Trip to Northern Germany / Lubeck

[Aussie Andy]

Hi all,

I am seeking advice. We're planning a trip which we hope to fly in May next year over the May Day holiday weekend, to be flown in PA28 Warrior / Arrow / Dakota etc.

We're hoping to encourage a few others to join us (in their own aircraft) as we've planned a whole non-flying day for the Sunday - to allow plenty of drinking time on the Saturday night ;)

At this stage, we are just planning the route and I'd be interested if any Ppruner's can offer advice regarding either route or any of the planned stops.

The approximate route will be via Dover, across Belgium, into Holland with first stop for fuel at Hilversum, alternate Lelystad.

Next leg will be via north German coastline - scenic we figure!? - with a stop maybe at one of the islands, perhaps either Borkum or Norderney, before continuing to our destination Lubeck, and alternate probably Kiel.

All of this has been basically picked with a pin at this stage, using the 1:1,000,000 ONC E-2 map, so I haven't looked at any details such as airspace restrictions carefully as yet. But anyhow, I think this will be the rough shape of the trip.

If anyone has any knowledge of the route, and/or any good or bad points regarding any of the planned stops, then I'd be delighted to hear from you.

Thanks all,

[Volume]

Why not taking two days more and continuing further east ?
The scenery is even more impresive there, the islands and peninsulas are larger and the islands closer to the coast. The landscape is not as flat at the baltic sea coast, compared to the north sea, rügen has a real cliff line on it´s north coast which is very famous. The Restaurants there are cheaper and better, same is for the beer ;) and the people are very nice and landing fees very reasonable.
You can stop at Barth (http://www.ostseeflughafen-stralsund-barth.de/) to visit the Darß and Fishland peninsula, stop at Güttin (http://www.ruegenmagic.de/flug.htm) on Rügen island or even move farest east to Usedom island, where you can stop at Peenemünde (http://www.pommerngreif.de/wirt/branchen/reisen/flugpl/) and vistit the Rocket Pioneers Museum and the ruins of the WWII rocket test site (but don´t expect to see more, it is a real deserted place there) or at Heringsdorf (http://www.airspeed.de/EDAH/) , where you partially enter polish airspace if flying the pattern, and where the town is full of good hotels, bars and restaurants at every price level you like.

[Aussie Andy]

Thanks Volume, I appreciate the suggestions - unfortunately however, we are constrained as follows:[list=1] We must start in Britain (!);
We have only the long weekend (Saturday to Monday inclusive) available for the trip (we don't get so much annual leave in the UK as I think you do in some other parts of Europe!);
We have decided on Lubeck as a base because my friend has some connections there and we think it is a nice town for a drink!; and, lastly,
We plan to not fly at all on the Sunday so we can get over our hangovers ;)
[/list=1] We therefore won't have time to travel further east on this trip - but your points are noted and so perhaps we could cover this ground on a subsequent trip! The wonderful thing is that the world is big and we have the whole of the rest of our lives to see it :)

Have you been to the North Sea islands such as Borkum? Are they terribly dull? Maybe we should avoid?

Thanks again,

[bookworm]

Luebeck is indeed a good little airport. IIRC it's FIS-only at weekends and PHs, ATC on working days. And Luebeck is a nice place to visit. The German North Sea coast is pretty, though not spectacular, and the airspace is relatively easy, until you get to Hamburg. I've only done it IFR, but VFR in Germany is not hard.

[Aussie Andy]

Thanks bookworm - sounds encouraging... yes, we're going VFR. Presume its similar to VFR here or in France etc...

[[u]]

The approximate route will be via Dover, across Belgium, into Holland with first stop for fuel at Hilversum, alternate Lelystad.

Lelystad website: http://www.lelystad-airport.nl/
Hilversum website: http://www.ehhv.nl/

[Aussie Andy]

Thanks u...

As you're local, I'd be interested to hear if you can recommend an interesting local route - say 45 minutes - from Hilversum as I plan to take an old and dear friend and her son on a short flight while we pass through the area...

Cheers,

[A and C]

The last time I went up that way we went EGTB LAM KOK WOODY EHGG.

Then we went to Hamburg , I think that this was more or less direct track after a nightstop we then toured the north german coast getting towards the Polish border ,all the airspace seemed to be no problem for VFR flight.

[bookworm]

AA

Yes, VFR in Germany is similar but bear in mind:

1) All airspace above 2500 ft agl is class E (or higher in specific CTAs). In marked areas, the base comes down to 1000 ft. You don't need a clearance to operate there, but bear in mind that the VFR minima are more demanding than in uncontrolled airspace -- the VFR chart should have details.

2) Unlike in the UK, the FIR position (Duesseldorf Info, Bremen Info) sits with the IFR controllers at a radar position. Worth calling, and although you don't get a guarantee of all traffic information, you get a service similar to a radar information service.

3) VFR squawks are different in Germany. 0021/0022 depending on level.

4) In Germany (and the Netherlands), VFR arrivals call the Tower frequency directly, not approach as you would expect in the UK.

Enjoy.

[[u]]

As you're local, I'd be interested to hear if you can recommend an interesting local route - say 45 minutes - from Hilversum as I plan to take an old and dear friend and her son on a short flight while we pass through the area...

I take it you pick her up at Hilversum and fly from there ?

What is nice for people who are 'in to' flying is a tour
'around' the tower at Schiphol. You basicly fly across
Schiphol airport and you will be able to see the people
in the Schiphol tower, but it will take a bit more than
45 mins I guess and some "luck" for the clearance.

If they live outside Hilversum a fly over their house
is always nice, and for firsttimers I believe to preferable.

(Hilversum is a grassstrip so if you are used to asphalt
be prepared, we have 'english wheater over here so that
should at least make you feel comfotable ;))

Enjoy Holland

Cheers!
[u]