See my post in Trip Reports….
AlanB wrote:
I think more if you want to include unlimited parking though
If you are a member of a club or AOPA, you can park for free at all AVINOR airports
Aviathor wrote:
You should know that the smaller airports have limited opening hours, and will often be closed during the weekends. You may therefore want to apply for a crew card which will allow you to use the airports between 7 am and 11 pm LT all days of the week provided you are flying and a/c with MTOW < 2700 kg and 9 or less seats. Unfortunately it seems like the application form is Norwegian only.
I’m bumping this up since I’m planning a flight to Norway. Are you referring to the weekly season card when you write “crew card”, @Aviathor ? And would buying a single take-off fee on Avinor’s website also allow you to use an airport off-hours?
The so-called short runway fields (STOL airports – kortbanenettet) in Norway require the pilots to be registered in order to use them outside of business hours. I read somewhere this system was going renewed this year. A regular reader of “Flynytt” may know more about this, or I can try to do some research when I get more time.
Well, I wouldn’t put my hopes too high. I applied for such a card in the beginning of January this year. Two months later they responded. It simply stated that I had included a wrong picture, picture with eye glasses was not acceptable. Then a short message saying they had rejected and deleted my application, and ask me ti file a new application. I haven’t done that yet, it probably will be rejected and deleted again after a couple of months due to wrong eye color or something.
They are never closed during weekends, not most of them at least, and the times aren’t that unreasonable. But the exact time changes all the time. On some occasions it changes faster than the AIP. Opening hours (for ATS, don’t look at administration) are stated in the AIP for each airport, but – you should also check Avinor site (with an app or PC), because on several occasions I have found AIP to be wrong. The Avinor site list up all the arrivals and departures of scheduled flight, and the airport (ATS) is always open during those times even if the AIP states the opposite. I would say the AIP is 80% correct or something. To be 100% sure, it is best to call the airport directly.
Svolvær airport for instance, just to pick a popular and nice place to go, is open (according to AIP): mon-friday: 0540-2240, Saturday: 0540-0715 and 1130-1445, Sunday: 1310-2235. Most of the smaller airports have similar times.
The card you can get (if you are lucky, unlike me…) only enables you to land there. It won’t give you access in and out of the facility itself. You will be able to exit the airport facility also outside opening hours, but you will not be able to enter it without knowing one of the locals. The card isn’t all that useful, except perhaps when landing late Saturday evening.
Thanks to both of you, that clarifies this issue sufficiently for me. I won’t have the time and energy before leaving in less than two weeks to apply for such a card.
Interesting that Germany isn’t the only country where runways can be “closed”.
A few years ago, I went through the process to get a HIAL out of hours permit when we flew to Scotland, but only used it once when we left Oban 30 minutes after their official closing time. That did save the day though because if not we would have missed our hotel that was booked in Glenforsa.
Rwy20 wrote:
Interesting that Germany isn’t the only country where runways can be “closed”.
This is up to the owner/operator of the airport and runway to decide. All these airports are Avinor airports, and are part of a network of airports for scheduled flights and they have tower, IFR. But there are lots of other airports around that are open all the time. Usually they are grass field runways and non-towered. It’s these airports where most of the private flying takes place here. Some are on the “bushy” side and they are all PPR. The larger Avinor airports are open 24h.
Next year 5 of the Avinor airfields in the northern part will have remote towers, and will be open 24/7. That’s the plan, they will be run from Bodø. Then the rest of the smaller Avinor airfields will be remotely operated one by one.
I also have to mention that flying outside opening hours is VFR day only on Avinor airports, and no later than 2300, and earlier than 0700. When they get remotely operated they will be IFR all the time, but it remains to be seen if they really will be open 24/7, or closed between 2400 and 0600 for instance.
LeSving how easy is it to get public transport (train or bus) from Namsos (ENNM) to catch an airline seat at Strondheim? Namsos Airport doesn’t have an e mail contact so am hoping local knowledge is available on EuroGa.
Thanks in advance.
