Peter wrote:
Europe doesn’t have the US’s Class E down to a low level AGL).
Except Germany.
But I doubt Buckerfan was considering Germany, even though parts of it (thinking of the Rhine Valley bordering France) are both “warm” and “GA friendly”.
Then south of France maybe? Dordogne & Cote d’Azur are warm and very GA friendly and surely with less language barrier then 3h acess to the rest of Europe (or countryside) on PA46 (or J3) mounts !
Not sure if going to France is smart fiscale move (it’s not 
) but for some expats on the monthly payslip (those were not in France in last 5 years and staying max 8 years) it’s a good deal these days 
Maybe see if the guy who owns the little strip in Hvar in Croatia would sell it. Then you can lay the tarmac and build a house and we can all come and visit!
Stickandrudderman wrote:
Maybe see if the guy who owns the little strip in Hvar in Croatia would sell it. Then you can lay the tarmac and build a house and we can all come and visit!
That’s the best idea so far in this thread!
Peter wrote:
I think this depends on exactly which “mode” you want to run down there
Good point. And others have asked about language. I grew up speaking English (sort of – in Australia ). Moved to UK for university, New York (16 years) and Hong Kong (2 years) for career, then bailed out of the rat race. We moved to Switzerland on a whim, even though we didn’t know a single person there, to live in the mountains and work for ourselves. Learned french (sort of) to obtain my PPL and built and sold several houses there with my wife. Property became a second or third career for us. After 10 years moved to the UK and built and sold several more houses.
What I learned is that I enjoy picking up basic new language skills and that, fortunately, Therese is an outstanding linguist. Also, that buying an old property and rebuilding it is an excellent way of learning the local language and bureaucracy and starting to integrate too. Long way of saying that learning a new language is an attraction, not a prohibition.
Quotematthew_gbr wrote:
You have a J3 and a Malibu, what type of journey’s do you want to make from where you are based?
We use the Malibu to do 2 to 5 hour trans European trips 4 to 6 times a year; UK to Switzerland, Spain, Germany, Poland, Italy, plus some intra UK flying. It would be fun though to have a new IFR “axis” across the S of Europe. Ie from Portugal to the east of the Greek Islands and everywhere in between. The piper cub is simply because I was lucky enough to end up buying and fixing a mini “flying estate” in the English countryside, and I use it to go to the grocery (farm) store, visit friends locally, the pub or just generally to pretend I am a WWII “grasshopper” artillery spotter pilot. The cub is not a necessity in my new dream, but something like the Malibu, or the Jetprop version, would be.
Quoteaart wrote:
Have you considered becoming a “snowbird”?
Good idea. I prefer the mountains, or English countryside, in the heat of summer, so could base ourselves in the south, and move north for a couple of months each year. But have our tax residency in the South. A number of southern countries, Portugal, Italy, Greece and Malta for example, are trying very hard to be attractive to fiscal retirees. Spain sadly is not on the list. But @aart’s concept of Cat I and Cat II’s airports is interesting.
Peter wrote:
The country is full of lovely destinations and I would like to do a lot more of it.
I agree Peter. My only experience with Italy so far has been Venice Lido (a bit bureaucratic, but fantastic) and Roma Urbe (more bureaucratic, but very useful). However, thanks to @Nuccio’s fantastic posts, and also the excellent Locher PC12 videos, such as Locher Apulia PC12! I now understand that there are hundreds of small airfields in Italy, some of which are long enough for IFR aircraft.
I am going to keep on with this quest over the coming year and will keep you posted.
Thank you all again!
I would think if you are talking continental Europe, Portugal may well be the place. From what I hear the climate is moderately warm and politics not too bad.
If you are thinking a bit further, I would suggest the Canaries may well fit the bill, particularly if you are thinking of upgrading to a Jetprop.
Weather is warm throughout the year, infrastructure in most places is excellent and it is still EU albeit quite a bit more south.
Here is a suggestion if you are looking for a place close to Italy. There are two interesting options in Slovenia: Portoroz LJPZ on the Adriatic coast, a friendly airport with customs; and Divaca LJDI, a private base about 15 NM from LJPZ. Both can accommodate a PA46 and seemed to have hangar space last time I checked. I do not have the most current information about hangarage, but will be happy to find some contacts if interested. PM me for details.
I second that!
Snoopy wrote:
Move to Portoroz (Villa on hill)!
Having spent time in Trieste in mid-winter, and another time around this time of year having driven from Koper down the Adriatic coast, en route from Ljubljana to Zadar, I’m having a difficult time thinking of Portoroz as being a warm winter refuge! The Bora will be there waiting for you – and it’s cold.
Slovenia is great, the pocket-sized edition of Europe as a whole, but it’s not particularly warm in the winter.
My (very) personal choice for a European winter refuge would be somewhere in the area of Rome, San Felice Circeo maybe, plane based at Latina or ? Or at an aviosuperfiche like Sabaudia for a small plane. Still not warm in winter, but not cold and not Sicily-hot in summer.
Silvaire wrote:
I’m having a difficult time thinking of Portoroz as being a warm winter refuge! The Bora will be there waiting for you – and it’s cold.
According to Wikipedia, the daily mean temperature in Portorož in January is 4.7°C and the average high temperature is 8.6°C…
