May 2014 EuroGA fly-in Mali Losinj LDLO

Peter,

Russians fly direct to Losinj and Brac, apparently.

Ah, well that is reason enough for them to keep customs and immigration. Can see the same in BG, where there is Russians, everything is done to accomodate them.

It would be really bad if Croatia joined Schengen and this led to them doing a “France” i.e. withdrawing the Customs from Losinj and Brac,

What I heard is that they have done exactly that to an extent already. And there is a clear and present danger that the UK as non Schengen and we as non EU will become totally isolated in that way, because port of entry status for non/schengen/eu will only be kept on the large airports where small GA is more and more exterminated. We’ve just seen the next trial shot by ZRH by the way, which if it succeeds, will eliminate the only IFR/AOE airport for GA for good.

I can’t confirm that from any of my multiple flights there. Everybody was really nice.

Good. Sometimes I wonder if those rants on some of these sites are really valid. I found that some were but others were totally unfounded.

A good alternate for Losinj is Pula and for Brac would be Split

Split would be a nice starting point for going to the famous waterfalls north of there.

can the routes I used in my 2004 and 2005 VFR trips not be used anymore?

They sure can. The 2005 one is somewhere between the two I proposed, the 2004 one simply involves flying through the airspace maze in Italy. Who wants to put up with that, including 1000ft scud running over open sea, fine. I don’t like that kind of thing so Italy for me is still pretty much no go.

I would always much rather avoid that part of their airspace lying south of the Alps, and go straight to Slovenia

yea, me too.

I would definitely like to go to LDLO, Mali Losinj.

Now we looking for a date?

We stayed there http://www.losinj-hotels.com/en/accommodation/hotels/hotel-aurora/general-info and would choose it again.

Just a couple comments re – Italian airspace and crossing from Switzerland. I’ve done the trip twice from LSGG to Croatia both times via Simplon – Lugano – more or less direct Venice – Pula – down the coast.

All of it was VFR. The second flight we had to stay VFR on top at FL 135 from the Simplon all the way to Lake Garda which at some point put us through Class A airspace. Believe it or not all it took was “unable lower due clouds” and the Italian controllers were happy to let us drone along (granted if we were around Milan that wouldn’t have happened). Also there was none of the “1000ft scud run over the sea” around Venice nonsense – we asked and got direct transit (yes, VFR) through the Venice CTR at or around FL 80. If you do it right you’ll be flying smack above the city with impressive photography to be had.

All in all it was a lot less nightmarish than people make Italy sound like. Certainly more straightforward than certain parts of the US…

Hi MooneyDriver, no, Split is really MUCH too far from the Krka Watterfalls. Zadar is a much better airport for that.

To add my own two cents to the general Fly-In discussion:

As I’m neither an owner nor a flying club member (but chartering individually), these kind of events are pretty much a priority for me to get in touch with other pilots.

Having said that, as one of the less experienced pilots on here, the really cool locations in Southern Europe are yet out of reach for me as PIC. Though I’d happily ride/cost share if others are heading down there from within a debatable radius around North Rhine Westphalia.

If we end up choosing a more central (alas, from my point of view!) location such as the previously suggested Speyer, I’d happily fly there in VMC and I’d equally happily offer to take some folks along, again to ride/cost share if desired.

A technical comment: I’m a big fan of using Doodle.com to arrange options (dates, locations) in a large group. Typically, I’d set up two Doodle pools, one to find a location and another one to find the best dates.

Hey Rhino,
LDLO, Mali Losinj, was my FIRST flight abroad afetr I got my licence in 1995, I think i flew there early 1996. When it’s VMC over the Alps the flight is very easy to do, and I (or Peter, I guess) would help you plan it. I guess the HARDEST part ist to fly through France VFR, but once you’re in Germany it’s really simple (i hope that’s not my biased view only). It really depends on the weather.

When it’s blue skies it’s an easy flight do do, and if it’s not perfect you can cross the Alps up to FL 130 VFR on top. I did that a couple of times even on top a solid overcast, but of course I would recommend broken clouds maximum.,

Shorrick,
yes, if you talk to the Italian controllers it’s normally no problem to stay up high – at least they always let ME when i asked. I think the days of “1000 AGL” are over, and I hear that from other people too.

Alexis,

Hi MooneyDriver, no, Split is really MUCH too far from the Krka Watterfalls. Zadar is a much better airport for that

yes, you are right, my mistake. Somewhere I had it in my head that some tourist groups going to those falls were starting from Split, but that is because there are no charter flights there. Now that is not our problem :)

if you talk to the Italian controllers it’s normally no problem to stay up high – at least they always let ME when i asked. I think the days of “1000 AGL” are over, and I hear that from other people too.

THAT would be VERY good news indeed.