Svalbard Longyear ENSB - looking for info (and flying above 70N)

Haven’t been there, but I was reading AIP some time ago. They have 48h PPR.

AD2 “All traffic to, from or within Svalbard are subject to prior permission. For traffic other than scheduled traffic, application for permission shall be submitted to reach the Civil Aviation Authority at least 48 hours prior to landing.”

Please report when you come back.

I have been Svalbard a number of times, though not recently.

First thing to say is that they are really, really nice people, who will do whatever they can to help.

The rules about special permission change with the wind, so you need to look at the AIP and write to the Ministry when the time comes. There was a time when private aviation was banned by the Governor, but I think that has been reversed.

GPS is fine all the way over the Pole, but some Navigators have a problem. I believe that the G1000 is only certified to 70N (which is just OK to Longyearbyen), but my GNS530 was fine, though my PilotIIIC went ballistic (I have photos). But this is all further north than Svalbard.

The weather there is really treacherous. You can have a TAF of CAVOK, and METARs all day saying CAVOK, CAVOK, CAVOK, CAVOK, then R200 SN. You really need to think about fuel and what your alternates are. There are airfields at New Ålesund and Barrantburg, (sp?) but I would worry, once you landed there whether you would ever be allowed to take off again.

The missed approach is also fairly exciting, with a bloody great mountain at the end of the runway.

I think that the only time to go is winter. Why would you go to the deep Arctic in summer? You can see swamps and marsh in so many more accessible places, but Svalbard in the winter is beyond spectacular. Make sure that you do some sightseeing, along the coast and inland. I have photos if you like?

There is a big hangar, and there is usually a lot of space in it. I didn’t use it, but I did remove my battery and spare oil and stored it there. You cannot get oil out of the can at -40°. I have no idea what the costs are.

What I would say, though, is that if you are on a budget, this is not the place to go. Everything is very expensive.

Tecnically you have to order fuel some months in advance, and you must buy it in units of 200 litres. That is a pain if you need 230 litres! I also have pictures of how they deliver fuel in a fork lift! It is said that you need your own pump, but they have them.

Having said that, I think that the upside of the minimum order is that they always have half used drums on hand and you can probably gather what you need on spec, but I cannot guarantee that.

There are good hotels in Longyearbyen. The whole place has the atmosphere of Wild West frontier towns, but it is actually very civilised.

There is so much more to say. Feel free to call me.

I have just noticed that you specified DA42. I have no idea about JetA1, but my guess is that it is much easier than Avgas.

However, I do know that there is a specific maximum latitude for the DA42, so check your Limitations section.

Also, you need to take survival gear, including weapons, in case of an off airfield landing. It might some time for them to reach you.

There is an argument between 7.62 rifle and shotgun, but you can rent either in Tromsø quite easily.

With all that stuff,and your blobby suit and full fuel you might have to go overweight. You need to take decision about the relative safety cases of having too little stuff with you (fuel, survival equipment) and being overweight. I won’t give my opinion because the usual sanctimonious prigs will shoot me down as ever

Also, I forgot. If you are going to be there when the temperature is around -30°C, fairly typical in winter, you need to think how you are going to heat the engines for start if you can’t get in the hangar.

You also need serious cold weather wear for yourself. Lots of layers.

I won’t give my opinion because the usual sanctimonious prigs will shoot me down as ever

Not on EuroGA

I do know that there is a specific maximum latitude for the DA42

Is that the aircraft or the G1000?

Not on EuroGA

Must be my imagination.

Is that the aircraft or the G1000?

I am not sure. It’s in the DA42 AFM, but I have never looked in other G1000 AFMs. It may be only for certain models of DA42, they all have different software.

The G1000 is really a GNS 430, and the GNS base map stops around 70N, so that may be the reason.

My bet is that physically there would be no difficulty going to the N Pole in a DA42, but I guess that you would be uninsured.