Seems that we have to skip (reroute around) LFGW, a NOTAM indicates that there is a “temporary restricted area (zrt) on verdun sommedieue ad due to air display” from August 26-28. Between SFC and FL080. Well Ok, a little detour.
Well, looks like the last three pireps for LFGW are by me…;-)
If you do have the TOTAL card, it’s the pefrfect place for a short fuel stop. Very little traffic, no “FR-only”, no landing fees and cheap fuel (standard TOTAL price for carnet customers, currently 1.70€). Can turn around in less than 15 minutes.
Oh, the latest one for EBSP also happens to be from myself…;-)
Really a nice place a d scenery there. Fuel obviously a bit more expensive than in France, but still definitely cheaper than in NL.
CCO709 wrote:
the syndicate uses a TOTAL-card for fuel, so that will be no problem.
unless the petrol company at the field is AirBP… in which case your Total carnet card is useless.
Thank you all again.
@dublinpilot, that is a great tip regarding the low level R-areas. I hadn’t checked all the menu options on that website and this one is great.
Based on the information I gathered here, I’ve changed my route. More east and following the river Maas. I expected to be much longer (in distance and time) than my previous planned route, but its not that much. I’ve exchanged LFQV for EBSP (Spa) with additional, if necessary, a stop at LFGW (Verdun). Additional, because when I follow the suggestion to load more fuel (@lentheman, I know it happens in the training area many times 
) EBSP – LFLA can be done in one stretch. Anyways, this is my new route and it gives me more confidence to fly it than the previous one I had in mind.
Regarding paying fuel I found out that the syndicate uses a TOTAL-card for fuel, so that will be no problem.
I’ve checked EDDH.DE and You-Fly, but no recent pireps for these airports. Any suggestions on EBSP and LFGW are welcome.
Anything else I might have missed?
AeroPlus wrote:
Reims-Prunay has a fuel station, restaurant and cheap 2-star hotel. You can almost park your aircraft right next to your hotel room. In all cases
Unfortunately I have seen a report saying the restaurant and hotel are closed…
Hi Chris, sounds like a great adventure:-)
Some considerations:
- a Katana is already over MTOW if you take a toothbrush with you. I’m not advocating departing over MTOW, but in the training area it happens all the time.
- The risk of departing low on fuel because of W&B is much higher than being slightly over weighted (in a Katana)
- Plan outside controlled airspace and try to get clearances to shorten your route when airborne.
- Have lots of Plan B’s.
- Use a Moving Map (PocketFMS/Skydemon/EasyVFR).
- Don’t let complex airspace structure scare you off. Many military/restricted airspace are not active. Just ask. And even when they are active there’s a big chance you’ll be cleared through.
- use radio NAV identifiers when ATC asks your routing.
- try to always be in contact with a FIS service.
- I always check eddh.de → pirep for airport reviews. It’s in German but it’s very useful to check landing fees etc.
You might consider finding a way to fly with more fuel as an endurance of 2 hours with flights of 1.5 hours is not without risk. St. Hubert is always staffed and they have fuel. The runways are a little odd indeed. They have parallel grass runways with a while line as the center line of the runway, not as edges. So the 2 white lines are not the edges of one runway, but the centerlines of 2 patallel runways. I have been there many times as they use our software in the tower.
I do not know Sédan LFSJ as a pilot, the local aeroclub offer AvGas but no MoGas and they insist on cash payment, to my latest knowledge. There is however some kind of holiday resort just across the street with a quite acceptable restaurant (or was when I last visited, which has been a couple of years).
Saint Hubert is a strange place, I have never flown there. The runways are shortish, and with a “hump” in the middle. And there is intensive glider flying, with unusual procedures. I suppose it must al be very doable but the place feels like needing a bit of “getting used to”. You might well be able to get MoGas there, though.
A bit out of the way but very nice is Verviers EBTX, with no less than four kinds of fuel on tap. Glider activity, too, but very relaxed. Or nearby Spa EBSP. Very nice scenery round there. But these places would put Luxembourg on your further route, not sure if that is acceptable (I am used to having to avoid controlled airspace).
If passing Brussels on the West side, as suggested by Sjoerd @AeroPlus, I might recommend Maubeuge if it weren’t the AvGas is officially for locally based planes only (that kind of fun is not limited to Itally, apparently!). But perhaps something can be arranged by prior communication, the more south one goes the less is organised but the more can be arranged.
Very near to Maubeuge is EBCF Cerfontaine , which has AvGas on offer and a well reputed restaurant, but I have not yet flown there.
Regarding the low level restricted areas, how a look here on the day of flight.
Click Here
These AZBA charts show you which low level restricted areas are active at what time. It can really open up options for you to know if a lot of them are simply not active at the time of your flight.
Thanks everyone for their contribution.
To answer some questions and suggestions.
@AeroPlus, Reims is to far, 2 hours flying from EHLE even in a straight line. The DA20 is an old plane and can do FL95, but it takes some time (about 30 min on average) to reach that altitude. So, FL75-80 is possible. Which brings me to also answer @Jan_Olieslagers’ question; the DA20 is not a rented plane, it is in a syndicate. It accepts AVGas, MOGAS, 100LL and 91LL (Rotax 912).
Empty Weight = 510 kg and MTOW = 730 kg. With 2 POB (and I’m a little bit overweight ) and luggage to be within W&B range, it can take about 37 L fuel. That will give me an endurance of about 2 hours (100kts IAS at 17 L/hr) max. So, every stop needs to be within 1,5 hours flying from the departing point. Not taking wind into account at this moment.
@Patrick, thanks for the reminder of the “lunch times” in France. I did forgot that.
If Charleville-Mezières is better to be avoided, what airport would be a better option as stop-over, in BE of FR? LFSJ Sedan Douzy or EBSH Saint-Hubert or …?
