VFR to Mallorca

[echobeach]

Time for summer trip this week I think. Craft is SR 20.
Initial route Lyon bron then cannes.

Am very keen to see some of Balearics. Have sent quite a lot of e mails re handling and parking etc but a google search reveals little recent activity of Vfr flights to Mallorca.

Has anyone done this recently. Am planning to fly to Cannes on Friday 25 th may. And then either direct long water crossing or via Perpignan, sabadell Valencia then across.
Son Bonet seems the only option Vfr as Palma only accept Ifr (only 2/3 through IR at the moment)

As it is a schengen flight Cannes to Son bonet, I am not clear if we are allowed to route direct without an interval stop in Spain. I am still puzzled by the rules on this.

Any advice on recent experience will be most helpful.
EB

[maxred]

Son Bonet are helpfull. Give them a call. I route Gaillac, Perpignan, Bagur, dirct POL. VFR entry route at the top north west of the island.

Radio is an issue, Girona are ok, but Barcelona historically poor.Also you have to be under 1000' as you approach Mallorca, and you cannot establish radio contact with Palma until very close, however, as you come in over Pollensa, you can pick them up. There is a clear route through the valley, or go further south round the coast, and come in via the bay. It is a great trip, a lot over water, however, no issues if properly equipped and prepared. Whilst there, go to Ibiza, and Minorca, well worth it.

Obviously FLIGHT PLANS are mandatory. I fuel at Poitiers in Central France, and then do the Mallorca direct. This is where I file flight plans.

Great trip - enjoy

[echobeach]

Thanks maxred. That is very helpful. Son Bonet have replied very quickly to e mail.
That route sounds good. I have similar memories of speaking to Barcelona (or not) some years ago crossing northern Spain. Also helpful comment re Palma.*
Have sat many times on the ground in pollenca watching GA traffic so this time it would be good to be looking down this time.

[Campoedu]

Hi, I'm an ATC and PPL based in Palma. If you come from an schengen country you can fly to anyware inside schengen area, if not you must start at an international airport, so you can come to son bonet from france without problem. Contact me for any info you may want, regards

[echobeach]

If I can work out how to do it I will upload some pictures.
Maxed: thanks so much for advice. Brilliant.
Points to make for those who might think about this sort of trip.

Flying in France is not only brilliant it's much more straightforward than uk. The flight information service is simply incredible. All those complex class d transits and restricted areas melt away with the guiding help of atc. They are there to make your life easy.

We flew to Poitiers and then Perpignan on first day.

Second day we left for son bonet Mallorca. A bit of low cloud in Perpignan cleared to only blue sky. We crossed border to Spain and just flew along the very pretty coast line past girona. Just blue sea, mountains and pretty harbours.
At Bagur vor we set out to cross the med to Mallorca to coast in at pollenca vor. 130 miles and 51 minutes across the sea with a headwind. Both girona and Barcelona spoke to us all the way across before handing us over to Palma. We had no issues with reception or radio.

It's a long but beautiful way across water. I have always worried a bit about water but decided with a raft and the decision to use the parachute if we had to ditch it would be a non issue. It was most enjoyable. To see Mallorca emerge out of the blue sea was amazing.

Palma get you descend below 1000 feet so we came around the point of formentor and then across the bay of pollenca. Some of the best views from the air I have had. Across the bay and the down the motorway at 800 feet and 150 knots ground speed below hills in severe vfr was just amazing.

Son bonet airfield you land having left Palma on a local frequency. Only sticky moment for anyone else going is that they insist on a vat number before they sell you fuel. No one tells you this till you arrive.

Trip back up into France was just as exhilarating.

As an after note sky demon works fantastically abroad and is a great touring tool. Especially for notams and makes the whole thing much easier.

If I can figure out picture attachments will post a few of trip. 1800 miles. 3 days. Mostly at highest altitude possible. No weather issues delays or diversions.

One of the best flying experiences I have had. Makes all the effort worthwhile.

[1800ed]

I'd love to see your photos! You can upload them to Photobucket (http://photobucket.com) and share them on here.

[maxred]

That's fantastic. So glad it all worked for you and sounds as if you had a great trip. Yep let's see the photographs if poss.

Well done!!

[echobeach]

Not brilliant quality on iPhone but at least give the idea of sea crossing and Mallorca.

http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r607/Echobeach11/d2c45b94.jpg

http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r607/Echobeach11/d2c45b94.jpg

http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r607/Echobeach11/1136ae2b.jpg

http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r607/Echobeach11/4894eae0.jpg

http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r607/Echobeach11/dffccd46.jpg

http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r607/Echobeach11/43a7c05a.jpg

And mid crossing

http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r607/Echobeach11/d53b9161.jpg

Sorry not better images. But they give the idea.

[echobeach]

A few more of Mallorca
http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r607/Echobeach11/89783553.jpg

http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r607/Echobeach11/cffcb609.jpg

http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r607/Echobeach11/1136ae2b.jpg

Good visibility in France at FL65

http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r607/Echobeach11/0515539f.jpg

Coasting out from Spain

http://i1174.photobucket.com/albums/r607/Echobeach11/7e3958e1.jpg

[peterh337]

I thought you had an IR :)

I looked at Majorca last year but Son Bonet has avgas but no Customs, while Palma has Customs and no avgas :) That ruled out a simple nonstop flight.

Elsewhere I read that SB won't sell avgas unless you have some weird Spanish tax number, so you have to get a resident to pretend he has filled up instead.

[echobeach]

May I also add for anyone thinking of doing this that Palma ATC were very helpful. I rang them before leaving France to ensure one made no errors coming in and again to file the flight plan. They could not have more helpful and understanding.

It was all so much more straightforward a trip than I had imagined it might be and I would strongly recommend this as a great 2 - 3 day tour.

[echobeach]

IR on its way. Its a work in progress. 33 hours in and taking break for a bit of summer VFR flying.
There is no problem with customs at Son Bonet if arriving from Schengen - checked with all there - but there is a problem with AVGAS. You must have a VAT number or its no AVGAS. We solved this using owners VAT number - but it was close to getting easy jet back

Parking at son bonet which is a big field is 4 euros a day or similar. I was quoted 270 euros for 2 hours parking and handling at Palma even if you were able to get in VFR there would be no point at that cost. And they have no AVGAS

Son Bonet field is really excellent and so close to Palma that there is no distance difference. Just fly in from a Schengen country and then its not a problem. DO NOT fly in without a VAT number and expect to leave with more fuel than you arrived with. It wont happen. Does seem an odd rule.
EB

[peterh337]

Can it be the VAT number of a UK company e.g. the one you work for?

It appears to be totally meaningless requirement, because you are not getting any sort of tax free fuel.

[echobeach]

It is the most odd requirement. It just has to be a recognised UK VAT number and it seemed so long as it had some relevance to you or the craft that was fine.
I would think if you have a UK company and are registered for VAT that would be the solution. It makes no sense though as you pay VAT on the fuel. It seemed there was a box on the computer that needed filling in a without it was a no go. And no other solution.

[maxred]

From a shengen state no issue, the local Guardia turns up to meet you and check your docs. Also the fuel is ok with a UK vat number, therefore if you run your own business this is a non issue.

Son Bonet really are very helpful, and as Echo states, parking cheap as chips. The last time I was there I had to wait for the fueler to finish his rounds, apparently he has a daily list, and dependent when you want fuel, there could be a wait, that aside no issues.

Echo, when you do the trip again:), make time to go over to Ibiza, and Menorca. 30 minute trip to Ibiza, good detailed VFR corridor in and out, and short taxi ride to Ibiza town, great for lunch:cool:

As you highlight flying in France is a pleasure, and as easy as the UK:\

[cali2912]

I am new to this site - and am trying to plan a trip to Son Bonet Mallorca from UK, down to Eastern coast of Spain and then island hopping via Ibiza - as I just don't fancy all that water in 1 go in an SEP. Will have survival gear but even so - I noticed that there was a post from an ATC based at Palma a while back, it would be useful if he, or anyone else with similar local knowledge, could give me as much info as I am going to need for this trip ?

[MrFusion]

I flew down to Mallorca Son Bonnet this Monday (still there now). Flew from Blackpool to Limoges and then to Mallorca routing PORBU, BGS, POS and then Son Bonnet.

In a Cirrus SR22 it took just over 2 hours from Limoges.

ATC asked me to go to FL90 at the bottom of France and then that was pretty much it, had to decend to below 1,000ft at Mallorca.

My only issue was discovering SkyDemon doesn't have frequencies for Spain so I had to use JeppFD but to be honest ATC just changed me anyway.

Planning on flying to Ibiza and Minorca while down here as well.