Mike, I would rather fly in a Quicksilver 500 ultralight naked to Norway in winter in severe icing, than submit myself to Ryanair. Trust me, after suffering through poverty and my formative years having flown them constantly, I can say to you with emphasis that the nicest thing about having more disposable income is that I never have to fly those bastards again. You just don’t have low cost carriers in the US like Europe has. Southwest is like Emirates compared to these. They’re abominable.
Take the MU-2.
I wouldn’t debate the economics – clearly that favours airlines. If you can fly from STN then prob not too bad but forget getting from Grantham to LHR or Gatwick.
All of the cities you have chosen are doable with GA. Costs will typically run about €100-200 at big GA airports with others less. Only ones more expensive are the major airports. I really wouldn’t agonise over planning every airport now. No destination you have listed needs more than a day or twos preparation.
I agree with using RocketRoute as sometimes autorouters (including theirs) don’t work and you need someone to call to get you a flight plan. Just decide whether you want the experience. It is expensive for sure but your property won’t be arbitrarily detained and I am sure you will enjoy it.
When it comes to the airport search AIP first, then their website then feel free to post a request for any local suggestions here.
AdamFrisch wrote:
Mike, I would rather fly in a Quicksilver 500 ultralight naked to Norway in winter in severe icing, than submit myself to Ryanair. Trust me, after suffering through poverty and my formative years having flown them constantly, I can say to you with emphasis that the nicest thing about having more disposable income is that I never have to fly those bastards again. You just don’t have low cost carriers in the US like Europe has. Southwest is like Emirates compared to these. They’re abominable.
Ryanair has a CEO who has constantly been insulting his passengers in the media. On the record. Things like calling people morons when they want refunds for cancelled flights. He actually seems to have taken a pride in it. Until some time a year or so ago when he said something like “If i had realised being nice would improve sales, I’d been nice all along”. That more or less says all about the company.
But apparently many people don’t care being treated like cattle for the company is doing really well.
AdamFrisch wrote:
Mike, I would rather fly in a Quicksilver 500 ultralight naked to Norway in winter in severe icing, than submit myself to Ryanair.You don’t need to tell me, I know. It is with some loathing that I consider this option. And it isn’t really the money, it is that they have a flight that fits the need timing and location wise. I basically found reasonable flights to all my destinations at times that would work reasonably well. In essence, if travel was the primary objective, I don’t need the MU2 to do that.
I can still spend money on aviation. Rent a Tiger Moth. More gliders. Maybe gets some Spitfire dual at Duxford.
Maybe I can rent a reasonable performance airplane to fly around in a bit and still do some Europe flying.
Mike C.
If you understand the concept of self loading luggage Ryanair are not that bad. Used them regularly for years.
I am based at Gamston EGNE. There is assistance there for flight planning and all that jazz, for a fee. PM me and I can give you the details.
Nice work guys scared another one away!
How are we now to pay for all the migrants if we dont have rich Americans to come here with their own plane?
But seriously. I have some friends coming from the US they will fly into Hungary and want to go on a guided bicycle trip in Romania. He asked me along and we decided to take Wizz Aire because it was 1/4 the cost of renting a car and a bit less ($300 less but divided by 3) than taking my plane. But the Wizz Air thought did not pan out because they only fly into the dest. airport in Romania 2x a week. The rental car was a bit cheaper than my plane but the R/T would have been18 hrs of driving. So I guess my plane is the one we chose to take. If the Hungarian Customs would be at all reasonable like in the US the plane would have beat out the car by a smidge. If we could get another to come with us on the masochistic yet scenic bicycle ride, it would be even cheaper.
So can someone explain to me how the hell can Wiss Air be so cheap? Yes I know limited luggage.
It took me only 2 hrs to get the information from the airport in Romania. They actually answered the phone (I spoke to the handling company) thru email gave me all the info. I think it was $140 for 10 days stay including everything . The handling was 35 Euros which is included in the $140 price in case you skimmed it and didnt take it in. I will use them even though handling is not required because they were nice efficient and cheap. 
Unlike that Italian airport near Venice which was a disaster. I would like to Trump those people. 
C210_Flyer wrote:
Nice work guys scared another one away!,I made an informed decision. I was not scared away. I just decided that the benefits did not justify the cost and effort.
How are we now to pay for all the migrants if we dont have rich Americans to come here with their own plane?
If I was rich, I wouldn’t have to worry about what it costs.
Mike C.
Europe would really have been straightforward for someone flying a MU2 IFR.
The problem is that if you ask people about things to watch for you will get the negative stuff up front.
This is correct because a “live and let live” approach will ensure you will fail in most of life’s endeavours and prob99 kill yourself in flying
But once you have taken care of the gotchas (which in IFR are hardly different to the USA in the context of a MU2) it all works out fine.
