AfricanEagle wrote:
May I suggest Pavullo ( LIDP) as a stopover between Torino and Lucca?
I passed by this airport today on my way across the Apennines, and was struck by its beautiful location. Seemed to be some planes on the ramp and new ‘aeroporto’ signs to get your there on the roads. Perfect paved runway, and certainly no signs of decay. What a great place this would be to fly 
My experience this year crossing northern Italy (Bolzen-Trento-Portoroz) several times in both directions is that one can get/stay quite high through negotiating with FIS/ATC. I planned (FPL) once Trento-VIC-dct Vicky(Portoroz LJPZ entry). Padova Info asked at Bolzen my desired route/alt (10‘000 as long as possible), then came back a few min later saying unable due tfc around VIC … und max alt would be 3‘000…. but proposed further east as likely ok. I suggested a couple IFR wpts SE of Trento more direct anyway and they said that would be fine, but with 5‘000 limit after xxx due active mil zone. I was able to continue at 5‘000 nearly dct with a couple very slight deviations vit VFR wpts until needing to descend for landing. Both Aviano and Ronchi were very friendly and helpful. Same on the return … got clearance up to 7‘000 almost immediately and before reaching up to 10‘000. All on a VFR FPL. With ATC clearances for routing and altitude, I really didn‘t need to worry about airspace at all.
It was in the ENR part, but don‘t remember where. I have now checked too, and I can‘t find. The Milano thing was also temporarily NOTAMed.
But lots of things have changed since SERA and since all those CTAs have popped up. Really need to update that section of the website. For example, Brindisi and Padova TMAs don‘t exist any longer. Also, they have now implemented FMCs…
Do you remember where that requirement used to be in the Italian AIP? I have skimmed through most ENR sections but not found this yet …
I’d not do longer flights without ATC contact in Italy, but still good to know about such peculiarities …
Let me check again the current situation. This ast least used to be in the AIP, but to be honest, I haven‘t checked for some time.
But let‘s face it: it‘s a complicated airspace, unfamiliar to most of us. So, making it a bit
of a team effort probably makes some sense.
Also, can anyone confirm that in Italy you need to be in ATC contact whenever flying underneath controlled airspace?
No.
boscomantico, while reading your very useful web page on flying in Italy again, I found the relevant part whose vague memory of triggered my above question. In English:
[…] according to the Italian AIP, there are some airspaces in which it is even mandatory for VFR flights to be in contact with FIS, specifically: a) if you are within the lateral limits (i.e., below!) of the TMA Milan and b) if you are in the class-E airspace of the TMAs Padova and Brindisi.
May I suggest Pavullo ( LIDP) as a stopover between Torino and Lucca?
Awesome recommendation, thanks AfricanEagle. Too bad though, aerodrome is closed for public traffic until September 12 (for the “3rd FAI World Gliding Championships 13.5m” it seems).
May I suggest Pavullo ( LIDP) as a stopover between Torino and Lucca?
Point taken, I’ve amended my original post to fix the misleading phrasing.
Meanwhile I’ve found a workaround:
OK, but it doesn’t say that the airfield is closed until 2nd of August. :-)
