Is it cost effective to land at LSZH ?
I am not an expert on the matter, but have a gut feeling that few places could be worse, costwise – for the landing AND for the fuel AND for the bed. München might be comparable, though. But as you do not require an ILS, there must be lots of places just as practical, probable even with a hotel or lodge on or near the field.
Peter, here in mainland Europe people do sometimes request a “simulated ILS” when flying VFR, but it is very unusual to fly an ILS when not IFR.
VFR you’re expected to use the VRP’s and fly the published arrival / departure procedure, which will keep you away from the ILS area…
WarleyAir, thanks for the offer. We can of course discuss cost share.
it’s The Alps x’ing for which I have to ‘sharpen my pencil’
I don’t have IFR (yet) but I have experience crossing the Alps for which I especially trained several times (last one a week ago) and also did several times.
in a normally aspirated PA28 Arrow.
I fly PA28 Archer and have some experience with PA34 Seneca, so I can be of help. Also navigation and radio is no problem.
Is it cost effective to land at LSZH ?
Landing tax is about 50 CHF for such airplanes but then come handling and PAX check tax. I think we can avoid the PAX check tax if we are all licensed (at least I never pay) and the handling should be about 15-20 CHF. Having in mind the size and services of LSZH, I think the price is decent. I hope there are no other taxes for external aircraft.
About AVGAS, you can of course get it at LSZH. Other possible airports are Birrfeld (LSZF) or Grenchen (LSZG), with the latter being 105 km from Zurich. Another option is St. Gallen (LSZR) which also has AVGAS and is also 100 km from Zurich.
The only sure way is to phone them.
I have a writeup here and in there is the name of the handler I used, MFGZ.
I paid far less than the rumoured €500+ of Munich.
VFR you’re expected to use the VRP’s and fly the published arrival / departure procedure
VRPs can be a gotcha 
It’s really really handy to have a GPS moving map running a VFR chart that shows the VRPs, because many VRPs are near-impossible to find (except for the locals, obviously).
Beware of the lunchtime closure at St Gallen.
Grenchen LSZG, some way West of Zurich, for fuel and collect ‘TheAvenger’.
TheAvenger:- Is that geographically good?
May be a night stop and then The Alps via RESIA – means nothing ATPIT, but will research.
lenthamen 25-Feb-14 12:50 #124
Peter, here in mainland Europe people do sometimes request a “simulated ILS” when flying VFR, but it is very unusual to fly an ILS when not IFR.
VFR you’re expected to use the VRP’s and fly the published arrival / departure procedure, which will keep you away from the ILS area…
I can confirm similar experience. LSZH will never let you do an ILS when flying VFR just because you are too slow. Even in IFR they are happy if you can keep 140kt in the descent. However I flew simulated ILS in LSZR (St. Gallen) where traffic is much less but it was also a (VFR) training flight.
Peter’s writeup confirms the price, about 110 CHF for landing, handling and one night stand in Zurich. I don’t think you will get a better price at Grenchen (all Swiss airports are pretty expensive compared with for example Germany), so the price in LSZH is “normal” for Switzerland.
Other possible airports are Birrfeld (LSZF) or Grenchen (LSZG), with the latter being 105 km from Zurich. Another option is St. Gallen (LSZR) which also has AVGAS and is also 100 km from Zurich.
OK TheAvenger, lets work on this one. You’ve got the ‘mountain experience’, PA28 etc., so between us we should be able to make it work.
If we’re getting serious (which we seem to be doing) I need to ‘get the go’ from the owners of the Aircraft, but don’t expect a prob. particularly when I tell them I’ll have a ‘mountain man’ as P2.
one night stand in Zurich
A one night stand could be expensive; more so in Switzerland
