Hello all,
I’m chiming in for some of your valued expertise.
Will be joining alongside a relatively “fresh” PPL, who is at around 70 hours and needs to build some more, on a nice two day flying trip.
Mission profile: VFR hour building to enhance competence in:
Duration: One day of flying somewhere, stay overnight, then one day of flying back.
Flight hours: Not a factor, whatever the day(light) entails. Leave early morning, arrive in daylight (plenty of it)!
Equipment: 120 knot VFR only single engine piston.
Limitations: No prolonged overwater stuff (i.e. stay within gliding range of terra firma).
Bonus: Scenic route and “coolnes/wow factor” of destination location would be nice.
For now it does not matter if we’ll head North/South/East/West. Currently looking at all the options and will decide short notice according to weather.
The trip could be 2 very long segments or 5 short segments a day, doesn’t matter. Maybe you know of some little known gem that is worth visiting.
Here is a quick map. The darker range rings would probably mean we’d be stretching it, but still possible if we fly longer legs/do fewer stopovers.
I appreciate your input, thank you!
Something like Ljubljana-Belgrade? Gives you two CAT airports that are still relatively cheap. If you’re not vegetarian, you can eat pretty well in Belgrade.
Or Salzburg-Zürich, if you want to experience one of the most operationally complex airport where you can still go without totally breaking the bank account (very roughly 100€). This route has lots of alps time, plus Chiemsee and the Füssen castle along the way.
Hi Tom(Naxos?),
thanks, we’ve been to Ljubljana already so that one’s out. I did my fair share of flying to the east (Budapest, Sliac, Nitra, Kosice, Timisoara, Pecs, Balaton/Sarmellek, Slovenje Gradec, Maribor, Lviv, Arad, Oradea, Brno, Bratislava, most of Croatia etc.. and while I don’t remember any real big GA pains (wait, I think Budapest was tricky) I found the flights to the west nicer scenery wise (except for Croatia, love those coasts and islands) and also a little more personal on the smaller airfields. Still thankful for any personal recommendations on the eastern side as we will of course heavily depend on weather so keeping all options open to the last minute is vital.
Zürich is now on the list. Weather permitting a flight from/via Graz, Innsbruck, Zurich and then back via Lugano, Milano (I remember Bresso was spectacular, very low level due to the 3 CAT airports), Venice and Portoroz would be great. Anything else you can recommend in the area? I know Innsbruck, Zurich, Milano (all 4), Trento, Venice and so forth…not been to Lugano though (seems like something for severe VMC only).
Thanks.
Depending of course on wx, you could do a Graz-Innsbruck-Zurich-Lugano-Cannes-Genoa-Venice-Graz. Gets you the full monty: Alps, lakes and sea. And if you overnight in Cannes, the food is pretty damn good (actually anywhere along the southern part of that route).
Sounds nice, thanks!
The suggested trips through/around the Alps are great, but you have the risk of bad weather at least at one side of the main Alpine ridge.
An alternative would be a trip to the south, eg. LOWG – LHSM – LYBE – LYTV – LGKR – LDDU – LDSB – LDSP – LDZD – LDLO (and perhaps LDRI/LDPL) – LDPV – LJPZ – LIPV – LJDI (little field in the middle of nowhere that is great for crosswind training) and back home again.
You’ll have airports in all sizes, all kinds of landscape and some of the most scenic coastline in Europe with good touristic infrastructure. All of that for comparatively little money.
Thanks very much, will look into that!
I can recommend Belgrade wholeheartedly. Cheap as heck, also the fuel, good people and a great city to visit. If you want to venture further, Bulgaria is interesting as well, but remember your AOPA card, fees are much reduced if you have it at Sofia. Plovdiv is a nice and almost dead airport, but has no fuel.
If you want to come to Zürich, tell me when and I’ll greet you on the tarmac if I can. Certainly a trip around Salzburg, Augsburg, Zürich, e.t.c. also is quite lovely, if the alpine weather is fine to allow a crossing.
Thanks.
We are planning to go coming Thursday/Friday.
Day 1 LOWG – LOWI – LSZH
Day 2 LIMB – LIPV – (LJPZ) – LOWG
I am checking the AIP currently.
Any information on the airports/procedures (specially Zurich, Bresso and San Nicolo – it has been a while) is most appreciated.
Thanks again!
It’s been a VERY long time (>10 years) now, but what I do recall is to be extra vigilant when coming from the NW via the Saronno (SRN) VOR as there can be loads of VFR flights in the area using SRN as way/reporting point, either going into/out of Bresso or flying through the corridor between the Malpensa and Linate zones. Probably more of an issue on weekends, but a good lookout is recommended. Have a great trip!
