View Full Version : Aero club on Gran Canaria
squawking 7700
27th Oct 2002, 13:52
Off to Gran Canaria next month, have any ppruner's flown at the aero club, if so what were your impressions?
Here's a link to El Berriel, the aeroclubon the island.
I might be going down in November for some Island Hopping :)
http://elrostroimpenetrable.iespana.es/elrostroimpenetrable/caratula1.htm
Infact, I am going to Gran Canaria next month. When will you be going? Maybe we could team up and do some islands hoping?
squawking 7700
29th Oct 2002, 21:21
I'm actually going 9th Dec. for a week and I'd better not push my luck too far, my wife's conceded to spending half a day flying.
Besides, I don't like straying too far over water, it makes you feel very aware that there's only one donkey upfront.
Still no ppruner's with impressions of the club?
I forgot to mention past experiences!
I have never been flying out of the airfield, but was talking to a guy there, and he tells me it is a great experience. Flying along the beaches at a pleasent....150ft? I experienced it from a beach a couple of times last year, Pa28s zooming along, to the south of the island.
can't wait myself! They have Pa28-180s down there, a nice 120/130kts if your lucky along the beach for a few photos ;)
FaPoGai
1st Nov 2002, 18:19
I flew a PA28 there in April 1999, EC-CGU.
They were very welcoming and accomodated me at short notice.
You will not be able to fly solo but an instructor will accompany you in the right hand seat and you may carry pax. with you.
I flew a complete circuit of the island at low level, 1hr 30min. and recall that the cost was about £100 or so.
It is possible to fly to,say Tenerife, but they would need plenty of prior notice for that.
Berriel is located on the S.East coast near San Augustin just off the main coast road. I can also recommend the Aero Club resturant, as long as things have not changed, it serves the best food on the island and I particularly remember the Avocado salads and the B.B.Q. Rabbit; delicious! Large portions too!
I would like to hear if the old DC7C is still up on the coast road being used as an advertising board for AirTours holidays. It was an ex. Spantax ex. B.O.A.C.machine which had been brought from the Int. Airportby sea on a barge!
Enjoy your holiday.and remember to take your licence with you.
FaPoGai
An instructor has to go with you!!!!?
Totally distorts the privelages we all paid £5000 for!
Chuffin agony :mad: Spose it is there aircraft though, i think i would do the same but i wouldnt make you go out ALL the time with an instructor, maybe just a checkflight for about 1hr.
FaPoGai
2nd Nov 2002, 12:13
Oh yes OBK
It matters not that you have paid £ 5,000 or £ 50,000--
you need a Spanish licence to fly solo.
Of course you could always join as a club member,get checked out, await the issue of your Spanish licence or validation and fly solo.
On the other hand if you just want a pleasant afternoon's excursion with the family followed by a superb dinner----- then go with the flow.
Rgds. FaPoGai
Spanish license?! I thought Europe was JAA? Maybe I have got it all wrong.
Sorry!:confused:
squawking 7700
2nd Nov 2002, 22:46
Thanks FaPoGai for the info.
I'll be emailing the aeroclub and specifically asking them
re. the licensing issue. April '99 was probably borderline JAA introduction time, Spain should be 'aligned' by now.
I'll remember to order a large barbecued rabbit!!!
I'll post a reply re. my opinions when I've been, as the Canaries are popular at this time of year judging by the other postings.
squawking 7700
squawking 7700
17th Dec 2002, 13:35
Well, I did get to fly, Mrs Squawking went sunbathing by the pool and I went flying last Sunday 15th.
I was staying at San Agustin, only 5 minutes away from Berriel.
Cost, in a PA28-180 (EC-CGU) with instructor, was 150 Euros/hour. Reasonably well turned out aircraft but NO headsets.
A Spanish Police helicopter pilot blagged a ride in the back.
The aircraft had two 2 man liferafts and life jackets all round and a briefing on ditching (there's nowhere flat!).
The instructor intimated that (with my JAR licence) subject to a proper check flight, as opposed to sightseeing, I could fly it solo.
They have a couple of PA28-180's and a 140, also a 130hp C150 Aerobat and C152 but these aren't available for hire.
The weather whilst there wasn't brilliant, but would be perfectly
acceptable for the average UK PPL (well, my IMC rating did come in handy for doing turns over the sea where the sky and sea blended into an indistinguishable horizon).
Whilst talking to the instructor and the Spanish chopper copper,
they said that an aero club had just opened up on Lanzarote, as their aircraft came to Berriel for maintenance.
One final thing, the aero club shuts between 2 and 4pm for lunch! that wouldn't happen in the UK, Iarrived at 3.30 and ended up talking to a Norwegian glider pilot about the wave flying opportunities over Teide on Tenerife. Any Germans out there want to set up a motor glider operation? now that would be worth going for!
Squawking 7700
FaPoGai
17th Dec 2002, 16:51
Hi 7700
Pleased to hear that you enjoyed the experience. Are they still doing BBQ rabbit in the resturant?
Rgds FPG
squawking 7700
17th Dec 2002, 21:44
Further to my previous post here's the phone number for
the Real Aeroclub de Gran Canaria 928 15 71 47 10 or fax them
on 928 15 72 04 for details or to get some info on the aero club
on Lanzarote.
I didn't take my licence or logbook since I emailed the club and got no reply, I also lost my job (any offers?) two weeks before my holiday so I wasn't too sure whether to fly, but Mrs Squawking said go fly, I didn't need telling twice.
The instructor didn't seem bothered by my lack of documentary
evidence and was happy for me to do everything even though some of their checks seem odd, mind you he must have assumed I could fly 'cos he looked mortified when I told him I'd been flying the previous Sunday in 3km vis with 1200ft cloudbase and 1000ft freezing level! unheard of in the Canaries.
FoPoGai, I didn't try the conejo (rabbit), it must be big if the instructors need 2 hours for lunch!
Squawking 7700
FaPoGai
19th Dec 2002, 17:18
7700
Nice one! you were right, it was and thats why they need two hours for lunch. Pleased to hear that you enjoyed the experience
it sounds just like my afternoon there. Is the old DC7C still up there on the road above the Aero Club?
Sorry to hear about the job and hope that you get a better one in 2003. One door closes---another one opens.
Seasons Greetings. FPG.