Gibraltar

[good finish]

Hi Folks
Now that you can fly into Gib i am planning to do so in May next year in my motorglider.
have a 4 hour duration at 95kts.
has anyone done this trip that could recommend a routing? will be departing from the Midlands.any other advice or guidance gratefully received.
many thanks in advance.

[Kelly Hopper]

You always could fly into Gib, it just depended on how you got there. Did it myself years ago in a 172. South coast, across the channel, Brest peninsular and west coast of france to Biarritz. Then across Spain to Seville. Had to go down to Tangiers before coming back to Gib but not now.
It's a good trip and well worth it. I would recomend checking the weather carefully (very wind dependant) and go up to the tower at Gib to get the full briefing. Enjoy!

[chevvron]

Turbulence in the lee of the Rock can be almost unmamageable in light aircraft, so it might be best to plan a downwind landing if the wind is from about 100 to 260 deg. eg south westerly 15 kts you get a severe downdraught at 3/4 mile from touchdown, so you apply power to get through it without undershooting; just as this takes effect you hit the updraft just inside 1/2 mile and you have to cut the power and stuff the nose down!! AERAD used to do a 'pictorial' plate of wind effects, don't know if they still do though as the company has changed hands several times.

[UV]

Now that you can fly into Gib

Good finish ..I thought GA was no longer welcome at Gib. Has that changed? Or do you mean that you can now fly from Spain direct into Gib??

Anyway...

Turbulence in the lee of the Rock can be almost unmamageable in light aircraft, so it might be best to plan a downwind landing if the wind is from about 100 to 260 deg

Some scarry advice there..use some really basic airmanship and divert, if the winds are coming around the rock....
UV

[vanhigher]

good finish - you can fly from Spain direct , no problem , i flew there from Malaga a few years ago , you have to get Prior Permission though which involves ( i think ) 48 hrs notice
A good route is simply to follow the west coast of France and Spain

- how far are you from the Drum and Monkey ?? !!;)

[Mariner9]

Tried to get there in 2006 en-route to Morocco. The controlling authority at Gib (RAF) were refusing to accept GA at that time. Things might have changed since then however, so worth asking.

[172driver]

They do accept GA, however it's PPR. Not sure about the lead time required, but as they have to close the main Gibraltar access road to accommodate you, it's most likely more than a couple of hours. Info about the turbulence is correct, read up and have a close look at the diagrams in the approach plates. Give them a call.