Aerodromes in Europe

Here is a list of Aerodromes I have actually landed at. (Updated: 2013-07-02)

In Europe, at least, the large, international airports do not want low-speed GA traffic. For example, VFR is expressly forbidden in the alpha airspace that surrounds airports like Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted. While it is possible to book a slot and get permission to land VFR at Munich, the required handling is expensive and the process is very complicated. There is normally just no reason to put yourself through all that.

The aerodromes I visit are almost exclusively those that cater to general aviation of the slower, smaller variety, although bizjets often also frequent the same runways. They do not require handling, they have JetA fuel, offer parking on the apron and some flight planning services, but otherwise are low-cost, simple alternatives. On the continent, I tend to always fly to controlled or AFIS ADs. I am not comfortable enough with any language but Swedish and English to be sure I am understanding the radio traffic around an uncontrolled AD. The corollary of this is that I am always very careful to read the AIP and NOTAM to make sure the TWR is going to be open when I arrive/depart. Many AFIS ADs have irregular hours, lunch breaks, etc.

So the airports we frequent with our 4-seat airplanes are the regional and local airstrips and airfields. For this (if not for any other reason) we can thank Ryanair, as their landing fees keep many such aerodromes open. The trick is to find the ones that are close enough to the big cities we want to visit, have reasonable transport to and from the AD, and have the facilities we need. Since I've had to research a bit to find out where to go, and then actually flown to them to see first hand, this list might be of some help. (Disclaimer: I take taxis to and from ADs. Sorry, but I just don't like to fool around with trains or busses when I have a small trolley full of luggage, flight bag,  etc.The exception to this is when the traffic situation is a problem and the train is a much quicker way to get into town. But you won't find much info here about public transport possibilities at the different ADs, since I don't really pay attention to that.)

Germany

Lubeck (EDHL) - My favorite "gateway" to the continent from Sweden. Lubeck itself is a very nice town, in case you need to overnight waiting for weather. The airport is a short taxi ride from the city. Always plenty of parking. Accept BP card.

Strausberg (EDAY) - Near to Berlin, a very convenient and helpful GA AD. Also a nice gateway from Sweden if you are headed more toward the eastern part of the continent.

Kassel Calden (EDVK) - Been there once. Be careful on your approach that you don't eye the new airstrip being built. Convenient and helpful. Right in the "middle" of Germany, so may be in a good position for re-fueling, depending on what your route is. *Update, July 2013. Been there again. The new runway is now operational (since April). It is very nice. The glide slope was U/S, though, so it was a LOC DME approach. The fees are still reasonable. Landing was €14 with VAT, less than almost any controlled airport in Sweden, in any case.

Augsburg (EDMA) - Near to Munich. Convenient to the west side of the city. Helpful. Plenty of parking. Under expansion, so check current status. This is a nice and realatively low-cost alternative if you want to base your plane in Southern Germany for a while and do some flights. For example, Austria, Switzerland and Western France are all within striking distance for a day trip, not to mention that whole region of Germany with many fine airfields.

Austria

Wiener Neustadt East (LOAN) - This is Diamond's own AD, and is only really of interest if you are visiting Diamond, I suppose. This is not perhaps that far away from Vienna, so it might be an option if you are headed there, but that would need to be further researched.

Salzburg (LOWS) - This is a larger AD, actually. They do require handling, as they get a lot of bizjets, etc., but I don't remember being astounded by the bill. You are marshaled behind a truck from the taxiway immediately after you vacate. Then you are driven from your AC to the GA center. There it is pretty luxurious. They will gladly call you a taxi. They also drive you back to your AC when the time comes, so leave a little time for them to do that. It was really fun to fly into this AD from the north. To the south are the beginning of the Alps, which rise up behind the city. As you descend down to AD altitude (1411ft), it looks like you are flying right into the mountains. Luckily, I was number two behind a Citation the first time I was there, so it gave me confidence to continue my approach!

The Netherlands

Lelystad (EHLE) - This is near Amsterdam, and I believe it's the best place to land if you are visiting there. In this case, there is a train station just a short cab ride from the AD; probably the most efficient way into the city. Very pleasant AD. They also have a number of veteran AC there, Yak-52s for example, and an air museum. I haven't yet visited that, but it is on my list when I go back.

France

Le Touquet (LFAT) - On the coast south of Calais. I use this as the staging AD before I cross to England or on the way back. I have tried to land at Calais, but it's been closed, while LFAT always seems to be open. Le Touquet is also a very nice little vacation town with tons of hotels and restaurants and nice walks along the beach areas. A short cab ride into town that the GA center will arrange for you. Plenty of parking on the apron. Lots of G-registered AC there, as would be expected. The RWY is 14/32 right on the water, while the wind often is SE, so expect som exciting cross-wind landings. It's almost as if the AD architect didn't want you to get too bored!

Lille Lesquin (LFQQ) - One of my favorite ADs. Lille is a really nice little French city, just a short cab ride from this AD. Typically good French restaurants, and of course hotels if you need them. No handling at the AD, but help with taxis, etc., if you need it. Quick fueling service. Might be a good re-fueling/lunch stop if you are on your way to/from England from the eastern parts of the continent.

Dijon Longvic (LFSD) - Update 2014-07-20 - Longvic is no longer open to GA traffic, but is exclusively military, as of last year when I was in that area (check the AIP; things can always change). The best alternative for Burgandy, if you want a controlled AD, is Dôle-Jura (LFGJ), see below.   Your gateway to Burgundy! Longvic is a military airport, really, but they also cater to GA traffic. Just make sure they are open, and you'll have a very convenient AD to fuel, park and visit Dijon. The taxi ride into town is only 15 min or so and not expensive. The GA center will contact them for you. Very easy to get in and out. They only have a few regional flights, so it is usually not crowded. Read the AIP carefully. They really want you to be at 1700ft when you reach Whiskey, and will ask you to confirm that. Also, there is a roadway that crosses the taxiway as you taxi over to the public apron, and they'll often ask you to confirm that you are clear the roadway so they can let the traffic move again. All the cars sit and wait for you to taxi off the RWY and across the road!

Dôle-Jura (LFGJ) - As of the last time I was there (2013), the best controlled AD for GA. They were making a lot of improvements at the AD at that time, including the GA facilities. Pretty simple, but fuel and parking were available without prior notice, and it has IFR approaches. I remember the fees being reasonable. I got picked up by a friend, so I don't know about transport. This airport is to the East of Dijon and Beaune, so it depends on where you want to go.

Lognes Emerainville (LFPL) - Updated 2014-07-20 - LFPL is VFR only; see also LFPN below! Close to Paris, and it seems to be the consensus that this is the best GA AD for access to that fantastic city. A short (700m) asphalt runway that is also not far from Eurodisney, if that should be of any interest. In this case, a taxi to the RER train station (about 1km away from the AD) is probably the best way into the city, as traffic can be heavy. Otherwise, a taxi all the way in will cost you something like €70, so your choice. Again, very friendly and helpful. If you do not have a Total card, then fueling is closed between 1200 and 1400 LT, so plan accordingly. Also, be aware that although this seems like a small, club AD, they take it seriously. They have GND, TWR and ATIS. You are expected to call Ground even if you are just going to move your parked plane over to the pumps to get fuel (don't ask me how I know). Also, the phone number to the TWR (not what is listed in the AIP) is: 01 6005 3319. I also want to mention the excellent team that mans the tower at LFPL. When I was last there, the weather was difficult. They were extremely helpful, calling to other airfields to get updated reports and informing me proactively and offering any assistance. This is an airfield I will gladly return to. Also not to be missed: Le Briefing, the fine little restaurant that serves lunch right next to the runway. You can dig into a nice steak while viewing your plane on the apron!

Toussus-le-Noble (LFPN) - Just south of Paris and closer than LFPL. VFR and IFR. Plenty of parking, JetA, no prior notice necessary. The arrival is pretty interesting, since (from the north) you fly through airspace used by De Gaulle, Orly and Le Bourget, so lots of traffic on the frequencies.

Reims Prunay (LFQA) - Close also to Epernay, so your gateway to Champagne. A nice, simple AD. Helpful and convenient. The other AD, Reims Champagne, seems to have been closed, so this one is really the only game in town.

Basel-Mulhouse (LFSB) - On the border to Switzerland, it can actually be used to enter either country, depending on what exit you go through from the baggage area. This is an airport where you get a follow-me to your parking spot, a ride in to the terminal, and then have to go through the regular customs/security to get landside. I also re-fueled there after I landed. I had to wait a while, but then two trucks showed up, and both drivers helped fuel me. (A combination of French confusion and Swiss efficiency?) When you leave, you go to the information desk on the arrivals level, pay your bill, and then go up to departure level to the security check next to gate 30 (on the Swiss side). That's the crew entrance. You do security there, then you get a ride back out to your plane. All in all, pretty painless, but it does take a few extra minutes, so count on that. The cost, given all the "help" was, I think, pretty reasonable: A total of €85 including VAT (not including fuel, of course).

Cannes Mandelieu (LFMD) - This is the airport to the stars, I guess. In any case, it has rows and rows of private jets, even when it's not film-festival time. There is a special pilots briefing on-line that you have to do before flying there. It just describes the proper way to do a visual approach. They have a  VPT to RWY 17 that is the most common approach. You can cancel IFR and do it VFR, or just do it as a visual approach after flying in to DA on the LOC 01 or GNSS A 01 approaches. I got fuel and ate lunch here on my way to Italy from Basel. Getting fuel took time, but eventually the truck showed up and it went quickly after that. To park, I was directed to the grass next to TWY Fox. The grass there is pretty uneven, I would even say it has holes or pits. I tried to get them to put me on the asphalt, but they weren't speaking English well enough just then (?). Lunch, however, was wonderful. The good news is that despite their normal clientele, the cost for landing and parking for a couple of hours was very reasonable, as handling is optional for light aircraft (under 3.5t, if I remember correctly).

England

Lydd (EGMD) - A coastal AD, the first one you reach when you cross the channel. Read the AIP carefully, as they have very specific ideas about when you should contact them and what you need to report. Also very windy, as it's right on the coast. I've been there once. Convenient and helpful. My experience of staying overnight there was a nightmare. Perhaps we chose the wrong place (a pub named "The George" that calls itself a hotel). There are no taxis, really, but just local guys who use their cars when they feel like pulling in a few quid. Just horrible; no two ways about it. My only advice is to try not to overnight there, but if you have to, don't go cheap. Far better in every way is to skip Lydd altogether and use Le Touquet on the other side of the channel.

Duxford (EGSU) - This is where the Air War Museum is located and is mostly interesting for that reason. We visited as a fly-in during the Veteran air show they have every year. It was perhaps the best-produced air show I've ever been to. Amazing variety and quality of AC and fantastic staging of the air work. At the same time the museum was open, and they'd arranged tons of carnival-style food which was perfectly acceptable in the context. A great time and highly recommended! I did not re-fuel here, and I don't even know if they have JetA.

Sweden

I live and am based near Stockholm, so I'll just include the ADs that fit the same profile as the ones I've mentioned in other countries. Obviously, in Sweden, I visit everything you can fly down onto, but not all of them will be of general interest here. All of these are controlled AD.

Malmö (ESMS) - This is actually a somewhat largish regional AD. They do not require handling, but you do have to get driven off of and onto the apron to your AC. Otherwise, very convenient and accommodating. Fees are on the order of €30 for landing and €5 per day for parking. Good access to Ystad, as well, which is a very nice holiday town on the south coast.

Göteborg City Säve (ESGP) - Also a regional, Ryanair AD. Charge €30 for landing and €5/day for parking. If you are staying a few days, you might be relegated to the grass. You walk on and off the apron through their security gate. Convenient fueling, but if they are servicing a Ryanair AC you might have to wait a while. Taxi into town, takes about 20 min and costs about €25.

Stockholm Bromma (ESSB) - This is the closest GA airport to Stockholm. They have just recently kicked almost all GA AC off the field (can no longer be based there), but you can still land and park, so it's fine for visitors (even if we local pilots are pretty pissed at them). ** Update 2014-07-20 - Handling is now required to land at ESSB! The handler is Grafair. Fees are reasonable/typical for a larger regional European airport, about €150. **  The one downside with Bromma is that they actually close. No Radio. When the TWR is not open, the AD is not open, either, so no landing or taking off. They usually close on Saturday late afternoon until Sunday about midday, but check the NOTAM.

Visby (ESSV) - This is the AD on Gotland, the Swedish island off our East coast in the Baltic. The town of Visby is the biggest attraction, and it and the whole island are really worth a visit. The AD is low key and convenient. There is a cross RWY of grass that you can use if you want, which shortens your approach from the West.

Kristianstad (ESMK) - A nice, smaller controlled AD. Access to the whole southeast part of Sweden, also known as Osterlen.

Stockholm Västerås (ESOW) - An instrument AD with two Ryanair flights per day, TWR open reasonably long hours, but if it's closed you can still land as it becomes Radio. About an hour and fifteen minutes from Stockholm. The train station in Västerås will get you there painlessly.

Stockholm Skavsta (ESKN) - About 1.5 hrs south of Stockholm by car. Have several Ryanair flights per day in and out. There is an express bus to central Stockholm (Flygbussen - check the website for schedules). This is a controlled AD and the TWR is open long hours; check the NOTAM. I am not up-to-date on their fees, but they are probably similar to Bromma.

Norway

Kjeller (ENKJ) - This is the right field to use if you are visiting Oslo. It is much closer to the city than Gardemoen, the internaltional AD. A taxi takes 20 min or so. This is an AFIS AD, and there are no facilities that I could see. I did not fuel there, but I believe you can. The field is used mostly by the local flight schools and clubs. You need to order a taxi in advance to meet you there, as there is nobody to help you at the AD. Still, with all that, I think it's very convenient and would use it again. Be aware that they require you to register your arrival separately with customs after you have filed your flight plan. There is info about that in the AIP. Also, the AIP says you are supposed to get a PPR number (by phone) to read back on approach to the AD, but they told me the number wasn't necessary when I called for PPR.

Denmark

Lolland Falster-Maribo (EKMB) - This is the southern-most AD in Denmark, on the eponymous island just across the water from Germany. They are an AFIS AD and are not always open, but they do have JetA at a more "nordic" price (2/3 to 1/2 as much as on the continent). Not much else there, but there are reportedly hotels not too far away in case one had to overnight.

Roskilde (EKRK) - Had a chance to fly into Roskilde this Spring (2013). This is a very convenient GA airport. Fueling is available for JetA from card automats, if you have a BP or Shell card. No assistance required. The landing fee was 75 DKK and parking 55 DKK per day. Very reasonable! Fuel is also at the more friendly price of 1.022 EUR/Ltr.

/Brian