Hello new friends,
I am a 9-year pilot (FAA, PPL, IFR, SF50 Type) and recently crossed over 2000 hours. Most was in a Cirrus SR-22 and for the last 3 years I have been flying the Cirrus SF-50 Vision Jet. Several trips across borders… (Mexico, Bahamas, Canada).
In May of 2020 my wife and I were supposed to depart for a trip around the world but instead the world shut down. While we think COVID is pretty much over as a limiting factor, we still can’t make it from Japan to Alaska without landing in Russia… (I wonder when that will sound like a good idea again.)
I need to be in Spain for the first week of September so we have decided to make a less ambitious trip across the pond and spend the week before and the week after exploring Europe.
We have done central Europe pretty well… Not looking for stops in England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, or Hungary.
This leads me to tons of questions that a group of EuroGA pilots probably have the answers to!
If you look at the attached early draft calendar you’ll see what we are trying to do. Obviously, one or two nights isn’t enough to do ANY of these cities justice… but this trip is about the flying as much as the destinations. We will not be locked into any plan if weather or other factors would make it prudent to change the route.
What airports meet the following criteria?
1) close to a uniquely great / memorable destination. (we would love to go to Ghent… but alas, no nearby airport.)
2) Accommodating to GA… ease, avoiding wasted time and unreasonable costs (particularly surprises)
Right now the cities being considered are…
Just typing this makes me think this trip will stretch to a month! Or just plan on repeating next spring! And that round the world trip will give me one more pass through Europe! But, who knows when.
If you are still reading, I am very grateful… If you take time to help me understand to local opportunities and challenges, I will be in your debt!
Be safe and fly straight,
Vince
LKVO won‘t work on Sep 2-4, since the airport is closed on weekends.
LEBL and LPPR/LPPT are for sure going to be expensive, but I don‘t know what you define as that.
After landing at EBOS, you can visit Ghent just as well as you can visit Bruges.
Definitely Bergen rather than Stavanger.
Talinn is the most beautiful / best preserved city in the Baltics.
For Poland, I‘d recommend Gdansk and Krakow.
For the D-Day beaches, you would go to Caen rather than Deauville.
Do check LEBL if they let you land there. Some recent prohibition on lighter aircraft, notably SET (TBM 850). Maybe the magic word ‘Jet’ changes everything? Regardless, consider Sabadell LELL, 1000m rwy but no instrument appch. 95% chance of VMC in early september.
Sure a day trip to Menorca (LESL, not LEMH) or Mallorca makes sense. Happy to show you around in Mallorca. Don’t go to LEPA, just do a VFR to Son Bonet LESB.
A day trip to Andorra, 30 minutes by taxi from LESU also makes sense. Some restrictions apply, but if you plan on going there I can give you some guidance.
In Belgium you have Antwerp (to visite Antwerp),or Ostend (to Brugges or Ghent) or Grimberghen (to visit Brussels),if you want south you have Namur (to visit namur and the Belgian Ardennes).
Portugal near Lisboa,you must go to Cascais.Near Lisboa and Sintra
boscomantico wrote:
Talinn is the most beautiful / best preserved city in the Baltics.
I would say Visby (ESSV) beats Tallinn!
@boscomantico – that’s so strange for an American to hear that an airport (LKVO) is closed on the weekends… Just one of the many sorts of things I’m going to have to get used to. Which airport would you choose to go to Prague?
If you were making one stop in Portugal, where would you pick?
Thanks for the clarification on Gent and recommendations on Bergen, Tallin, Gdansk, and Caen
All extremely helpful!
@aart – thanks for your thoughts on Spain! This year‘s jet is awfully similar to the TBM… I hope you’re right at the magic “jet“ word gets me in there. Sabadell is shorter than a generation one series jet would like… But as long as I takeoff light, it shouldn’t be a problem. It just depends where I go from Barcelona.
Since you are “in the neighborhood “, what are your thoughts on Gibraltar and Marrakesh?
Thanks for the advice! If we come to Mallorca, I would like to buy you lunch or a cup of coffee.
As I say that, what I know doesn’t worry me… What I don’t know is what concerns me. What is arriving at an airport like Mallorca like? Is landing at most European airports friendly and welcoming? Just people who love aviation happy to meet each other? Or are there challenges that present themselves depending on where you are?
Rallye, if you were going to pick one Airport and one city to visit in Belgium, which would it be?
And, thanks for the heads up on Cascais!
Airborne, you’re making my life harder not easier! (Totally kidding… I appreciate the heads up on Visby. I will check it out!)
Is your recommendation based on the airport (ESSV), or the town, or both?
Texan-AV8R wrote:
Is your recommendation based on the airport (ESSV), or the town, or both?
Primarily the town. The center is a well preserved medieval Hanseatic town and a World Heritage site. (The airport is nice, too!)
