View Full Version : San Nicolo, Venice, LIPV
Can anyone give me advice on visiting this airfield? I'm planning to go next week, IFR.
I understand that Avgas isn't always available and that you need to arrive from a Schengen country, so am planning to stop for a full tank around the France/Germany border, which will avoid the need to refuel there.
Any experiences welcome, particularly as this will be my first taste of Italian airspace and controllers.
CAVOK
I planned to go there 4 years ago but gave up after not being able to phone them.
Varying information suggested
avgas / no avgas
customs / no customs
open / closed
A day after, somebody flew there and found it deserted. He just landed...
I will give you one tip on Italy. NEVER NEVER fly to any Italian airport, if you want fuel, unless you have positively checked they have it and can sell it to you (phone or fax+reply).
I would never fly to any Italian airport for any reason whatsoever without the aforementioned positive contact. They have odd PPR requirements and can refuse landing if you meet PPR for a landing but not for Customs, even though they had your flight plan the day before.
The big ones should be fine especially for IFR but you never know the avgas situation. Italy has a problem in that a lot of places have avgas but cannot legally sell it to visitors; it's for the aeroclub only. Usually one can bribe somebody, but you need to find that 'somebody' first.
Otherwise, it's a lovely country (other than the east coast which is quite industrial). Flying there should be easy if coming from Schengen and not requiring fuel.
Personally I would land in Croatia. 50p/litre avgas (LDLO, 2007) and lovely countryside. Lots of island airports down the Adriatic, with customs and avgas. A kind of GA paradise.
Thanks IO540. Croatia sounds very appealing for next trip, especially the price of life-blood (i.e. Avgas). It has to be Venice this time to meet someone, so its Lido or Padua and a long taxi-ride.
Cavok
Consider landing in Slovenia (very near Venice) At either LJLJ ljbliana (forgive the spelling :-) or on the coast next to venice at Porto Roz this is a nice little airfield but check they have Avgas (also in Slovenia) Porto Roz is just on the Italian border just up the coast from Venice.
Pace
Padova (note: 3hrs PPR for Customs and they don't always answer the phone, and will refuse a landing if not met) is a nice airport which is 45 mins on a nice train from Venice. I'd recommend it.
I also second Ljubljana LJLJ - wel organised but avgas price is the normal EU level. Slovenia is a very pretty country - mountains, lakes etc. Great if you like the outdoors.
CAVOK - you have a PM. Your email is dead (mailbox full)
Thanks IO540. I got your PM. It shows how long it is since I used this forum that I haven't updated with my new email address.
CAVOK
Windrusher
2nd Jul 2008, 22:47
I'll put in a quick recommendation for Trento, up the Adige valley from Verona so about 100km NW of Venice, where I spent a happy couple of years a few years back. Very friendly, well used to international GA coming down from Austria and Germany, mixed GA / gliding / rescue choppers, and a handy airfield complex including hotel, restaurant, bar and the splendid Caproni museum of flight.
When I was there fuel was always available, and I'm not aware of anyone ever experiencing problems paying (I spent many happy hours hanging around in the air-conditioned tower when it got too warm outside) - but even in the UK it's always worth phoning ahead if you're banking on it.
If Marco Fozzer is still the airfield manager (and gliding CFI) there, give him my regards!
Windrusher
NEVER NEVER fly to any Italian airport, if you want fuel, unless you have positively checked they have it and can sell it to you (phone or fax+reply).
That might work from a Northern or Central European perspective. To give the Southern European view, land wherever you fancy--just make sure you have enough fuel for another one or two hours of flight. Once you've landed, ask the locals where one can get Avgas, there will usually be an airstrip a short hop away where you can refuel. It will be expensive though, so take as little as you need to get to your next destination abroad and top it up there.
so its Lido or Padua and a long taxi-ride
Doesn't need to be. For one thing, you could do worse than ask in the Italian forum for some local knowledge. For another, you could always plan on Venice, with a sure-fire alternate in case you don't succeed in landing there for whatever reason (just take plenty of fuel with you).
That might work from a Northern or Central European perspective. To give the Southern European view, land wherever you fancy--just make sure you have enough fuel for another one or two hours of flight. Once you've landed, ask the locals where one can get Avgas, there will usually be an airstrip a short hop away where you can refuel. It will be expensive though, so take as little as you need to get to your next destination abroad and top it up there.
I like that description :) :ok:
For another, you could always plan on Venice, with a sure-fire alternate in case you don't succeed in landing there for whatever reason (just take plenty of fuel with you).
That's a good strategy which I need to do more often myself.
One just needs to remember to arrange PPR etc with the alternate too - if you try this with Padova, they will refuse you a landing even from short final, unless you declare a mayday.
Most pilots file alternates to airfields which they have not contacted - this is pretty normal. Further down south, say Greece, it is unavoidable to file some military (no GA) airports as alternates, and obviously no contact is involved there.
tuscan
3rd Jul 2008, 08:21
I just got back from stage 1 of a motorcycle tour in Italy and Im not sure how relevant this is compared to small airfields but most filling stations closed between 1200hrs and 1530hrs, probably due to the heat as well as culture.
Im guessing that small strips may have the same wonderfull lunchbreaks:D and on contact with them about fuel requirements I would check the operating hours,including breaks of the fuelers.
Foxbat01
3rd Jul 2008, 08:54
Just returned from there.
Reception friendly and helpful they sent a van out to meet us on landing and transport luggage. They were expecting us and even had the copies of the Fax we'd sent advising of the trip although we had no response.
ATC across the VFR routes from France very easy, do your planning and stick to the routes and altitudes and you'll have no problems.
It has no IFR approaches so you will need to follow the VFR points into and out of the pattern.
It is grass, watch out for the floating houseboats passing the 24 end.
There is no fuel available and they only accept flights from Schengen countries. That said there is a phone number on the NOTAMs to call for fuel which is the 'Response Helicopter' operators - they have fuel and don't respond to their phone. Plan on having sufficient fuel to get back, although they did let us have a small quantity of fuel to increase our safety margins to a point we could refuel - price was eye watering.
There were several light aircraft from around Europe there and arrived after us.
Enjoy the trip.
akos.maroy
1st Aug 2011, 18:57
I'm planning to fly to LIPV myself.
I wonder, if anyone from the above people, who flew to LIPV - how did they contact the airport before flying there? I'm having a hard time finding any form of contact info (phone number, e-mail, etc.)
also, I wonder how people crossed the Venice CTR while landing, as it seems LIPV is inside Venice CTR...
any feedback would be appreciated...
werewolf
1st Aug 2011, 20:59
Italian forum : VFRFlight forum | Aviazione Generale, VDS, Ultraleggeri - Index | Aviazione generale, VDS, Ultraleggeri (http://www.vfrflight.net/)
-> Welcome foreign users !
akos.maroy
1st Aug 2011, 21:06
thanks for the link. I found a phone number of LIPV in the 'all airflields' PDF file :)
OTOH, I tried to register on that forum site, but it seems registration is disabled?
Sounds like Italy has not changed since my last post here in 2008 :)
On this handy site (http://www.handbook.aero/hb_airports.html) I find this (http://www.handbook.aero/hb_airportpage.html?recnum=1042).
Airport data IATA Code: ATC Tel: +39 041 220 7721 ICAO Code: LIPV ATC Fax: +39 041 220 7718 Runway: 1036m / 3398ft (Grass) Time: UTC+1 Hours of operation: 0900 - 1800 Tues-Sun Fuel availability: Jet/Avgas Customs: 3hrs PNR ; FBO/Handlers Aeroporto Nicelli (http://www.handbook.aero/hb_handlerpage.html?recnum=135785) (Handler)
Charter operators Elisem (http://www.handbook.aero/hb_charterpage.html?recnum=3131)
Maintenance providers Sorry, no maintenance providers currently listed. Please use our Feedback form to advise us. Airport operator Company: Nicelli SpA Telephone: +39 041 770 0300 Fax: +39 041 242 8714 Email:
[email protected] Web: www.aeroportonicelli.it (http://www.handbook.aero/link.html?id=159)
May not be any good but it's worth a try, especially faxing unless you can speak Italian in which case the world down there is your oyster :)
akos.maroy
1st Aug 2011, 21:35
wow - thank you - indeed, this is the information I was looking for!
bookmark
2nd Aug 2011, 15:41
akos.maroy,
the online registration is temp disabled due to tech problems.
had a chat with the forum admin; you're more than welcome,
just send an email to iscrizioni ( a t ) vfrflight ( d o t ) net
with your username and password (and once in, change that
asap)
welcome again
edit
launosam
3rd Aug 2011, 07:25
Hi,
I was there 22-23 June. No problem at all.
We came from France, all vfr, Genova, Reggio Emilia -> Venice-> Pula... with C172.
Refuel at San Nicolo and also getting custom was easy, when we went to Croatian from there. It looks that there is one person in they team who can talk english quite well. Refuel was no problem, when airport was open.
Strip was in good shape, some longer grass in taxiways, but not too long.
Information in www.aeroportonicelli.it (http://www.handbook.aero/link.html?id=159)was accurate.
We had flighplan where plan was via vfr route along costline. Actually we get direct to LIPV when we contact to App, so that was quite easy too.
From my point of view, San Nicolo was very nice place, could not find any negative to tell you.
If I can tell anything else, let me know.
atb1943
3rd Aug 2011, 17:53
Here's a handy site I wasn't aware of before...Venezia San Nicolo Airport Map | Italy Airports (http://www.maplandia.com/italy/airports/venezia-san-nicolo-airport/)
It looks particularly helpful for hotels near the airport. The mapping is highly detailed too.
Hwvr I was expecting a real airfield map, but I'm sure you have the Pooley or Bottlang (sorry...er...Jepp VFR) to hand...
I've been having fun reliving my week on San Servolo but, crikey, that was 30 years ago! Time to go again.
Happy landings
ATB
edit link improved