Private Pilot would like to fly in Argentina.

[flyArgentina]

Hello, and thanks in advance for any help!

I am a long-time PP. My wife is from Argentina & so we will be going down again in Sept. I would love to rent a plane there but am not sure if it is possible, & if so, what I must do. I've searched the forums here & there seems to be a bit of conflicting /outdated information/opinions, along with a lot of broken links, so I was hoping maybe someone had some up-to date info or experience.

All I really want to do is be able to rent a small plane from a club near Rosario, and fly around the city or along the Parana River for a bit, returning to the same airport. I have a bunch of in-laws there so the idea is to make several sight-seeing flights with them as described. I have a rudimentary Spanish language capability and could learn some phraseology, but as the airport in question is uncontrolled ( a grass strip actually), I'm hoping maybe it won't matter so much.

I understand I can get an Argentine PPL based on my FAA PPL, but I don't really know what the requirements are or the process is. Does anybody know whom to contact for this information?

Thanks to all, & happy flying

[172driver]

An Argentinian (pilot) friend of mine who lives in Europe has looked into this, as we are planning to do this at some point. From what he told me - mind you, this is not official - the answer is 'doable, but not easy'.

There appear to be two obstacles to anyone w/o an Argentinian license flying there:

- the conversion process which, according to who you believe, requires an air-law exam in Spanish

- the non-availability of rental a/c

In reality, the latter is probably the bigger issue. GA seems to revolve around private owners and/or clubs there, with no provision for non-owner / club member flying.

The easiest in your case would probably be to find a local pilot, offer to pay for the fuel and go flying with him. By far the easiest (and cheapest) route to a bit of flightseeing.

Enjoy!

[flyArgentina]

Thanks 172Driver

Doing sightseeing myself is only half the motivation. I'd really like to be able to take my out-laws up for a spin (not literal) as well. This is looking not so likely anymore, but I'm not giving up yet.

I'd hoped to get this issue squared away before contacting the club/flight-school so I looked like I was on top of things, but given the highly accessible and methodical nature of the Argentine regulatory framework, I may have to call the club/flight-school after all, see if they will even rent me the plane assuming I jump though all the hoops, and then let them tell me what hoops to jump through, assuming they even know.

Anyway, I'll let all know what I find out. Thanks again!

[stickandrudderman]

An A4 Skyhawk is what you want....

[flyArgentina]

Oh... So the Falklands are part of Argentina now????

[patowalker]

Oh... So the Falklands are part of Argentina now????

If you think they are not, forget about renting a plane in Argentina. I went to school there and my first reader started off with "Evita me ama", "Peron cumple" and "Las Malvinas son Argentinas". :)

[MartinCh]

take my out-laws Never head that one.. :)

Not involved with/researched 'conversion' or validation ('convalidacion' in Spanish) in the past. I only did full Argentine PPL. True, to fly in Argentine airspace, you need to have some aviation Spanish. Even officially uncontrolled airport may have A/G radio that may sound like ATC, haha. The difference is in couple key words in 'clearance' etc.

With the bureacracy of ANAC and inflexibility of clubs/schools, you're not likely to sort it pain-free without more than simple check out that you're safe. It's not customary to rent aircraft to visitors. Previous posts I read about Argentina before spending summer (well, their winter) there, suggested it wouldn't be easy/doable.

As suggested, 'renting' 4 seater with local experienced pilot would be easiest. They do radio and take off, you do most of the rest.

BTW, air law is fairly easy for PPL level.

Yeah, unless people ask for nationality for paperwork, it may be safer to say you're Irish etc. To save some awkward time. Lots of older club pilots or some career instructors (not many of those in Argentina) served in military.

Stuff mentioned in this suicide thread on pprune (http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/413851-suicidal-man-kills-pilot-himself.html) from 2010 doesn't help things either.

[Brachetta]

Hi FlyArgentina,
Without paying much attention to the comment about Malvinas/Falkalnds just to avoid getting into a bitter subject I tell you that I've got my wings years ago in Aeroclub Rosario.
It is unlikely that you will just show up and be able to take an aircraft for a spin. Your license will be fully recognized but you will have to enrol in the club and ( if not a full conversion) do a proper adaptation. The field is non towered so only basic Spanish will be needed. The view of the Parana river with the islands is simply beautiful, specially early morning or at sunset.
If your wife is Argie then have her calling the club on 0054 341 4253100 and speak to Ana Maria, club secretary for more info.

Good luck to you
PS: an honest piece of advice....whatever you think about Malvinas/Falklands, keep it to yourself if you want to make good friends and have a great time. It is a very sensitive matter, to say the least. Just a thought.
Cheers and hope you enjoy my city.

[Genghis the Engineer]

PS: an honest piece of advice....whatever you think about Malvinas/Falklands, keep it to yourself if you want to make good friends and have a great time. It is a very sensitive matter, to say the least. Just a thought.

Also true of any Argentinian visiting the UK!

Which also means getting the name right. "Malvinas" is pronounceded "FALKLANDS" anywhere in Britain and a few other places, and similarly in the Spanish speaking world it's the other way around.

Just how it is.

G

[Brachetta]

I just dared to give a bona fide word to our friend. Both on how to enjoy the beauties of flying over the Parana River and how to make good mates.
It is not my intention to start an argument about the islands in this thread.
Cheers to all and enjoy the flights.

[Genghis the Engineer]

And I think he's got some good advice - but I think that the sensitivity of that issue may not be obvious to people who don't live in the UK or Argentina, and it was I think a fair warning.

G

[patowalker]

My wife is an "Argie", although if I called her that she would probably thump me. Doesn't like the term Argentinian either. It was always Argentine to us, as in Spanish it is argentino, not argentiniano.

Flew to Dinard to spend last weekend in St Malo. On the way from the airport I asked the taxi driver if she was aware of the association between the malouins and the Iles Malouines. She hadn't a clue, and had never heard of the Falklands either.

[BroomstickPilot]

Hi Everybody,

Back in about 2007, (I think before Kirchner came to power,) I was at some friends' family gathering in Germany. (It was a 100th birthday party)!

While there, I was introduced to one of their relatives by marriage, a young Argentine woman. As soon as she heard I was British, she insisted pointedly that the 'Malvinas' was theirs. (I had not even mentioned the subject and had not intended to do so).

Personally, irrespective of the rights and wrongs of the issue, I thought that raising this issue, especially at my friends' party, was a breach of good manners, so I refused to respond.

My point is that even then the Argentine government had its whole population fired up on this subject and in this regard things are probably even worse now than they were in 2007.

I am quite sure that almost no Argentine would now be prepared even to listen to the British point of view, but avoiding the subject when visiting there would be an impossibility. You would be sure to be repeatedly lectured and if you resisted probably beaten up.

Personally, I wouldn't even go to Argentina, partly because repeated such confrontations would be a dead cert and partly because I would resent my tourist expenditure going into their economy.

BP.

[patowalker]

You would be sure to be repeatedly lectured and if you resisted probably beaten up

Absolute nonsense. You have obviously never been there, or you would know that British tourists are very welcome in Argentina. Judging the Argentine population by what you read in the press or by their government's propaganda does it a great injustice.

The historical links with Britain are very strong, which is not surprising since it had the largest British community outside the Commonwealth. No, they didn't leave, they married Argentines :)

[Brachetta]

My point is that even then the Argentine government had its whole population fired up on this subject and in this regard things are probably even worse now than they were in 2007.

I am quite sure that almost no Argentine would now be prepared even to listen to the British point of view, but avoiding the subject when visiting there would be an impossibility. You would be sure to be repeatedly lectured and if you resisted probably beaten up.

That's a very wrong assumption, to say the least. You would be surprised how many argentines would be happy to talk to you civilized about it and find out what you think about this matter. And you would be even more surprised about how many don't get "fired up" by ridiculous official government propaganda.
Naturally you will always have a sad bunch of brickheads jumping and making noise following whatever they are told, But that happens fairly everywhere, not only in Argentina.

In my company there are 2 British colleagues an good mates of mine. We spend hours talking about 1982 and we always comment how much we've learnt about the conflict 30 years down the line. We all have family who served during the war...what to do, are we gonna be bitter with each other and start a fight? For the record we all enjoy our dinners and discussions very...very much.

Look, I am the 1st one criticizing my country when criticism is due, but I promise you that a tourist being Brit or from anywhere for that matter will find a friend in an Argie more often than not. Dont get dragged by what you read in the papers. That's what a government with falling popularity says in order to get some last minute support.

About your friend at the dinner; yes, agree...extremely impolite with no manners.

[VP-F__]

I remember meeting a bunch of Argies once, they had guns and knocked on my door, expected to be welcomed in and could not understand why we were listening to the BBC. They were even more confused when my parents told them that we were British. It was April 2nd 1982!
Unfortunately your President is :mad: and your country has had 50+ years of brainwashing. Fortunately it does not seem to have affected all so there is hope.
My country will always be the Falkland Islands and one of the most proudly British places on the planet.

[Genghis the Engineer]

Fully appreciating and understanding VP-F's point, could I just put my moderator's hat on for a moment and ask that we drag the thread back to flying.

(Incidentally, is there any private flying in the Falklands VP-F?)

G

[VP-F__]

Genghis,
yes there is some private flying in the Falklands, there were three privately owned 172's but over the last ten years one was sold to the UK (Derby aero club I believe) one has been abandoned and the other is based in Stanley although currently without a C of A but hopefully be back in the air sometime next year. There is just the one maintainence facility at Stanley Airport which is part of the Falkland's Government Air Service that operates five Islanders around the Islands.
VP-F

Back to thread........:ok:

[patowalker]

Yes, an LV reg arrived in Stanley on Friday and was to leave yesterday. The pilot is Argentine and has many friends on the islands. He was ferrying this aircraft from Comodoro Rivadavia to BA, and "of course, Stanley is on the route".

He has made many trips to Stanley in his own Aerostar, which is based at San Fernando SADF.

[desarba]

When you wanna go? I would like share this trip if you want!!
contact me buddy.

[Sam Rutherford]

Resurrecting an old thread - but any recent news on using an FAA (or EASA) licence to fly an Argentine registered aeroplane?

[IFly]

I was unable to do it in Peru on a Peruvian registered C152 or C172 earlier this year so took a left hand seat flight in a C152 with an instructor. Mostly mediocre - the plane, the vis and my flying.