The storm and the folly

Well, the saga continues. What is the fate of the chicken-hearted VFR pilot who dared to fly a long cross-country across the continent in November? Still in Paris with very little prospect of moving from this spot during the weekend, at least.

The gap I saw in the TAFs last night has all but disappeared this morning. While Paris will still clear up for a short spell this morning, there now seems to be no flyable corridor out toward the North. The southern route I had planned for today requires that I have altitude up to 6500ft. You need that to clear the R-areas and heights around Nancy and Strasbourg. If you try to swing further south toward Luxeuil, the R-areas are lower, but the heights are higher, so you have to clear 6000 anyway. In practice, to get from France back up to Northern Germany and on to Scanidnavia, you either have to have ceilings above 7500ft to fly east northeast, or clear weather (min 3500) over Brussels, Amsterdam, Groningen to take the northern route along the water to Denmark.

So what do I have?

Nowhere near enough, in other words. All along the route its BKN, so no chance to go on top, either. Just to be sure, I've checked TAFs via Luxembourg/Frankfurt/Lubeck and via Amsterdam/Groningen/Roskilde. They're all the same: low broken clouds along with TCU, and deteriorating toward the evening and Sunday.

Eventually, you just have to get that the flying gods are telling you: Not today, buddy! So you ask them, Well, OK, but when, then?! I need to have some feeling that I will be able to take off sometime in the foreseeable future.

The next glimmer of hope is Monday. I don't want to get to excited, but I have to ask myself when I'm ever going to be able to get my plane home to Stockholm. I landed here last Wednesday, and this isn't funny any more!

/Brian

Epilog - And if there was any doubt about any chance today or tomorrow, here comes the amended TAF for Orly:

Looks like a window

Tomorrow midday, according to the TAFs, it looks like I'll get a chance to get outta dodge. A brief two hour window between BKN008 and 22015G27KT where I can take off toward the west. Looking at the various AD TAFs, it looks very much like a southern route over to Berlin will be successful. I have planned out a route directly west to the SAV VOR before angling up north of Karlsruhe Baden-Baden and Stuttgart ADs, then a more north west route over Nurnberg AD up to Schönefeld.

My best bet tomorrow, as far as I can tell

I also checked a northerly route via Lille Lesquin and Groningen to Roskilde, but all those ADs have ugly-looking TAFs all day tomorrow. I don't think that's the way to go.

It will be interesting to land at Schönefeld (EDDB). That is a large regional AD, right after Tegel in size. It is also the site that is being built up to replace both Tegel and the current Schönefeld as Berlins international AD. The new one will be named after Willy Brandt. I believe it will be the biggest AD I have landed at. I called ahead and checked with the handling company (mandatory), and it is not too expensive. I am VFR, which means I don't need a slot time. Should be interesting, and in case I am delayed, I can land there after sunset, which I would not be able to do at EDAY.

It's nearly four hours of flying with this circuitous route, but from Berlin I'll be within striking distance of home. I may get the chance to try that on Sunday. In any case, I'll be a lot better positioned to take the next opportunity I get. And in the meantime, if Sunday is not flyable, there are a couple of very interesting photo exhibits in Berlin that I'd like to see. You have to find the silver lining in these situations!

/Brian

There are worse places to be stuck....

Still in Paris. I have to remind myself what every FI has told every one of us at some point: "Better to be down here wishing we were up there, than up there wishing we were down here." Flying VFR is a dance with the weather, and sometimes our partner is quite demanding, even unyielding.

I was fully aware that a long cross-country trip over Northern Europe at the beginning of November meant greater risk for being stuck on the ground at some point. This is that point. The mixed cold and warm fronts are sweeping over France, Benelux and Northern Germany in succession, bringing TS, RN, GR, then low cloud cover, then winds 15G25 or 30.

It seems that less weather is hitting Southern Germany, and perhaps not reaching all the way over to Berlin. One potential avenue is to leave LFPL tomorrow or Sunday and fly direct west by Stuttgart and Nurnberg then turn North to Strausberg (just east of Berlin). I know I can refuel there, and I can take a straight shot over the Baltic over Kristianstad and then up to Stockholm. I can always overnight in Berlin, as well, if need be.

Some resources I have found useful for European weather include:

http://euro.wx.propilots.net/  - This is a really great site that collects lots of different resources. There are lots of good choices, so look around, but the ones I use a lot are:
     - USAF surface 00-68 hr (although only 00-30 hr are really updated these days)
     - METAR/TAF multiple in/out
     - Cloudcover forecast 00-72 hr
     - Precipitation forecast 00-144 hr

www.yr.no - The norwegian consumer weather site, which is very good for long-term forecasts, although these are always, as we know, speculative at best.

www.meteox.com - Has some good forecasting of rainfall (graphic, so you can see what's happening all over the continent).

On the iPad, the AeroWeather Pro app is just great for collecting METAR/TAF for lots of aerodromes you are interested in. I use it to create groups for given routes so I can easily see how things are shaping up for a particular leg.

Being concentrated on the weather as one is in this situation, means that I am not really feeling like doing a lot of sight-seeing in Paris, which is a shame. There is an exhibit of Rafael at the Louvre that I would in another situation take a day to go see. But I feel that I don't want to miss any real opportunity I might get to fly out of here to more clement conditions. So I'm holed up here in my room with wifi scanning the weather every hour or two and using the in between time to write on the blog.

Wish me luck!

/Brian

Göteborg to Dijon to Stockholm, with many stops along the way...

ESGP-EHLE-LFQQ-LFSW-LFGI-LFSD-EDHL-ESSU
July 21 through 25, 2012
15 hrs, 1600+ NGM

The route ESGP-EHLE

This was a trip to visit the Champagne and Burgundy regions of France. I started out in Göteborg, at my go-to AD on the West Coast of Sweden, ESGP. The weather on the continent was looking variable, with typical Summer cold fronts blowing through. Mostly it's possible to pick your way through this weather. My first flight was down to Lelystad, The Netherlands, to re-fuel and overnight, betting on a cold front passing overhead while I slept.

The route from Göteborg to Lelystad is one I like. I use it also when flying through to England or Northern France. I like to avoid R- and CTL-areas when I can, since it makes planning simpler if I know in advance that I can fly the planned route. This route, over the Northern part of Denmark avoids both Kastrup and Malmö TMAs by entering Danish airspace at the KULUD boundary point then direct the Trano VOR, over the open airspace of Fyn island to Alsie VOR. (It might seem intuitive to fly directly west-south-west from ESGP, but the Danish FIR up there is covered by restricted airspace from GND to F195 or above.) From the Alsie VOR, enter the Bremen FIR at AMRAK and stay under FL80 to avoid R-201. Then descend below D-101A at 5500ft and fly directly over Heligoland. It's a VOR and the islands are an interesting sight to see. Then bee-line south-west between the two Charlie airspaces for Leeuwarden and Groningen. From there, just watch your altitude, and you can fly straight to Lelystad.

SDV on the apron at EHLE

Following the AIP, approach in to EHLE is very straightforward. There are a couple of areas where they shun overflight. The AD is AFIS only, when open, and RADIO otherwise. I believe English is acceptable even when the AFIS service is closed, but it was open when I arrived. I fueled up and got a nice parking spot on the apron. This is a fun AD; they have a lot of interesting planes. I saw a Yak-52 while I was there, as well as an interesting kit plane of a French canard design. There is apparently also a museum, which I want to visit next time I land there. I stayed in a hotel in Hardervijk. Not so far away by taxi, and lots to choose from. The landing fee at EHLE was €32 and parking over night was €15.

The next day I took off about 1045 LT for the flight to Lille Lesquin (LFQQ). I was to pick up a friend there and fly on to Epernay. That flight only took 1.5 hrs in fine weather. LFQQ is a really nice AD used for regional flights, mostly, but also a good deal of GA. A quick taxi into Lille makes that wonderful, small French city available. We just had lunch, but I could easily imagine staying over a day or two. We went back to the airport and took off about 1515 LT, headed for Epernay Plivot (LFSW).

A real Stampe, at LFSW

LFSW is a grass field, uncontrolled. My friend speaks French, and his father is a pilot, so he handled the radio on approach. Otherwise I would never attempt to land at an uncontrolled French field. When we got there, we had two AC in the circuit and two or three on taxi, so it was a good thing he could talk to all of them. We landed without a problem as they all waited for us.

LFSW is owned by the flying club. The atmosphere there is just wonderful. Many, many aviation enthusiasts of all kinds. There must have been 30 people outside the club sitting around tables talking, like any nice French café. It was a real family affair. We went in and met some of the locals. My friends father was there. I even got a chance to fly in the Stampe he is a part owner in. What a highlight!

Epernay Plivot (LFSW) from the east

After socializing there for a while, my friend and I flew the 1.2 hrs on to Dijon Darois (LFGI), another uncontrolled AD. This one has a nice asphalt RWY, though. It is apparently the home field of the Robin manufacturer, among other things. There is also an active club there, and lots of fine planes. Again, my friend handled the radio on approach, although there was nowhere near as much traffic. Dijon Longvic is the larger, better airport to use if you are visiting the area (and don't speak French) and need assistance, JetA or taxi service to town. But we had arranged to be picked up at Darois, and it was fun to land there, instead.

The route LFSD to EDHL

After a couple of days visiting a few wine makers in Burgundy (a story in itself), it was time for me to head back to Stockholm. I started by making the short hop over to Longvic (LFSD) to fuel up. After doing that, I took off for Lubeck, a 3.7 hr flight. There I fueled up again and flew home to Eskilstuna (ESSU) to fuel up before I put the plane back in its hangar. The flight up to Lubeck was in clear skies, so I climbed up to FL95 and flew above all the CTL and TMA (except Köln, which goes up to F100). Germany is a very nice airspace that way. If the weather allows you to get up to altitude, you can skip right over all the R and CTL and fly a bee line to your destination.

/Brian

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

Filed VFR Flight Plans in Europe

A little bit about filing and flying VFR flight plans between European FIRs.

When I fly within Scandinavia, I file via our local ATC flight planning center. They have a very nice web site (all in Swedish, of course), corresponding to similar services provided in France, England and I suppose just about every jurisdiction. They cannot, however, accept flight plans where either of the aerodromes is outside Scandinavia, so then you have to file with Eurocontrol. There are a number of services out there that will help you with this. The one I use (and love to death) is RocketRoute.

My purpose here is not to review filing services, so I'm not comparing to anything else. I can just say that I've been using RocketRoute for about six months, have filed something like 40+ legs for 65 hrs of airtime. The flights plans have always been available at the aerodromes (with only one exception, and I don't think that was a filing problem, since the departure aerodrome had the plan). And the adjunct services make access to AIPs, AD-charts, VFR approach charts, NOTAMs, etc. really easy. I take my iPad along, and everything is on it. Another nicety with RR is that they automagically insert all the required EET comments on line 18, noting the coordinates if you don't have an FIR border reporting point listed in your plan. They've got me. I have no reason to look at anything else.

I always file VFR flight plans. I know some pilots like to fly VFR without them. Maybe it gives them a greater feeling of freedom? I don't know. Even inside Sweden, I file, unless I'm just hopping over to a local field to re-fuel or down to a grass strip to meet a friend. But if I am going anywhere, I file. It seems to me that ATC appreciates you having a filed plan. It makes it very easy for them to acknowledge your presence, and they know who you are in case they notice any traffic. I believe it makes their job easier. And, of course, if anything were ever to happen, like a motor stoppage, then you can get their attention without having to give them all the background on who you are and where you were going. It all just makes sense to me.

Flying internationally, it is of course required. That said, it seems that your filed flight plan is generally available only to your departure and destination aerodromes. The "info" controllers in between don't get them from Eurocontrol. So, every time you are handed off to a new controller, they want to know DEP, DEST and TYPE, as well as your squawk, alt and position. Giving them all that unprompted puts them in a good mood.

In Germany, I've noticed they'll often give the same squawk to all the VFR traffic they are handling in one Info area. That confused me the first time I heard them giving "my" squawk to someone else, so I asked them to confirm, but that was their intention. OK, fine with me! Also, some Info areas can take a while to get them to respond. Paris Info 126.10 can be this way, and Bremen Info is the most extreme, in my limited experience. Now I always say goodbye to the previous controller and start calling 7-8 minutes before I get to Bremen airspace. I know they are busy, and I can't necessarily hear all the traffic they are handling, so starting early means I can be patient and wait for them to get back to me. Still, sometimes I have to put in 3 or even 4 calls to get a response.

When you file a flight plan, you can later delay it. That is a function Eurocontrol supports (and so does RR). However, you can't move it back an hour to depart earlier. If you want to do that, you have to cancel your plan and file a new one at the earlier time. Often the TWR does not get your plan until a half hour or so before your block time. So now I file the earliest block time I think I might fly. I know that the plan will sit there until a half-hour or so after my block time, so if I am a little late, no problem. If it looks like I am going to have to leave an hour later or more, then I delay the plan, which you can do on your mobile phone with RR's app.

/Brian

Lubeck to Reims

The route I finally filed and flew.

2012-Oct-27  EDHL-LFQA  1135z-1445z, 3.2hrs

The second leg of this trip, after stopping to re-fuel and eat lunch in Lubeck, was on to my destination for the day, Reims Prunay. I had also checked the weather while stopped in Lubeck, because there was a long string of low clouds stretching from Calais up to Florennes and Maastricht in the North and from Le Mans to Frankfurt in the South. This left a corridor of fine weather, SCT065 and a lot of clear patches to fly in. I had planned a route over Venlo then a jog south a bit and then south west over Belgium. Instead, I continued south all the way to the NTM VOR to miss the clouds, then cut west over Luxembourg.


There are a lot of restricted areas in Belgium that I think look like a mess to fly over/between. I was happy to skip all that, anyway. In the event, I climbed up to FL85 soon after leaving Hamburg TMA and had turbulence-free air and a wonderful view almost all the way to the Nattehheim VOR. This leg was typical for SDV with a TAS of 130 and a nice tail wind, so achieving GS of almost 150kts on 6gph! It almost feels like cheating.

The busy Rheine, east of Bentlage

I got some good help from the Langen info controller, who advised me of some weather down toward NTM, so I decided to turn west early and he called Lux and got me clearance through their TMA at 4500ft, which they confirmed after he handed me off to them. The rest of the flight I stayed at 4500ft to avoid all the restricted areas. They are listed as AGL, mostly around 2700ft, so you have to devine from the map what MSL that would be. Looked to me like peaks were 1000ft, so 4500 felt OK and Paris info didn't have any complaints.

Avoiding one last circular restricted area GND-F55 to the North, I descended down toward LFQA. This is a smaller controlled aerodrome with asphalt runways of 1100m, so plenty for me (the DA40 can land in 5-600m, if you have to). When I contacted the TWR on approach, they informed me that they had not received my flight plan. Strange, because I had confirmation that Lubeck activated it. Doesn't make that big a difference, but still a little strange.

As usual, I always fly to controlled aerodromes in France, and only when the TWR is open. Otherwise, they are "Francaise soulement", and I don't speak French anywhere near well enough. I also always have to find fields that have JetA, which normally also corresponds with controlled fields.

Re-fueling at Reims Prunay

Prunay, like most smaller, controlled aerodromes I've been to all over Northern Europe, does not require handling and charges reasonably small fees for landing and parking over night. Strangely, the most expensive fields in this regard are the ones in dear old Sweden. At Angelholm, for example, they charge €50 just to land! This is nothing more than a typical Ryanair air strip with no other facilities. Don't know where they get off. I avoid them and go to Lubeck or even Maribo (Denmark) instead to re-fuel.

The TWR and OPS staff at LFQA were typically very helpful and accommodating  They fueled me immediately (on the BP card, and without spilling a drop), found a convenient parking spot on the apron, and asked if I needed a taxi and called one for me. I arranged to pay up when I returned and I was off to meet a friend. The whole bill for landing and parking for two nights was about €32, and they provided me (unprompted) with printed out NOTAMS and WX for my filed flight plan on to Dijon Longvic. That's great value, I think.

/Brian