Greetings everyone! A friend showed my this forum. I am a pilot in the US, and I visit Albania each year to visit family (I’m of Albanian heritage). I’ve always thought wouldn’t it be nice to fly in the area? Unfortunately, not much info is available. At best I have outdated Jeppesen approach plates, Skyvector’s sectionals (which I find somewhat shady and lacking but thats just me!). I’m wondering if anyone has any information about the region. I have a friend who has a Cherokee in Macedonia as well as a flying club with US registered planes in Skopje, but I’m more interested in local procedures as the best I can find is an article from 2006 of flying IFR to Tirana. What are local procedures in the area? Does LATI have high GA fees (this article from 2006 indicates they do)? Are other airports in the country (There is an ex-air force base up north, Gjader and the UAE build an airport in Kukes) GA friendly? I have the same questions for Kosovo (BKPR, unless there are smaller airfields in the country).
Thank you all so much!
Have you seen this ?
http://albcontrol.al/al/
and this ?
http://www.ead.eurocontrol.int/eadbasic/eais-69AC0B28C65484EF5737E9867532D1EF/VTGW3CJ2KFUWS/EN/2014-05-29-AIRAC/html/index.html?show=eAIP/LA-AD-2.LATI-en-GB.html
Seems there is no other open airport in Albania except Rinas.Heard that compulsory basic handling is 150Euros except the airport fees.
MedFlyer, thank you so much for the link. EAD is very helpful, it looks like a PA28 shouldbt cost any more than 80€ for landing + handling which I guess can be accepted for landing at essentially… a class C airport? class B? I have no clue haha.
I think the 2006 article was mine 
I found ATC in Albania totally professional and speaking excellent English – as I have found them in subsequent years when overflying Albania.
I suggest giving the airport a phone call. This is from Navbox Pro
and I am amazed they show 100LL. That suggests there is more GA going in there these days.
There are some reports in german from pilots who were there. http://www.eddh.de/info/lande_pireps.php?pi_icao=LATI
I have been toying with the idea to fly to Tirana too. Jame çune Durrsak! (nga fshati grues)
The amounts you mention (150 €) are consistent with the amounts that were communicated to me a few years ago.
AVGAS may not be available.
Peter it was!!! Small world ahahah. Thank you I will! You should come again, its been nearly 10 years, Tirana has become much prettier and the countries developed more.
Flyer59 the PIREPS were very helpful. By searching on this forum, and according to Peters article I need a permit/authorization to fly into the airport correct?
Aviathor Jame çune Tirona, haha shume mire jan Shqiptare ketu! 150 euro seems pricey but oh well. Avgas not being available is annoyance but is fine with me.
The ex-Navbox data I posted says 100LL, and I checked the notams for LATI last night and it says nothing. Since Navbox gets its data from the AIP (and other places) and since LATI was widely known for having no 100LL for years, there might be a change… What does the AIP page say?
It was (from memory) 14 days PNR when I went there, but that’s crazy. It can’t be that today, surely…?
Maybe you can land here
Peter, what is a PNR? Google brings up nothing.
Also that is Gjader airbase up north. I’ve considered it haha.
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