Blackpool to Skiathos Greece

[alland2012]

Looking for advice..
On my must do list for a long time is to fly from UK Blackpool (BLK) to Skiathos Greece (JSI)
Can anyone help with suggestions for a suitable route for a VFR pilot, and if possible avoiding the Alps.

Time schedule to do the trip is not an issue, aircraft is a C172SP

[overandout]

Did that last week in a c-172.
Pm me for detailed routing etc

Overandout

[alland2012]

Thank you .:ok:

[A and C]

If I was doing this flight from Blackpool I would make the first stop Jersey, that any you will get two bites at the duty free fuel cherry.

France is no trouble and I would recommend Cannes as a night stop, hotel on the airfield and a quick taxi ride into town. Get fuel as far south in France as you can, that might be a stop in Figari on the south of Corsica.

Italy is bad news for GA.....and it gets worse the further south you go so refuel as far north as you can, I found Perugia quite good.

From Perugia I went directly to Corfu, and refueled.

A BP fuel card makes you popular with the fuellers as it cuts down the paperwork and minimize the chances of the Italians ripping you off.

Skiathos is wonderfull check out if the skid marks are still on the end of the runway that were the result of an MD80 who seriously underestimated the difficulty s of landing a jet airliner at the place, he avoided going off the end and 30 feet down onto the beach only by executing what looks like a handbrake turn.

At one time I was going to Skiathos twice a week, a great place to kick out the automatics at FL150 and fly a 79 tonne airliner like a C172.

[Kyprianos Biris]

Can anyone help with suggestions for a suitable route for a VFR pilot, and if possible avoiding the Alps.

Regarding the part of your flight in Greece read this:

AOPA Hellas Flying in Greece (http://www.aopa.gr/info)

In there you'll find answers to the most usual questions.

[alland2012]

Thanks Guys some really useful information posted.

A & C having flown into Skiathos some 16 times on board commercial aircraft I can fully relate to your observations regarding the runway, on my flights the look on the faces of some nervous flying passengers made me chuckle, especially the look on the faces of those who are sat by the windows on downwind and looking down at the airport are almost saying..."we are not going to land there are we"... :eek:

Had some landings there that needed some real heavy braking that make it difficult to keep sat back in your seat, but never done a go around

[Katamarino]

I did this route a couple of years ago in a little Maule on the way to Luxor. I wrote it up at katamarino.co.uk - Adventure Flying Resources (http://www.katamarino.co.uk/egypt2011.php) - you can read all about the route etc there. Feel free to get in touch with any questions.

[A and C]

Skiathos is quite challenging for most airliners due to it being short, the runway having a hump and the unusual surrounding hills that the runway is built between.

From both ends the runway gives the visual impression that you are too low when infact you are on the correct vertical approach path and of you give in to the visual picture you will land late, this results in you chasing the runway downhill and that is never a good idea !

After a bit of practice you can get the approach path correct and this will result in a touchdown in the correct place that makes the company mandated max auto brake unnecessary.

The company I worked for mandated a special check out for Skiathos and this resultd in only the pilots who liked to fly ( rather than manage) aircraft going to the place.

As with all short runways it is all about being in the right place at the right speed and in the right configuration, I learned my craft putting a DR400 into a 340 m farm strip with obstructions a both ends, at the time I had no clue what good training this would be for putting a 79 tonne jet into places like Skiathos.