Flying to Iran - a good idea?

Not sure… I thought that all 414s had five round side windows, but I could be be wrong. Anyway, it certainly needs some decent gas. EDIT: just checked, it’s a C402.

Oh, and I remember that Adam sold his Twin Commander to Russia, so yes, old types seem to be “popular” there.

Coming back to the topic of “how to get to Iran on Avgas”, I just checked Rocketroute for the routing from Ankara to Tabriz (Turkey is within the IFPS zone, Iran is not), and it seems that there is a very decent airway routing, which is only a little more than 650 miles long. Also, the highest required FL there is only 170 (unless the weather dictates a higher one obviously, which may well be possible). In good weather, this looks like a very scenic flight.

So not a real problem. One would just have to find a way to avoid the handling fees Tabriz. Maybe a local could help with that. Maybe Hossein, but where is he (hopefully the Geheimpolizei hasn’t taken him )? Another option would be to go to a different airport of entry in the northwest of Iran with 100LL, but I don’t think there is one.

Obviously they are all running on 100LL here – my curiousity was about what they run now in the areas where they were originally built to operate, to include Ukraine etc. It stands to reason that as you and boscomantico have said there was (is?) something other than 100LL spec fuel supplied for them…

As a representative of a country that used to be a part of USSR I can tell you the following.

All the remaining Soviet/Warsaw Pact machinery in the airfield I am based at is using 100LL nowadays. This consists of a YAK-18T, a couple of Wilgas (with the same MP14 engine de-rated to 260 HP) and a visiting YAK-52. The Lithuanian aerobatic team is flying their YAKs and SUs on 100LL. The avgas back in the Soviet times was 130 octane with a LOT of lead in it. I recall the posters that instructed to wearing respirators when handling aviation gasoline. Not that anyone would pay any attention to that, of course.
When I was doing parachute jumping back in 1994 in EYPO the AN-2 the club used was being run on 95RON gasoline from the nearby gas station. These were the “dark times” following the independence and there was no Avgas available at that time. I still remember the impressive cloud of smoke that particular AN-2 produced on the first start of the day…

Had I got the money I’d buy one tomorrow, but 300 liters avgas per hour, or one full fuel of 1200 liters and 100 liters oil…. nope, not for me.

I though it was around 170 liters per hour at 100 kt cruise. At least a guy who operates, maintains and sells them at EYKL told me so. The fuel they use for their AN-2s is 100LL.

Another interesting place in the region is Armenia. Been there for work recently (on CAT, alas!), pleasant and worth a visit. No idea about Avgas, though.

PS: came across this writeup.

Bosco, not sureyou saw this. Any reason you couldn’t go Batumi – Burgas direct to avoid landing in Turkey all together.

I guess you mean Burgas – Batumi? Our destination for the day was Tbilissi (not Batumi). So it didn’t make much difference if we stopped for fuel at Samsun or at Batumi, but we figured that Samsun would be less expensive and easier. It also split the flight to Tbilissi in two halves, which was good.

In hindsight we probably could have gone Burgas – Tbilissi direct and that would have been the most elegant way. But we didn’t really fancy 4.5 hours non-stop in that 210.
Also, by the time the flight was planned (and the permits requested), we couldn’t know what the winds would be like on that day, so in the planning phase, Burgas -Tbilissi was stretching it a tad too far. I am always very cautious with fuel.

Oh, and the stop in Samsun was not too bad. After refuelling, we had a fine turkish lunch at the airport restaurant on the first floor of the terminal. As we finished eating, the tower man came down to our table and brought us our flightplan acknowledgement and some weather.

Fair enough. I just thought it might be easier to avoid turkish permits particularly if in a N-register.

No. Even for a mere overflight, a permit would’ve been required nonethless. But it is no big deal.

Achima

If you want to use an Avgas burner think about pairing with a tip tanks equipped Comanche 250/260 owner. The Comanche carries 90gl as standard (86 useable) with the tip tanks you have 120gl. In my Comanche (260C) I saw (@ 65%) 142kts, 12gl/h at 2000’, this was achieved without aggressive leaning. I have heard of an owner who claims 140kts at 10gl. prob. at the F.L’s

Ben

Hello Dear Mr. achimha,
its very nice to decided to have a trip to iran by your airplane.i hope you cant manage it and do it.
first of all its the link of Iran EAIP: http://www.airport.ir/ais/Pages/Home.aspx
about fuel its one of the most important thing that you have to consider for traveling in iran.because the Avgas fuel is more worse to find than 2011 !all flight school were shut down for one or 2 month at the first of 2013.all because of we use piper as training aircraft and they didnt have any Avgas to burn… :)) but situation getting better.Iran Patrol product Avgas and the flight schools did breath again, :P you can ask simply by telephoning to Airport for type of fuel…some airport is base of flight schools.maybe you can ask them to provide Avgas.i can ask my flight schools for providing Avgas for you.but no guaranteed. i will do my best to help you in this.and as i know there is another flight school in Tabriz that maybe can provide you fuel.(i have a friend there and i can ask him)

Our flight school Base airport is in Payam International Airport (OIIP) its most use for cargo flights and training flights.but you can land there (i can ask it too)
maybe our flight school can handle your some basic technical maintanace and … we have very good maintenance here.

my friend.you can find mogas here.but most you should have local person that can bring fuel from gas stations out of airport (we usually bring mogas fuel from outside of airport,i have to ask for you)

In Iran 95% of aviation communication commenced in English language.
but if you ask for people who living in the cities i have to tell you that most of educated people can speak english with you.and few non-educated people either.but i recommended find some friend in whichever city you want to go.in tehran and karaj i can handle your regular needs.i can set free my times during you stay in tehran.my family is in mashhad so if you wanted to go to mashhad i can be with you.

i suggest entering iran from north visiting tabriz and then rasht and Tehran and arrange a flight to south of iran in for example Kish Island after that leave iran to destination Dubai and Kowait or Qatar,Bahrain.during your trip to south of iran you can have visit Isfahan City and Shiraz City In Iran at midway of the route…which is beautiful.

what is your Aircraft Endurance?

about money you have to call them and make sure of the exact prices.its better.( and read IRAN EAIP GEN4 as i gave its link to you)
most of iranian people is friendly to tourists.

for Mehrabad airport you cant land there.because its now use as domestic flights and EXTREMELY prohibited area is near it(at right of airport).(Its mark as restricted area but its one of the MOST prohibited area to fly(after 11 sept NY accident,that accident was affected to rebuild security systems in iran and all country around the world.),so i sure they wont permit you to land there.about Imam Khomeini Airport (OIIE) its so so.they may permit you to land there but i think it will be costly.but if you can land on Payam international airport it will be less cost for you and its near Tehran.(i go there every day from tehran for flight training…)

if you need any more information please let me know.i will do my best to show my beautiful country to people around the world.especially aviation men…
And see this page too.for iran airport.its useful.but for sure check AIP,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_airports_in_Iran

Hossein.