VFR trip from EHLE to LSZU, and back – looking for advice.

CCO709 wrote:

he overhead entry circle is new to me. Looks like a (stacked) holding pattern, they told me.

You just fly over the beginning of runway 08 where you can see the landing T (you will most probably hear others on the frequency and will know the landing runway way before that). Then if there is nobody in beginning/middle downwind, you immediately descend to 2000ft in your first “circle”, i.e. you don’t even complete one of them and join the corresponding downwind. If there is someone in downwind, then you remain at 2500ft and orbit there till downwind is free. It is a good idea to look towards the beginning of the downwind when you start your descent and enter it yourself – I once got into a very close proximity of another airplane which I didn’t see, which can easily happen with 5-7 airplanes on the frequency reporting all the time (this is why btw you don’t announce your taxi at Birrfeld, to keep the frequency less congested). Back to the overhead circle, if there is someone already in it, you stay at a higher altitude, 500ft separation.

Here are example calls you should make:
- Birrfeld airdrome, HB-YMU, sector north, 4000ft, inbound
- HB-YMU, overhead circle, 3000ft, remaining at this altitude (if there is traffic below you)
- HMU, overhead circle, 3000ft, descending to 2500ft
- HMU, overhead circle, 2500ft, joining left hand downwind runway 08, for full stop
- HMU, end of downwind / base 08
- HMU, final 08 (for full stop)
That’s it, no runway vacated, taxi, parking.

When leaving:
- Birrfeld airdrome HB-YMU, radio check (during runup or while waiting for the oil temperature to rise). Someone (usually the office but sometimes another plane) will answer with “Loud and clear”
- HMU, lining up runway 08, departure via sector north
- HMU, beginning downwind, climbing in downwind
- HMU, sector north, 4000ft, outbound (you can even skip that one, but I like to inform the others I am out of their way)

You’ll be coming in to Birrfeld from the north-northwest via sector W or N. Both of them have min altitude 4000ft and are below TMA Zurich with lower limit of 5500ft. You have a corridor of 1500ft but if you are high at the end of the leg, you might bust it. Also sector W is usually the preferred one for most pilots but actually N is easier to follow (river) and less used (note that Birrfeld is one of the if not the busiest GA airport in Switzerland, so pay special attention to traffic in the circuit). So if you decide to go via sector N, be careful not to bust the TMA east of it with lower limit of just 3000ft.

By the way, note that all arrivals are via the entry circle at 2500ft. It is absolutely no problem to descend from 4000ft in the sector to 2500ft for the entry circle overhead and then to 2000ft circuit altitude in your DA20 (a bit trickier in the V252 I fly there which is faster).

If you have to divert to Zurich, you will have to follow the VFR routes, most probably route W. It looks a bit like this:

As you can see, you again have to stay below TMA Zurich (4500ft) until you reach point W.

There is absolutely no problem with flying these routes and this information is just to give you a good preparation for the flight.

Countries not requiring a flight plan for border crossing

But, do I need to do that also for the last leg from Germany into Switzerland?

Why not? You’ll get SAR. It does not cost you anything.

Wrt whether you are obligated to do so, read the German AIP. Germany has agreements with some of the neighbouring countries waiving the requirement for a flight plan to cross the borders.

When flying to Birrfeld beware of the Zurich TMAs, the structure is a bit complex and it is important to know your max altitude below them at each point (it changes all the time).

Birrfeld is pretty relaxed and you can do almost everything yourself. Check for customs and parking position in advance (I think customs is PPR). If you don’t have the Swiss AIP and charts, check the website or PM me.

Zurich is in my point of view also very easy but as an external aircraft you would need a slot, handling and maybe parking in advance. As you plan it as alternate however, I don’t think you need much more than checking the NOTAMs.

Flying across France is easy (as I you must know from last trip). Especially on weekdays/lunchtime/evenings when FIS is less busy.
Area R199 is in fact kind of an RMZ for reasons of gliding activity:

which seems strange because it looks like class D airspace !
Listening to Strasbourg ATIS seems smart in your case.