Antonio wrote:
es that is the part I dont get: unless there is a bad need for the development (industrial, residential or otherwise) you will take for ever to get it back.
Well, if they are talking shopping malls and other stuff where the current airport is while using the current runway as a road…. additionally the current approach path goes right over a lot of houses and living space, which will be a lot better with the new runway. So there is a definite case. Real estate that close to airport and city is expensive and the site of the new airport is by now simply wasteland which needs repurposing anyway. So instead of putting something there with the airport cutting the new development off from the city, I guess the solution they chose is way better.
It is actually refreshing to see how a town government apparently has taken a really rational approach to this rather than what others have done in a similar situation. Then again, it also shows that aviation has a very different importance in Norway, where it’s critical infrastructure, than elsewhere, where it’s considered a nuissance.
Continuing on topic….
BODO & DAY 3: ROST
My overall Avinor airport and ATS experience was positively impressive. It is a bit like living in another (much more relaxed!) aviation planet compared to the rest of Europe. Avinor operates most of the med-large airports in Norway and the ATS system.
Eurocontrol does not seem to be relevant anymore, you just file a FPL with IPPC (I don’t know if it ever gets to Eurocontrol for domestic Norwegian flights) . Airborne they don’t seem to be too bothered whether you are IFR or VFR, but they are indeed strict on FPL submission notice period. You just need to figure the web interface, but it is quite straightforward.
As to airport access, as long as the airport is manned, it is very straightforward with very simple security procedures (you just walked out of an airplane, right? So you must know your stuff, just don’t mix yourself with the commercial pax coming out of that Wideroe will you?) .
Nothing of the complex fancy stuff we can have in Spain with mandatory handling or specific GENDEC form or detailed screening of everything going into your own airplane…either they are not subject to the same regulation (of course, they are not EU!!) or they are simply more trusting of GA pilots (and everyone in general) over there. It makes life so much easier!
Where did we leave it? We had just landed at Bodo. We found instructions on GA airside access & egress on the Avgas tank, at the edge of the GA apron.
Just outside (err groundside I mean) the airside gate there is a Self-Briefing room and toilet.
We took some light luggage, went groundside, and walked 5 mins to the terminal for a taxi to the Norsk Lufthartmuseum (it can also be a 30 min walk) . We pre-agreed for the taxi to pick us up at museum closing. We had been here 15 years prior and things were looking similar. The museum is quite impressive.
Highlights for me were the U2 (bringing Cold War memories) and the Starfighter, @LeSving you would know if there is still a civilian one at Bodo?
The assortment of weaponry, like the ubiquitous M61 fighter aircraft cannon
And the story of the civilian Junkers seaplane crash, which I don’t recall being there before
Also intersting the story of Amundsen’s North pole flights, first with the N25 &N26 Dornier Wal seaplanes in 1925
then with the Norge made in Italy airship in 1926
Of course no news of his rival Umberto Nobile whose rescue 1928 expedition lead to the loss of Amundsen, and that apparently Norway still blames Nobile for…That was the expedition that we commemorated on our trip of 15 years back.
These stairs
lead to a great view of the airport from the museum control tower
The view of 1960’s Spain from Norway
Strongly recommended to all GA visitors to Bodo.
A view of the city from the other side of the bay. The tall tower is our hotel.
Views of the whole city and surroundings from our hotel room.
A fish-centered exposition
Buildings built on pylons on the shore
It seemed everybody was taking advantage of the gorgeous evening sunshine (sun setting at 1030pm and rising 4 hours later by this time of the year)
The next morning we took a taxi back to the airport, refuelled and simply, went…to the Lofotens!! Almost as simple as that but for a small refuelling glitch.
The planning was easy since weather was seriously gorgeous and we just wanted to visit Rost ENRS and fly to our base-to-be-for-a-week: Svolvaer ENSH. We wanted full tanks at departure since there was no Avgas in the Lofotens and we wanted to be ready for whatever return plan was required. We just had to be mindful of the high landing weights (we would no longer be landing at a 10000ft runway like we did at Kiel).
ENRS opening times were tight nonexistant but we had the famous PFLY agreement in place so we could at least fly there legally. We just filed a couple VFR FPL’s for the two 60ish NM legs with one hour in between and would figure the rest enroute. We advised the Svolvaer rental car owner of our approximate arrival and she said car was parked near the terminal: just go and pick it up whenever we wanted. Everything seemed so easy!
Refuelling was not straightforward since once we figured how the self-refuelling machine worked, and armed with our AirBP card, supply stopped after having uploaded 100lts in one wing. The pump refused to supply any more. Initiating a new supply would not fix it. Notwithstanding POH limitations, I did not even dare to try and take off with such a heavy imbalance, plus I eventually would have to figure a way of fuelling to get back home anyway. There is a directory of airport and fuelling company numbers near the pump and we managed to speak to a person who came and checked that there was sufficient supply of avgas and it should work. I tried again and problem solved…I was fearing something worse. Anyway a total of 300 lt were uploaded and…off we went with a small delay!
Another heavy-weight take-off with nice views of Bodo, the airport, the old air base and the fjord just south (soon to be partially land-filled, as we learned above)
Some traffic management by Bodo TWR and soon we were on a climb 4500ft transferring to Polaris for the very short cruise DCT to Rost.
Polaris informed there would be no AFIS on our arrival (we knew) but were happy when we said we had a PFLY agreement in place.
We soon had the whole Lofoten chain and then Rost in sight
We raced the Bodo-Rost ferry . Care to guess the winner? Hint: no straightforward answer, mostly those versed in Norwegian GA flying may tell the correct one
Once closer we could identify Rost and the beautiful Rostoyan as the group of islands around it are called . Stavoya is the closest high one and Vedoya and Storfjellet the ones behind it and to the left, Rost is the big flat one.
What an otherworldly scenery!
We remained on the Polaris frequency (there was good reception with Polaris and they were happy to close the FPL for us once on the ground) intending to do blind calls on the AFIS frequency (as required in the training for obtaining the PFLY agreement) . The idea was to circle the island and the airfield then land. Since AFIS was closed maybe there was nobody at the airport and then we would have to figure how to exit the airport or maybe not exit…
Anyway one minute after our first blind call approaching Rost, less than 20 mins after take-off, we got a short call back not sounding like Polaris, but rather someone local (remember I was listening on both) I don’t recall what they said but it did not seem like an ACC call but rather an AFIS call. Since I was not looking at the radios or audio panel at the time I had no way of knowing which frequency the call came on but default was Polaris, right? Wrong . Anyway I made another “blind call” on AFIS and sure enough someone came back on AFIS. I thought AFIS was closed I said! “It is but since, even if off duty, I am around anyway I decided to take your call”. WOW, WOW, WOW and WOW again. Just like back home (not) . Back in Spain they would be more concerned on whether it would legal or not to take an AFIS call while off duty and if their insurance would cover and whether it is outside their contract and what liability they may incur and….I’ll stop right there and simply enjoy the easy Norsk flow…
Aha! Maybe there was hope and the AFISO can help us accessing groundside at Rost. No sir, “unable to help” was the response. “I am not physically located at Rost, I am back in Bodo. This is a remote tower. Please be advised there is currently a large flock of birds sitting near threshold RWY 02”. Wind was from the NE, around 8 KTS so favouring RWY 02. Remembering some movie scenes I did not want to overfly RWY 02 at low level as a runway clearing means before landing, picturing all birds sitting still until just about our overflight, then taking off straight into our flightpath…no way!. Obviously landing, short or long, straight on 02 was no solution. I thought I would do an approach on rwy 20 , accepting some tailwind and see if the birds were actually a problem or not, perhaps they would not be there by then. We flew a RH downwind (well, actually upwind), base and final, the birds still there, but at the other end of the 3300ft runway. I was mindful that this approach had to be on-speed and full flaps and landing on the numbers since we were near maximum landing weight (200lbs lower than MTOW on our 210), with a tailwind, and a potentially shortened runway. Mentally I was ready for a go-around and immediate turn rather than straight ahead since I did not want to go near the birds. On short final the birds seemed really far, I felt comfortable and called that I was proceeding with the landing. The view of the approach lights , breakwater and the runway so close to the shoreline is …well, I’ll let you figure your own adjective:
Other than a bit faster than usual , and a landing right after the numbers, it was uneventful. We slowed down to taxi-speeds well before mid-runway and then taxied on to get closer to the birds to try and scare them away.
They all flew away before we even got close.
The surface is grooved for improved braking performance with contaminated runway…these guys keep on using the airport through winter! Obviously it is a critical connection for the local community.
We backtracked to a deserted apron.
After ensuring our FPL was closed, we parked, shut down and enjoyed the silence only punctured by the singing of some seagulls and the distant rumbling of waves crashing on the breakwater we had just overflown. I can still close my eyes, breathe in, picture the smell of the clean and moist maritime air and remember the peaceful sensation as we exited the airplane. What a feeling!
We walked around the apron and it became clear that a) we were on our own and b) there was no evident way to access groundside. There were several lists of phones near the (Jet A-1) fuel pump but none that I could think would help. We called a couple with no answer and after a while we decided to call it quits and continue our flight to Svolvaer the long way through the Lofotens. We were eager to enjoy the airborne views and if we left now we did not need a new or delayed FPL: the one we had filed before would suffice. That would also give us time for a nice and slow arrival into our home-to-be at Austenesfjord, near Svolvaer. I was starting to enjoy the easy-Norsk-flow 😊
So, I am not sure I could say we really visited Rost: even though we landed before the ferry we only enjoyed the local atmosphere from inside the airport…so my take is that the ferry won the race… but I have ENRS in my logbook and the amazing views and feelings in my memory.
We boarded, fired up and went, not as easy as @aart at his airfield but almost…
I’ll continue the story of our pure Lofoten flight to Svolvaer on my next installment, I hope you enjoy.
Wow, Antonio, thank you for taking the time to produce such a great report!
Saturday morning. At least you aren’t interfering with my work this time!
You report is compulsory reading! Really enjoying your adventure. You’re fitting a lot more people into that 210 than Cessna ever envisaged! (Taking us all along). Thank you for sharing the adventure!
Once more, thanks for all the work done into making these flight reports. As we all know, it is one thing taking notes and pictures whilst on the road, yet another challenge to put all of this down to “paper”.
Though the scenes are familiar for me, my last visit there dates 10 years ago (…) and it is interesting to relive some of that thru your reports, thanks for that.
Pity you could not overnight on Røst, one of the most fascinating places in Norway, right at the end of the world. I agree that the kids could quickly become bored out, but I remember how we enjoyed the surreal and eerie quietness of the place.
How well, my guess is you still had some pretty good times during the rest of the trip 
PS
That is a shallow looking approach 
Antonio wrote:
Eurocontrol does not seem to be relevant anymore, you just file a FPL with IPPC (I don’t know if it ever gets to Eurocontrol for domestic Norwegian flights)
I’m pretty certain it does go to Eurocontrol (for IFR flights).
Antonio wrote:
As to airport access, as long as the airport is manned, it is very straightforward with very simple security procedures (you just walked out of an airplane, right? So you must know your stuff, just don’t mix yourself with the commercial pax coming out of that Wideroe will you?) .
Nothing of the complex fancy stuff we can have in Spain with mandatory handling or specific GENDEC form or detailed screening of everything going into your own airplane…either they are not subject to the same regulation (of course, they are not EU!!) or they are simply more trusting of GA pilots (and everyone in general) over there. It makes life so much easier!
That’s the usual situation in Scandinavia, but Norway is a notch or two better as they have solved the problem of GA access when the airport is officially closed. When there’s a will. there’s a way.
Antonio wrote:
you would know if there is still a civilian one at Bodo?
It’s still there. This summer it was taxiing outside the museum for a day or two, just for show. Their web site is here. Right now it is grounded as I understand. Something with the ejection seats. I don’t know what will happen to it when the military is gone. It was restored and is maintained by old military personnel.
Antonio wrote:
Back in Spain they would be more concerned on whether it would legal or not to take an AFIS call while off duty and if their insurance would cover and whether it is outside their contract and what liability they may incur and….I’ll stop right there and simply enjoy the easy Norsk flow…
They are not really off duty. With these remote towers one man can “control” several airports. You can get a “man in the tower” whenever you want (more or less). They do this for ambulance and police. For civil use you have to ask up front, and probably have to pay some fee. Don’t remember exactly what the AIP say. With these remote towers they also have radar (or WAM or whatever they use for any particular airport). This works 24/7 of course. They didn’t earlier. Earlier, when the guy in the tower left, it would be completely closed of course. When in Bodø the next time, I must remember to stop by this remote central, to see how it all work (if they allow people inside).
It has happened on a few occasions I have come earlier than the opening hours. I have transmitted blind, only to be welcome by an AFIS officer.
I think as of today about 10 towers are remotely controlled. It’s all very invisible for the pilot. No way of guessing if he/she actually is in the tower or not. But you can see it on the ground, these distinctly looking, rather small “towers”.
thought that the C210 was consuming more fuel. That’s really good for the speed delivery!
Dan wrote:
That is a shallow looking approach
Indeed: well spotted!
First the glide path angle you see is maybe half what you are used to, but that is an illusion because the picture is one frame from a wide-angle Garmin VIRB video camera. My guess is GP angle is about 3-4 degrees
Second: we did not follow the usual glidepath to the touch down zone, but to the start of the runway for a landing at the numbers: we aimed short. It was deliberate for the reasons stated above.
It is surely a special place to spend some time but you are right: the kids would be better off with the rest of our travel plan that this bit.
