What to do, where to go, who to see.

[Fuji Abound]

Aplogies for shouting but if this thread is to work I think it is important we follow some guidelines so here they are.

I have always felt that one of the main reasons pilots give up flying is they get fed up with no where to go. The cost versus the benefits (particulaly in keeping the family / girl / boy friend satisfied) soon put pay to continuing, and GA is the worse off for having lost another pilot. (and thats not for discussion, but if you really must, go discuss on another thread!! :) )

The problem with places to go is that they have to be convenient, and they have to offer something to do potentially for everyone. Sitting in a dubious flying cafe is not going to appeal to many!

Moreover, the cost of taxis can add greatly to the overall cost and if they are difficult to get, the frustration. Whilst flying is never going to be cheap we all like to save a few pence here and there :) .

So, and here is my idea, lets start a list of as many "good" places to go.

The post should include at the very least:

1. The name of the airport, an idea of the landing fees and a telephone number for booking PPR,

2. Where to go from the airport and why the destination might appeal. Ideally the place suggested should not be too far away thus making the trip possible in a day. Of course the destination should potentially appeal to passengers and not just the pilot.

3. How to get to the destination. Is there a bus to from the airport, a train, a tube, how often do they run, how do you get to the station, how long does it take, and what is the cost.

Thats about it - I hope it produces some useful and enjoyable destinations - I will kick off with one in the next thread :) :) :) .

Of course if people have some extra information about one of the destinations mentioned that could be added in another post.

[Fuji Abound]

Lille

Perhaps the main city of Northern france.

The airport is around an hour to an hour and a half flying from the south coast. Customs are always present so you can route direct. The airport takes a few commercial flights and has two runways so cross winds will probably not be too much of an issue. The airport is very easy to find, standing out well on the SE corner of th elarge city of Lille.

Handling is automatic, landing fees very inexpensive - around 15 Euros for a twin, less for a single.

There is a shuttle bus into town every hour (on the hour I think) and back to the airport (on the half hour I think). Expect to pay a few pounds. The shuttle takes 15 minutes. A taxi is about 25 Euros. A taxi rank is in front of the main station.

Expect a few delays at the airport typical of a large "international" airport with security etc. Perhaps allow half an hour from the aircraft to the shuttle bus.

Loads to do in the City - I suspect very good shops, and other interests (I have not fully explored these yet).

Get the PPR numbers form here:

http://www.nav2000.com/pf/

Enjoy. PM me if you need any more information.

[fernytickles]

Is there a UK version of www.airnav.com ? If not, it might be worth someone who is computer savvy putting together such a website? It gives all the info a pilot needs WRT each airport in the USA, including comments from folk who have visited the airports. This has been useful for affecting the way some FBO's operate, improving matters when pilots have complained, and also giving the pilots a chance to compliment or thank the FBOs when they have reason to.

[IO540]

La Rochelle

Reachable by most club-type planes from the southern UK.

A very nice city on the coast, with plenty going on in the evenings, great places to eat.

The only notable thing I recall on the flying side of things is their rather unusual circuit which they definitely expect you to adhere to. Make sure you have the AIP page to hand showing all the local VRPs.

Further away is San Sebastian which is even better. This is just a few minutes past Biarritz which is also very nice but I prefer San Seb. The flight to these two places along the very long straight west coast of France is super, but it is all a restricted area (R31A1) which I have found to be clear at weekends. PM/email me if you need any more info.

I am not aware of a single "airport comments website". There are countless pilot websites and many of these contain opinions on different airports. The excellent PPL/IR (http://www.pplir.org)group runs a member-only site which has an Airports section but this is largely from the IFR point of view.

[172driver]

Now, now - there are loads of great places ! One I really enjoyed going to was Alderney (info as of 2003 here (http://www.flyalderney.com/pooleys.html) - there's probably a more recent one somewhere on the web - and of course in the print edition). The approach and landing in itself is fab (essentially it's a bit like what a carrier landing must look like, as the airport sits on a high plateau, surrounded by cliffs - great!), then either a cab or indeed a leisurly stroll down through the village to the port to feast on crab - divine!

A bit further afield, but why not go down to Spain and get checked out by a local FBO ? In the south, both Aerodynamics (http://www.aerodynamics-malaga.com/) (in Malaga) and Fly-in-Spain (http://fly-in-spain.com/en/index.php) (in Jerez) offer self-fly hire. Weather usually is great, the airports are all big and the cities fantastic. A tapas crawl in Seville or Malaga or, indeed, some culture in Cordoba or Granada is hard to beat. Aerodynamics will also provide (free of charge) a safety pilot for those who don't feel comfortable venturing out by themselves. They also include the landing fees in Spain in their hire rates. On both counts not sure about Fly-in-Spain, but the landing fees are pretty negligible anyway, arround EUR 10.-. And for the more adventurous, there's always Maroc and Portugal to go to..... enjoy :ok:

[IO540]

There are loads of other places I could mention but I was trying to start with places one can fly to in one leg in say a PA28 or a C172.

Once you can do 600-700nm then the other side of the Alps is accessible, and that is a whole new ballgame.

[PompeyPaul]

Anybody flown to Belgium ? Airports near Brugges ?

[dwshimoda]

You can fly to Oostende and route to Brugges via bus and train fairly quickly and inexpensively - did it last year. It was great fun orbiting for a DC-10 on the glideslope and coming in after him, passing a 747 waiting to line-up!

2 Donkeys covered it on his excellent website: Oostend (http://www.polestaraviation.com/?p=24)

Shame he couldn't keep up what was one of the most entertaining websites going - must have taken up tonnes of time though!

[airborne_artist]

You can also fly to Ursel (EBUL) for Bruges - about the same distance to Bruges as it is from Ostend.

Ursel has about 10,000' of concrete, and hosts a well-reputed Wings and Wheels military show (http://www.wingsandwheels.be/framespagina-nl.htm) in mid August.

[Fuji Abound]

I tried to shout the key points at the start of the thread.

I have to say I find some of the replies a bid odd.

Rightly (or wrongly) my idea was for pilots to grow a list a readily accessible places to go - probably mostly in the UK or perhaps Northern France the CIs or perhaps even Belgium.

The idea was to be able to get there and back in a day or perhaps two at most AND then have something to do.

The idea was for the poster to give specific details of the local point of interest and how to easily get there from the airport.

Come on chaps I am sure we can do better please.



From my point of view here is another.

For those who like sking and shopping go to Cranfield. The snow dome is a short taxi ride away (which is the only way I know of getting their). There would seem to be a delay sometimes in getting a taxi to the airport so perhaps order one first or the tower will make arrangements if you give ask them nicely on long final.

The snow dome is a superb in door real snow ski paradise - check out their web site. Within and around the snow dome is a good shopping arcade.

The only downside is the landing fees at Cranfield are expensive but if you ski the snow dome is well worth a visit.

[dublinpilot]

Not in the UK, but none the less doable in a day trip, but better suited to a weekend...


Kilkenny, Ireland EIKL. 52N39, 007W18. (100nm from Haverfordwest)

No public transport, but they will be happy to order you a taxi. Cost into the city probably about €10.

To do/see:
Kilkenny Castle is open to the public. Kilkenny Castle Info (http://www.heritageireland.ie/en/HistoricSites/East/KilkennyCastleKilkenny/)
If you have the time stay the night, and enjoy nightlife, particularly on a weekend.

[Whirlybird]

The name of the airport, an idea of the landing fees and a telephone number for booking PPR,

Oh, come on now, don't you have a copy of Pooley's? Why should posters look up everything for you?

In no particular order, ie as I think of them....

1. Caernarfon. Pick a nice day, fly over Snowdonia so that everyone can enjoy the great views, and walk for five minutes to the beach.

2. Wellesbourne Mountford. Nice cafe on the airfield. Then take a taxi into Stratford on Avon; can't cost much; it's only a few miles. Loads to see, nice shops, something for everyone.

3. Sheffield. Good if your passengers are shopaholics. You can get a bus from the airport to Meadowhall (known to non-shopaholics as Meadowhell), a massive out-of-town shopping complex. Pilots and passengers who are bored by shopping can do an extra local flight out over the Pennines - the "dambusters" reservoirs and Chatsworth House are both a very short flying distance away. ( You can do a similar shopping trip to the Trafford Centre from Barton)

4. Duxford. Even non-aviation addicts will enjoy the museum, on the airfield.

5. Cambridge. Airfield is very close to the town, and there's loads to see, or you can get a punt along the river etc.

6. Perranporth Right on the cliffs, great place for clifftop walks, or you can get down to a couple of beaches pretty easily as far as I remember.

7. Le Touquet Hire bikes from the airport, get a bus into town, or a short taxi ride. Shops, beach, good restaurants, nice walks, duty frees.

8. Welshpool Very short taxi ride to Powys Castle

9. Fife Really good restaurant on the airfield...we never got any further.

10. Plockton Stroll down the main street admiring Britain's most northerly palm trees...or maybe even the world's?

I could go on and on; there are loads and loads.

[Fly Stimulator]

I missed this thread the first time round, and my contibutions don't quite follow Fuji's suggested format, but for anyone interested in heading over the Channel here are some personal impressions of French airfields (http://www.theflyingschool.co.uk/French_airfields.htm) that I originally wrote up for a magazine a couple of years ago.

[kevmusic]

I'm planning ahead here as I ain't got the licence yet, but I'm reading this thread with interest. However, my wife, although she can get into & out of an aeroplane (with difficulty), can walk only a few yards. As the feasibility of getting her mobility scooter into a Jodel 150 is stretching the imagination a bit, :eek: then if anyone knows of car hire near the apron (or even ON the apron :}) that'd be extra helpful.

Kev.

[flybymike]

Whirlybird. Excellent post. I have been flying for 24 years and you have given me quite a few new ideas in just one post! Pooleys etc are designed to get you to the airfield but useless on things to do once you get there.
Don't forget us poor sods oop North who cant do day trips to the continent!

[Andy_RR]

Well, if you're after a website, you could do worse than concoct a load of entries in Wikipedia - great linking capability and ability to post photos and diagrams.

As long as the information is factual, I don't see why it would be objected to?

Worth a shot developing a relatively standard format for airfield entries.

[Fly Stimulator]

Kevmusic,

There is a Hertz office on the carpark side of the terminal building at Le Touquet. That's probably as close as you'll get to being on the apron, since it's a very small terminal and it's all on one level so there are no steps to negotiate in the short distance between apron and carpark.

[shortstripper]

I'm on a private strip, but in a bid to "support my local airfield" I nominate Goodwood. Close by, is Tangmere aviation museum http://www.tangmere-museum.org.uk/ and for those fed up with aeroplanes, the Weald and Downland Open air museum http://www.wealddown.co.uk/

Both brilliant, both within 5 miles of the airfield :ok:

SS

[kevmusic]

Thanks FS - noted. :ok: