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Flight Planning | Destinations | Checklists | Going Foreign | Flying into the UK |
| Club | Members | Europa | Mods | Builders | Pilots | Links |
|
Flight Planning | Destinations | Checklists | Going Foreign | Flying into the UK |
The pleasures and satisfaction of flying in Europe are considerable. Much of the airspace is very uncluttered, the airfields are mostly pretty, well appointed and amazingly cheap to land at, and the variety of scenery is enormous. With my Europa I find it is possible to reach Spain, Italy, Austria Czech Republic or Sweden within a day from the UK, and for me and many of my friends, who have discovered the joys of European touring it has become the main reason for wanting to own our own plane. Flying along the Venice Lagoon sea wall looking down on St Mark's Square, crossing the Finnish Archipelago and flying through the Alps past Mont Blanc rate as some of my all time favourite memories.
A significant proportion of the Europa fleet is of course based in nearly every country in mainland Europe. Contacting locals can be an excellent way of getting country specific information and tips on the best places to go. When flying away from your own country it is also worth thinking of the Rescue Service run by the Europa Club, should you encounter problems.
Although much of the regulation is simple, there are rules and in some cases complexities that it is essential to be aware of before embarking on European flights. I will try to cover here what you need to know to travel anywhere in Europe in your plane. The information is to the best of my knowledge correct and up to date, but it is offered without guarantee and neither I nor the Europa Club will be held responsible for any problems you may encounter. I will deal with the following matters:
It is obligatory to file a flight plan for any flight crossing an international FIR boundary, and this also applies to the FIR boundaries within Schengen, even though the customs barriers have been removed on the ground. If you are flying from an airfield with an ATC unit, filing a flight plan is easy. You can pick up a blank form from the operations unit at the airfield, (or download one from www.eastyorkshire.co.uk/eddsfield/Images/Flight%20Plan.pdf), fill it in and hand it back for them to process. Instructions on filling in FPLs are to be found in VFR Flight guides or on the relevant CAA General Aviation Safety Sense leaflet, which is also available on line at the CAA site, www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/ga_srg_09webssl20.pdf
If you fly from a strip or anywhere without an ATC unit, then it is more complicated. You can fax your completed FPL to Swanick on 01489 612793. There is no facility to phone in with your FPL in this country. A new computer based system has just been introduced by NATS earlier this year, called AFPex. One needs to register for this (the registration process will take a week or more) and the rules for filling in the electronic FPL are quite a bit more complex, but if you plan to do much foreign travel it is worth registering, and getting on top of the system. (NATS Contact number 08456 010484).
On the continent things are usually considerably easier, (& you may detect a recurring theme here!). Most airfields of any size will have a dedicated computer on which you type in your FPL, or otherwise they have a phone line for you to dictate it to the central flight planning authority. At very small airfields the locals will know the telephone number for lodging FPLs assuming you haven't found it in your local Flight Guide. Nominally authorities can insist on take off being a minimum of 1 hr after filing the FPL, but it is almost unknown in my experience for anyone to insist on this.
Flight Plans need to be closed. If you land at the planned airfield and this has an ATC unit they will do it automatically, but if you are landing at an airfield without ATC then you generally need to telephone after landing. The number for this will be in the country's Flight Guide, and the locals (if you can find any!) should also know it. For France the number is 08 10 43 78 37.
With the exception of flights to Ireland, Isle of Man & Channel Islands you don't actually need to tell UK customs authorities you are going, but you do need to tell them you are coming back, and in practice it makes sense to tell them you are both going and coming back - they are less likely to set the heavies on you when you do come back! The relevant form is called the GAR form. Again this can be picked up from operations at your local airfield assuming it runs an ATC. Alternatively it is downloadable from: www.psni.police.uk/gar_flight_notification.doc The form is self explanatory with the possible exception of the question: 'Is the aircraft in free circulation in the EU?' to which I always answer 'Yes'. The completed form can be handed in at your ops desk or alternatively emailed to ncu@hmce.gsi.gov.uk An educated guess of time of return is required, and if you find you are going to be significantly early or late it is worth informing ops at the relevant airfield.
Alternatively it is possible to return to the UK without prior GAR form notice, if one lands at a designated airfield with permanent customs presence. Lydd and Southend are the straightforward options.
When crossing from the UK to any European country you need to land at an airfield with customs facilities (since we have chosen to maintain our national border), although curiously enough, the reverse does not apply. You can return to your strip as long as you have told them. Some European airfields have 24 hr customs or daylight hours customs, but others need a stated time of prior notification to the customs unit. Information on specific requirements are to be found in that country's Flight Guide.
Flights to Ireland, Isle of Man & Channel Islands have special requirements under the Prevention of Terrorism Act. Broadly this requires departure from and arrival at one of a list of designated airfields, and also prior notification to Special Branch. Full details are set out in the AFE VFR Flight Guide, and more limited details in Pooleys.
Back in 1980 there was an ECAC agreement to the effect that EU countries would allow Permit aircraft from other EU countries to fly in their country without restriction or prior permission. Unfortunately not all countries have implemented this agreement. Many countries do allow unrestricted access for all EU Permit aircraft, whilst others insist on owners seeking prior permission (usually requiring copies of Registration, Permit, Conditions, Validity and Insurance documents). A number of other countries appear to require prior permission but never answer letters, and some countries appear to prefer that you just fly there and not bother them!
Countries not requiring prior permission (for Class A Permit aircraft):
Countries believed to require prior permission:
* Spain is very slow to grant permission and many have the impression that they would rather not be asked, as is possibly the case for Portugal, although they have replied to requests promptly in my experience. Belgium has repeatedly stated that prior permission is required but large numbers of Europa pilots have flown along the Belgian coast to Holland without permission and without problems.
It is worth noting that a number of planes have flown through some of the countries on the list above, without getting permission and without experiencing problems. However it is clear that the view point of the country's CAA should be expected to be different from that of an airport operator (for whom you offer income). There is the distinct possibility that if your plane was involved in some incident in such circumstances, then the country's authorities might decide to throw the book at you, leaving you locked up somewhere unpleasant in the meanwhile! So my advice would be to always apply for permission, but I might well be tempted to go anyway if there was no reply! If you are seeking permission, the chances of a swift reply are likely to be improved if you include a translation of your request, which can be produced free on line for most European languages via http://babelfish.yahoo.com/
Jeppesen produce Bottlang flight information manuals for all European countries. These contain plates and other airfield information for all the significant airfields in the country, but also much more important information, including country specific regulations, contact details for the various authorities and weather services, customs, and lists of restricted and danger areas together with their controlling authority contact details. As an example North East France bordering Germany has overlapping restricted areas of amazing complexity and flying through it would be impossible without the information on the radio frequencies of the controlling authorities. Actually since France & Germany are no longer thinking belligerent thoughts, these restricted areas are usually inactive in my experience and the authorities 'wave you through'!
Some countries of course produce their own Flight Guides (like the French Delage) and it is also possible to derive all the information from some countries Air Information Service on line (the French system is particularly good in this respect www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/default_uk.htm and if you were simply flying over to Calais, Le Touquet or somewhere similar it might be tempting to use their site to get plates and other info.), but the effort of finding everything you might need to tour around France is such that investing £30+ in a Jeppesen Trip Kit will seem like good value, and I would strongly recommend that you or someone in your group (if flying with others) have a Bottlang for every country you fly through. These trip kits are also sold as various combinations of countries, and also their price varies quite a lot, so shop around! I do not feel the need to have this year's Bottlang for every country, but am happy enough to go with one within a few years of currency. If you simply need an up to date French Airfield plate + related info it is directly available at: www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/aip/enligne/uk/VACProduitPartie.htm
Charts: Most countries publish their own ½ mill VFR charts, but Jeppesen also publish charts for virtually every European country. There isn't a lot of difference in price so it boils down to a choice of style. I personally prefer Jeppesen charts, finding them often more legible and also of course more uniform in style. They also generally include information up to at least 10.000ft whereas some countries' own charts only include information up to a significantly lower level. As in this country your charts should of course be current!
The Guernsey Aeroclub site (www.guernseyaeroclub.com/weather.htm) is an unbeatable starting point for weather information in this country or in Europe. It offers links to the magical xcweather (which gives instant decodes of Metars all over Europe together with local aviation forecasts), to Met Office 415s, to USAF European 5 day forecasts, European TAFs and Metars, to rain radar, lightning charts, satellite info and much more. In practice when touring we usually light up our laptop in the morning in our hotel and get all we need from this site. Most sizeable airfields on the Continent will also have their own met service and will print out for you relevant en route weather charts and TAFs & Metars. As in this country you will find that most en route flight information services will happily give you weather at your destination and alternates.
Alternative sites for aviation weather are:
but I suspect you will settle on Guernsey Aeroclub.
Most larger airfields will have a computerised system for obtaining Notams. Alternatively you can obtain these on your lap top or the hotel computer. You can log onto the NATs site or alternatively you can go to the French SIA site given above, click on 'Notam', then 'Narrow route'. and the rest is easy, significantly easier in fact than on the NATS system! (I have to confess that I get all my Notams, home or abroad from the French SIA site!)
Equipment can be considered under two headings, what you are legally required to have and what it is advisable to have:
Legally required kit:
Advisable kit:
The universal RT language is of course English, and European airfields with Air Traffic Control in my experience offer an excellent standard of English using phraseology that we are all familiar with. Outside International airports RT services will generally speak to their own nationals in their language and to others in English. At small airfields without formal ATC all the RT may be in the local language, and as a matter of practicality and courtesy it behoves visitors to make an effort to get on top of the standard phrases for describing movements within the circuit. For France a list of standard phrases appears in the Pooley's Delage Flight Guide, or on line at: http://flyinfrance.free.fr/
You may be the hardy sort who likes nothing better than pitching his tent somewhere near your plane. If so, it is fair to say that Continental airfields are likely to be more helpful than UK ones. At small airfields you may well find that camping is allowed and indeed encouraged on the airfield. If not there is a pretty good chance of there being a camp site within a reasonable distance. If on the other hand you have got to that stage in life where a proper bed is called for, then I would strongly recommend www.booking.com
This site lists the hotels in any town you ask it to, and also gives available rooms and prices. These prices are generally discounted and certainly are likely to be considerably less than you would be quoted if you simply turn up at the hotel desk and ask 'Have you got a room?' We have found that looking at booking.com on the laptop after we have fixed the weather and notams in the morning allows us to fix rooms in about 5 minutes. It certainly beats the slightly anxious business of turning up at your destination and then spending ½ hour or more on the phone before eventually finding rooms somewhere that wasn't quite what you hoped for!
For France a useful source of information on accommodation and other things like restaurants, sports facilities and tourist attractions is Pilote Plus - Guide Escale du Pilote.
It is a curious anomaly in this era of economic stringency, but it is possible to claim back the tax on any fuel you take off with to travel out of the UK. This when I last checked amounted to 27p/litre on Avgas and 50p/litre on Mogas. Forms can be picked up from operations at airfields or downloaded (with full instructions) from www.lynehamaviation.co.uk/Fuel-Drawback.php It is necessary to have the VAT receipts for the fuel purchase.