Sicily - Palermo LICP - EuroGA 4-5 Sep 2021 fly-in

I had a short conversation with Foggia – I have to send fax with my request. It seems that I’m progressing. I’ll contact Boccadifalco to see if I can get refueling there for streight flight back home to Zagreb from Sicily.

No reply from Foggia to fax.

Got reply from Boccadifalco – avgas available but no border police. I’ll have to figure our something for fly-back to Zagreb.

I went there and back The trip was definitely worth of doing but I don’t have time to make big report, just few facts.

I wasn’t able to get feedback from Foggia although Bari tried to help me with contacting them, so I decided to land at Bari and continue to Palermo without refueling. Bari was easy, vectoring for ILS, handling (Delta Aerotaxi) was waiting for us at parking position and everything was as expected. The only thing that surprised me was customs officer approaching me after clearing border police and asking me if I had anything to declare. I tried to explain him that Croatia was in EU and there was no customs between Italy and Croatia but he was persistant and very serious about his task, so I stopped my education mission. Rental car was ready as booked and I spent two beautiful days in Alberobello (sleeping in traditional “trullo” house), Ostuni, Lecce, Gallipoli, … Total bill for landing, handling and parking at LIBD €65 (initially it was estimated €70) which is not bad at all, comparing to some Croatian airports (my last landing at LDSP was €80 and LDSB was €125).

Without refueling the only option for Sicily was Boccadifalco LICP because they have 100LL, flight was easy and Palermo directed me to point Capo Gallo after canceling IFR, from where I had to avoid overhead city no-fly-zone and landed to LICP. I taxied to Aeroclub apron, refueled the aircraft and left the airport agreeing on payment before leaving. After day (and night) of sightseening Palermo we took rental car and drove to Enna (definitely worth of visiting) and then to Catania. A day in Catania, half day for visiting vulcano Etna and city of Taormina and drive back to Palermo visiting Castelnisseta on our way (actualy short detour). The bill at LICP wasn’t surprise alhough it was very high: €100 for landing and parking and €3 per liter of avgas – total €685.

As there was no possibility of inviting border police at LICP I decided to land at Bari again to clear the border. I took off at hottest time of day (3:30 p.m.) and flew to Capo Gallo avoiding again no-fly zone and asking Palermo for IFR clearance. They messed something with my plan (trying to find plan for NASAW insted of 9ASAW) so I had to fly some 10 min at cooking 3000 ft but once resolved everything was smooth and easy although with 10-20 kts of headwind. Landing at Bari streight-in ILS, handling waiting at the apron, brief border police check and (surprise, surprise!) the same guy at customs asking if I had something to declare and investigating why we left our luggage at the aircraft and why we didn’t clear the customs(???) at Palermo. Landing& handling was €55 and we took off for Zagreb flying back with some 30-35 kts headwind (streight from North), landing at LDZA at 10:30 p.m. at RW23 (surface wind was somehow totaly opposite direction) which extended our trip for some 10 min comparing to landing at RW05.

Emir, Croatia is in the EU but not part of Schengen yet, hence customs are still very much entitled to check you :-)

Nice writeup, I’d sure enjoy taking that flight.

Enna is a beautiful place, I stopped there once myself en route from Agrigento to Etna, from there to Catania where I knew a girl once (as the saying goes)

The only thing that surprised me was customs officer approaching me after clearing border police and asking me if I had anything to declare.

That seems odd. In Sicily I might have expected it (things are different for unexplained reasons there – free autostrade etc) but why in Bari where they get lots and lots of ferry traffic and would presumably know the rules? Crossing within EU = unchecked customs & crossing within Schengen = unchecked immigration.

Emir, Croatia is in the EU but not part of Schengen yet, hence customs are still very much entitled to check you :-)

I wouldn’t say so. Schengen defines freedom of people’s movement, EU defines freedom of goods movement. There’s no customs control between EU countries. OTOH customs officers can make checks anywhere on teritory of thier country but they have to have the reason for doing that. If I’m travelling Zagreb-Bari-Palermo-Bari-Zagreb I don’t have anything with the customs, I even don’t want to see the customs officer. If I’m travelling by car from Zagreb to Palermo I will not see any of customs officers. Why would it be different when I’m flying?

Here are the questions he asked me on arrival to Bari and my replies:
- Do you have anything to declare for customs? No, I’m arriving from other member country, so there’s no customs.
- Do you have anything to declare for customs? (I quit) No.
- How much money do you have? 300€
- Do you know that there’s limit on cash you can carry? There’s no limit, only obligation to report.
- Do you know that there’s limit on cash you can carry? (I quit) 10.000€.

Here are the questions he asked me on departure to Zagreb and my replies:
- Do you have anything to declare for customs? No.
- Why are you landing at Bari, why didn’t you clear the customs at Palermo? Because the airport Boccadifalco is not international airport.
- Why didn’t you fly from Palermo international airport? Because they can’t refuel my aircraft.
- Where are your bags? In the aircraft.
- Do you know I can go and search your aircraft? Yes.

Here are the questions he asked my wife on departure to Zagreb (she didn’t try to explain anything ):
- Do you understand English? Yes.
- Do you have anything to declare for customs? No.
- Do you know that there’s limit on cash you can carry? 10.000€.

Some people need some training, some people need some education and some people need some simple politness. For me this was real surpsise, I travell a lot and the only thing I usually get on borders is just a smile (US excluded).

Hi Emir,

Indeed landing fees in Croatia are becoming very stiff! Can t remember what they charged for LDSB but it was not cheap. Neither is Pula or Losinj. On the other hand if you see how many people are working at the airports for just a little bit of traffic I cannot imagine it being profitable .. Especially Brac. Pula and split offcourse have a lot more traffic.

I understood that Split has become impossible to park in the summerseason?

Emir,
I will say another different story. I am on Bulgarian register,we are Greek nationals and we departed Tivat-Montenegro for Lecce-Fondone airstrip.As being a serious citizen ,I previously made a intermediate FPL for Brindisi,to just clear Customs etc. On arrival, the following funny things happened:
The Handling ladies started yelling to me saying that I hadnt got previous permission.When I responded that such a thing was not in their NOTAM list,they shut up.
The Carabinieri didnt want to check me because I was a Greek citizen,allthough arriving from the 3rd world.
The Customs officer lazily appeared after repeated pleas of the screamming ladies,only asking me if I carry >50.000E !
The whole procedure took no more than 30 minutes.Reason of this was that I speak Italian (they spoke nothing else) and I kept things pushy ,as we all do here in the South.
Nevertheless my granpa was from Enna and I still have relatives in Caltanissetta./

I understood that Split has become impossible to park in the summerseason?

12€/per day/per ton :( and you have to get approval.