About 40 minutes by car to central Copenhagen, or you can go to Roskilde train station (10-15 minutes) and then a 25 minute train ride into Copenhagen.
Since Gothenburg to Copenhagen only takes 59 gallons of fuel, I can make do with 1000 meters.
(Usually I require 4000 feet assuming sea level and not full fuel… Higher altitude and fuel for longer travel distances make me look for 5000 feet at least)
Thanks for all the great information on Gothenburg…
And also… Looks like Roskilde is the place! Thanks!
If you can spare a few hundred € in fees LOWW is easy going with a nice VIP terminal.
On your way to LJLJ you fly right over LOWG so I’ll wave 👋
One of the best Airports for GA is LJPZ (Runway length 1200m/shy of 4000ft). They’ll pick you and your bags up with a golf cart, fueling is quick, fees are low. Spend a night in Piran or Portoroz or go for a day of swimming.
LDPL and LDZD are also easy going, typical airports with some scheduled/charter airline traffic.
I’d look into LIPZ, you can ride a private boat limo from the airport to downtown Venice.
In case your appetite for italy grows LIPN is another smaller airport, would need to check if they have jet fuel.
LIMF is again a standard airport but still with good GA service.
LIMJ was a bit chaotic but everything worked too.
For Spain:
LEBL appears to me to do everything they can to avoid private GA so be warned. Look into LELL instead.
Sounds like a great trip you have planned!
Hi Snoopy,
Thanks for the intel! My wife and I have hit Italy and Austria pretty hard over the last 20 years. Love both and can’t wait to go back… but this trip is focused on countries we’ve never been to before.
Portoroz was literally the last stop we dropped from out itinerary. I can’t wait to go but we are just running out of days.
I think several of those stops may be on our plan for next year… If I can talk my wife into doing this again…
Best!
V
For Ghent, Belgium: Kortrijk (EBKT) is your best option. Ostend (EBOS) also entirely possible. They both have customs & immi.
I can help for both.
I have gone back and forth between those two from weeks…
I’m going Kortrijk if that’s your advice!
Thank you Niner Mike! Once the flying part is set in (soft) stone… I would love to get your advice on best way to get into town, restaurants, top 3-4 things to do, etc.
EBOS has new beautiful GA terminal by NSAC https://www.ostendbruges-airport.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/07/General-Aviation-Info-Sheet-v09jul2019.pdf
It’s closer to Ghent than EBKT. Alternatively you can use Antwerp EBAW which is also easy and friendly.
