I do like Portoroz. A very well organised airport.
that’s why the apron of Portoroz is full every weekend when the weather is nice.
I wonder if that could be because
At Portoroz, parking on grass appears mandatory unless your aircraft type is obviously unsuitable.
I think you will find Losinj is pretty full every nice weekend too, but not with ultralights – see points 1-4 above. Pilots who I have seen in Croatia tended to be longer distance tourers – not sure why as it is just a short run from Slovenia.
I feel that Croatia is more italian than Slovenija (it is normal for older people along the coast to speak italian at home).
I actually like the Losinj Airport much better, for myself (one reason is that i do speak Croatian, but not Slovenian) – but when It’s about ORGANIZATION the Slovenians are much closer to Austrians and or Germans, while Croatia is still unorganized in many aspects (not Split or Dubrovnik airports which work very well).
But for a german or Austrian pilot flying to Portoroz is a piece of cake and more simple than LDLO. Very important other factor: Really MANY private pilots hate nothing more than flying over open water. I love it and can’t get enough of it, but if you talk to the airport people of HELOGLAND in the North Sea they tell you that all the time: Many pilots would love to come but don’t dare to make that 20-30 minute crossing. And the 480 m runway does the rest. Of course the North Sea scares them even more, but I know MANY who would not fly over water along the croatian coast.
(Helgoland would, by the way, be another great place to meet one day)
Some more reasons to choose Portoroz over Losinj:
-cheaper fuel
-much cheaper fees
-much friendlier airport personnel
-no customs required coming from places like Germany, Austria, Italy
-etc.
Pula LDPL are also interested in hosting the fly-in if we have any problems with Mali Losinj, so that is good news. Let me quote a bit of their email:
In case you need anything from us in the future please do not hesitate to ask, we are always happy to promote and support general aviation community.
Peter, if these chaps are so helpful, could you ask them about the official status of microlights flying into Croatia? Last I know is that they have no rules since they joined EU so they cannot allow any foreign microlights. What is being done about that? Is there a deadline date for a solution? And, if ever we do decide for Pula, will they allow microlights? It seems a big airport, to do that.
Of course I would ask them myself, if I had their contact info
I have only the Pula ARO (contact details above). The party to contact about e.g. ultralight privileges would be the Croatian CAA. I would guess their contact details will be in the AIP. I tend to find the people of the former Yugoslavia are responsive in writing (probably because they still have decent schools there) so try them.
Do the previous posting mean we maybe changing our planned destination?
Portoroz or Pula !!
Could be a lot of spare rooms at LDLO in that case.
Still very interested; but not sure, as yet, I can make it.
The fly-in is to Mali Losinj LDLO.
“Flyer59” was just one pilot who was going to come and changed his mind.
Copy – destination is still Mali Losinj LDLO
Yes – you should see that on a banner above every thread.
Shorrick Mk2 06-Apr-14 11:14 #08
I can P2 for you if you stop in LSGG, then transit via Mt. Blanc and Simplon :)
