Flight to North Cape

[cavok_italy]

hi guys, I'm thinking to fly to north Cape (Honnigsvag) during the 24 hr sun, end of May, on SE plane from Venice, Italy. Any suggestion, any ideas, any comment to share with me?
Thanks a lot, happy landings

[LH2]

Only to say it sounds like a great trip. What are you flying in?

[cavok_italy]

Actually a C172RG Cutlass, but I'm trying to rent a better shaped one. Any suggewstion where?
Thanks

[Seagull61]

Why not stop off in ENZV (South West of Norway).....you`d be more then welcome for a cup of coffee!

[cavok_italy]

I've to work on the route, what's the name of the city?

[Seagull61]

Stavanger - probably a bit out of your way. But worth a visit if you are planning on routing up our coast to NordKapp. There are plenty of airports on the way up. Check www.ippc.no for info about Norwegian airports.

[M609]

If you got any questions regarding flying in the north, just ask. (Controller at ENDU/Bardufoss, and and if I ace the skilltest tomorrow PPL pilot in Bardufoss aeroclub!)

I do suggest you read this one carefully:
Guide to VFR flight in Norway

http://www.gap.no/fileadmin/publikasjoner/brosjyre_vfrguide.pdf

Powerlines are a big thing safety wise, and I do prefer the M517 series of 1:250.000 charts myself. They are a bit more up to date then the ICAO 1:500.000 (Sadly the CAA has VFR charts as a low priority)



Route wise, I do recomend you fly via the Lofoten islands on the way up or down. (Ex: Depart Bodø/ENBO and stop at Svolvær/ENSH or ENLK/Leknes)
100LL is not allways awailable at the smaller airfields, so check in advance. The next with fuel can be quite some distance away.

If you fly through Norway we might talk, our TMA stradle the country pretty much.

Rgds
M609

[crap pilot]

I would also reccomend the lofoten islands, one of the most beautiful places ive had the pleasure of visiting.
M609, I think that i may have spoke to you on the radio last march on our way to Svalbard.

[cavok_italy]

Thanks a lot guys.
Is the 24 hr daylight between mid of may and mid of june?
I think it will be very challenging flying from Italy to north Cape, now I'm trying to find a good copilot :):):):)

[cavok_italy]

M609, crossing fingers for you :ok::ok::ok::ok::ok:
Where is your city?

[M609]

Thank you cavok!

Where is your city?

Well......city is pushing it a 'bit', it's a air force base with a small village and a lot of army bases close by! Anyway: 69.05N 018.54E
For reference:

http://www.ippc.no/norway_aip/150307/AIP/AD/ENDU/endu.html

(That's www.ippc.no, you get all notams, aip and other publications on it)

I don't have the solar tables handy, but I belive the Midnight Sun kicks in at about 20th of may here, and probably arround the 10th at the North Cape.
Off course, at a X thousand feet you get it a bit earlier


-------------------
CP: Affirm!

[rebra]

cavok, sounds like a great trip! Another suggestion for a stop and sightseeing: Fyresdal (ENFY) http://airparc.com/ (ps 100LL not available).

[Whirlybird]

I too recommend the Lofoten Islands, though I haven't managed to fly there....arrived by ship (Hurtigruten). They almost had me considering emigrating!

Actually, the whole of northern Norway in summer is quite stunning; wonderful place. I'm envious!

[Seagull61]

The south`s not too bad either..........!

[DubTrub]

Some more info from the PPRuNe archives (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=228627):

[englishal]

I'm trying to find a good copilot
I'll go ;) Either that or you can stop in Bergen to pick me up :}

[Bluebeard777]

We made this trip in 2005. Consider Hammerfest a better stopping point than Honningsvag - I did land at the latter but local pilots cautioned a no-go wind limit of only 15 knots. Scenery there is bleak. Luckily we got a nice day for the trip around North Cape itself (which actually is slightly south of another nearby headland). Pm me your email and I'll dig out route details. Good trip, up the coast of Norway and down through Finland and the Baltic states.

[M609]

Honingsvaag is indeed nasty when it's windy. Hammerfest as well, but less so.
Expect lot's of windshear and mech. turb. Honingsvaag has a more challenging approach, you need to hug the terrain, and that's hard if it's windy.

Sporty when the weather is nice and the winds benign, nasty when the wind picks up.

As for scenery, you are quite right BB777

http://eu.airliners.net/photos/photos/2/4/9/0369942.jpg

http://eu.airliners.net/photos/photos/0/6/8/0183860.jpg

At Hammerfest the approaches are more straight in, with less high ground close to the AD to create nasty tubulence.



M609, with PPL in the press!

[fltcom]

We flew to Hammerfest last March/April stopping at the Lofoten Islands prior to Hammerfest, then went on to Svalbard (not for the faint hearted) Be aware that Leknes doesn't always have 100LL and another tip would be to get a 'Statoil' card as many norwegian airfields do not accept credit cards.

Flt

[Pilot-H]

Here you go: Flight from The Lofoten Islands to the North Cape (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=etwFUEIw8bw)

[Whirlybird]

The south`s not too bad either..........!

I agree!!!! But most of us know that. It's just that a lot of people in the UK have this idea that the far north is bleak and depressing and miserable, and it's not. At least, not in summer. And in my admittedly very limited experience, the north has better weather. At least while I was there it did. Bright, clear, endless days in the north...but I've been to Bergen several times, and can only remember one day without rain. :(

[Seagull61]

Before Xmas we had 72 days straight with rain.... just north of me in Bergen they got even more.

So take you point Whirlybird

[cavok_italy]

Thanks guys, very nice advices. I'll keep you posted