Just landed in Italian Toscana after fly-in. As recommended, we flown through Portoroz, refueled there and passed immigration. Flying over Italy is funny and not stressfull at all. Very responsible ATCs. We’ve landed at small beautifull airfield in Toscana, between montains. Weather was almosft good except few developing CBs north of Rimini.
Unfourtunetely, my starter is broken. Fortunetely, I found this just after landing while attempted to start to taxi to parking area. So, perhaps, we’ll stay in Italy longer then planned.
@Commander That’s the main advantage of Cessna – high wing and you can just open the window and take a lot of clear and sharp images :)
Overall, it was realy nice to meet all of you! Great experience exchange. And just lot of realy nice people!
Unfourtunetely, my starter is broken. Fortunetely, I found this just after landing while attempted to start to taxi to parking area. So, perhaps, we’ll stay in Italy longer then planned.
Sorry to hear this. I’ve had this twice in a C172 and there can only be a handful of reasons. In most cases, it is simple to repair and inexpensive but the right person has to do it. I would therefore only have it repaired where I am sure to find the perfect person to do it. Unless the starter adapter is broken so that it turns the starter all the time when the engine is turning, you can easily start the C172 by hand (best is to have somebody familiar with the technique demonstrate it and be very careful about it) and continue your flight to a good maintenance shop.
Best is to follow the following trouble shooting list:
1) does the starter adapter relay (solenoid) click when you engage the starter?
2) if the solenoid does not trigger, is there voltage at the coil when you engage it?
3) if the solenoid does not trigger and there is no voltage, is there voltage at the key lock pin when engaging?
4) if the solenoid triggers, is there voltage at the starter motor contact?
This allows you to determine if the solenoid, your key lock or the starter motor is broken. Solenoids are cheap, sometimes they work again when you hit them.
I bet he does it remaining VMC for the whole trip as a result of an in flight diversion via Sweden but is met by special branch at EGKA saying his GAR was emailed to the wrong address.
Knowing Peter, he will definitely not enter IMC with today’s weather so he might end up landing in Italy and fear confiscation of his airplane
I am running around so can’t match the above heavyweight contributions to knowledge 
We did spend a lot of time in IMC but it was mostly thin, or the temperature was too low to get ice. However in the later stages over Belgium we did get too much ice and had to drop to FL080 and later FL070. There was almost no turbulence. It was one of the most difficult flights I have ever done.
Jason is right about one thing though: we did get picked up by the police at EGKA, who wanted to see the passports, outside in the pissing rain. They said there was no reason for the check other than routine, and I had filed a GAR.
Peter,
It’s a bank holiday, so the People who turned up at EGKA wanting to see your passports will be being paid ‘double-bubble’ overtime…
Which fits with my perception of the world.
There does seem to be an increase in border surveillance at GA airfields, either a temporary concern or just more resources devoted to the task based on a perceived security gap.
Most GA fields have a very good relationship with border police, perhaps the old fax system worked better!
@Peter
What routing did you use and what was your exit strategy in case off over the Alps?
How long were you over the alps?
What routing did you use and what was your exit strategy in case off over the Alps?
The routing flown was the black line
The exit strategy is a GPS running Oziexplorer running a topographic map of the Alps (grabbed off from Google Terrain using a tool called Mobac) and the idea would be to glide into one of the canyons.
How long were you over the alps?
About 40 mins I guess.
We had about 10-20kt tailwind. Extremely unusual for that direction in Europe!
Home EGCF Monday late PM. Brief detail to follow – catching up here at home right now.
Impressive TB20 delivering UK-Croatia non stop, and back.
@ pshz
At what airfield in Tuscany di you stop at? If you need any help give me a ring (mob 0039 335 1562060).
