I did it and now I am scared at the learning curve… I bought a Europa.
It is currently in the UK and I need to ferry it back to EDTY. It has been a while since I did a flight involving Customs and Immigration where I was P1. Things have changed, and also the aircraft is currently not 8.33Khz equipped and only has a mode A+C xpdr. I will be upgrading the xpdr in the few weeks after I get it back.
I want to check a few things: -
- Firstly VFR only, non-8.33 is not a problem until the end of 2017. - I have to route through France as it is PtF (Belgium constraint) and will fly through Class G, Class E and Class D airspace. Therefore Mode A+C should be no problem- In Germany I will enter via just north of the Zweibrucken area and stay below 5000 ft. Therefore Mode A+C should be no problem. (Watching out for the TMZs of course)
- I will leave the UK from either Popham, Denham, Elstree, White Waltham or High Wycombe (Depending on which friend I stay with on the overnight after flying from northern UK); these are all at least “Designated” Customs status (I think) and therefore (Here is the new bit for me) should be file the OnlineGAR at least 4 hours before departure and then go.
- For the time being a PLB with a GPS locator is sufficient for France and Germany in a G-Registered PtF. (I can not find anything other than a notice about change of service conditions for PLB/ELT carriage in Germany)
Then when I am here in Germany, as long as I stay below 5000ft and stay out of the TMZs I am ok. As said above I will install a Mode S very quickly and get that signed off, then I am free to move around Europe :)
Are my above assumptions correct? If so, I am good to go :)
My references are French AIP GEN 1.5 Para. 3.1.3: French AIC 001/2004: French AIC010-2008: German AIP GEN 1.5 Para. 4 Section 5: LAA Flying Abroad Leaflet
Then when I am here in Germany, as long as I stay below 5000ft and stay out of the TMZs I am ok. As said above I will install a Mode S very quickly and get that signed off, then I am free to move around Europe :)
Just tell German FIS/ATC you only have Mode C, they will happily accept you. Don’t fly a detour because of that! I once flew IFR in IMC from Berlin to Stuttgart without a transponder at all. Was OK with ATC, they wanted confirmation of altitude every 5 minutes or so.
For the time being a PLB with a GPS locator is sufficient for France and Germany in a G-Registered PtF.
Germany’s ELT rules are limited to D-reg aircraft.
I will leave the UK from either Popham, Denham, Elstree, White Waltham or High Wycombe (Depending on which friend I stay with on the overnight after flying from northern UK); these are all at least “Designated” Customs status (I think) and therefore (Here is the new bit for me) should be file the OnlineGAR at least 4 hours before departure and then go.
You don’t need customs as it’s EU to EU. You only need immigration which in the UK requires a GAR and works for all airfields, licensed or not. If you stop in France, you have to get immigration there, if you fly direct to EDTY you have to announce that you will arrive from the UK so that the Flugleiter can practise his serious look and demand to see your passport.
No GAR and no customs status required for your departure airfield in UK if bound for France.
What you do need to consider is that your landing place in France needs to have Immigration. Many French airports have x hours PN for that. Same is true for many of the smaller airfields in Germany.
No GAR required for a UK departure to the EU if everybody aboard is an EU citizen.
A good quick and easy stop in France for Schengen entry is Le Touquet or Calais (on that route, anyway). Nobody bothers to do anything at Le Touquet before they go there (except obviously the flight plan).
Welcome to aircraft ownership 
There are loads of owners here on EuroGA who will be extremely keen to pass on what they know!
Just curious – how far north is Northern UK?
Just tell German FIS/ATC you only have Mode C, they will happily accept you. Don’t fly a detour because of that!
It’s actually not much of a detour, just a decent. I just track north of the Zweibrucken TMZ. On your suggestion though I will keep in mind that I can ask for higher if I need to.
Flugleiter can practise his serious look and demand to see your passport.
That’s scary maybe I will stop in France… haha !
No GAR and no customs status required for your departure airfield in UK if bound for France.
Bosco, just to be sure what you mean, if I stop in France I do not need it? But would do if I flew to Germany direct?
Welcome to aircraft ownership There are loads of owners here on EuroGA who will be extremely keen to pass on what they know!
That’s what makes it a good Forum Peter!
No GAR required for a UK departure to the EU if everybody aboard is an EU citizen.
Nice, I will ferry her on my own probably. Then I can sit peacefully and enjoy my moment, and get to know her :)
Just curious – how far north is Northern UK?
North of the Watford Gap… (Jokingly – Are you guys still UK? – I will get my coat)
She is at a private strip near Selby, Yorkshire. So my plan is to fly down to London on a shorter flight on the first day I have her all to myself. Then leave early in the morning for the long leg home, so that I have a full day in case I need margin in working stuff out.
Bosco, just to be sure what you mean, if I stop in France I do not need it? But would do if I flew to Germany direct?
No, I just took France as an example. As long as your first landing is in any country which is both Schengen and EU, you don’t need an “exit GAR”. Haven’t we written this about 167 times here?
As long as your first landing is in any country which is both Schengen and EU, you don’t need an “exit GAR”
Why would the need for an exit GAR depend on whether the destination is Schengen?
The UK doesn’t care about Schengen.
One doesn’t need an exit GAR for say Croatia (EU, non Schengen).
The need to fly to a Schengen airport is purely for the benefit of where you are going to. If e.g. you want to fly from Shoreham to St Yan LFLN (no customs/immigration) you need to stop at say Caen or Le Touquet, as the Schengen entry.
Yes, you are right. I should have said “no outbound GAR is required for flights to any EU country other than Ireland.”
I should have said “no outbound GAR is required for flights to any EU country other than Ireland.”
As long as all persons on board are EU citizens, right?
