Anyone flown into Vienna LOWW?

[JTN]

Did a search - couldn't find anything on this.

I'm planning to take a C172RG from Prague to Vienna, VFR, with maybe a practice ILS at LOWW. We intend to stay for a few hours (train into town, lunch) then depart same day.

A couple of questions for those who have flown there, if I may?

Any nasties or issues we should be aware of? (Apart from the landing fees of course)

Has the weird Austrian passenger tax thing been withdrawn? Or are we exempt up to 2T?

Anything else I should be thinking about?

Thanks in advance

[500 above]

I'm planning to take a C172RG from Prague to Vienna, VFR, with maybe a practice ILS at LOWW.

There is quite a strict speed sequence on the ILS in to Vienna. I doubt they would want a 172 clogging the approach up at such low speeds, it can get quite busy. However, I may be proven wrong.

The FBO is quite plush, taxi's waiting right outside the building. Friendly service.

Obviously, familiarise yourself with all possible taxy routes prior to landing.

Enjoy!

[Jan Olieslagers]

I have no experience (or interest) with either, but surely a smaller field should make life much more simple, and less expensive too? How's about Wiener Neustadt LOAN, the Diamond factory field?

Loan Airport: Home

[Tu.114]

500 above is right. If I may expand his words a little:

- During peak hours, there is a speed limit of 160kts until DME4 on the ILS. Times are per NOTAM; slower traffic will not be accepted in these periods.

- There are several special arrivals for slower traffic. One is via the south sector, approaching on a northerly course to the west and clear of Rwy. 16/34 and then turning inbound to land approx. midfield on 29; another route is via River Danube. Keep Your charts ready and familiarize Yourself with geographical features such as Freudenau (a common holding) beforehand.

- Taxiing is a bit troublesome even to a regular on occasion. Keep a taxi chart handy and if possible use Your copilot to note the clearance and show You the way. Especially the taxiways W/D/E around the threshold of 16 and also the area just north of the threshold of 29 are a mess offering plenty of opportunity for wrong turns. Some ground controllers are rather short-tempered and may react a bit harshly to offenses like requests for confirmation or stray aircraft.

- Parking will usually be on one of the western G/A aprons.

-Fees are said to be exorbitant. Find them in the PDF folder in German or in English language.

If You just want to go to Vienna and do not insist on flying to LOWW itself, LOAV (Bad Vöslau), LOAN (Wiener Neustadt) or - a bit further out - Stockerau may be options as well. Especially the first two are not far from the railway trunk line that has trains running to Vienna city every few minutes. At LOAN, there are public busses running between the airfield and the railway station; LOAV might require using a taxi. LOAN has some non precision IFR approaches; for VFR traffic, it suffers from a rather cramped traffic pattern due to interference with the military grass field LOXN right to the west of it.

[500 above]

Has the weird Austrian passenger tax thing been withdrawn?

Not as far as I'm aware. We have to pay it when visiting Austria in our jet. It cannot be paid locally, you have to register for an Austrian VAT number. Luckily, you should be exempt as it only applies over 2000 kgs MTOM. See section 3-7 of the link below.

https://www.bmf.gv.at/steuern/a-z/fl...evy.pdf?3vgwui

For you, the charges should be as follows-

Nav charges - unsure of cost
Landing fees EU113
Passenger fees EU16.80 per pax (not to be confused with the pax tax)
Parking fees 28% of your landing fee per hour if staying over 4 hours
Security charge EU7.70
Peak hour (if they accept you) surcharge of 30% landing fee
Possible fee for crew bus from aircraft to GAT and back
Possible/probable handling fees

Remember your aircraft noise certificate! Ask these guys for a handling quote [email protected]

[JTN]

Thanks for the replies so far.

Jan - I like to do a "big airport" trip every so often - you are of course right it is cheaper and easier to choose one of the smaller fields, but that is part of the challenge.

500 and Tu - thanks for this. I have checked out the fees on the website; what I was worried about was the need for an Austrian advisor / VAT number. That would probably be a bridge too far and I'm glad to see my interpretation that under 2T is exempt confirmed.

Thanks for the tip on speed restrictions - yes I suspect 160kt to 4DME will be slightly sporty for the mighty 172! I will see if they can advise of times where a request might be tolerated, but am planning on being told no.

Re taxi - are they happy to provide progressive taxi instructions? Or will they expect us to get it right first time? Luckily Mrs JTN, my co-pilot, also has her PPL so can deal with the comms and writing clearances etc.

Anything else I need to worry about? Anyone else have any tips?

[Tu.114]

In several years with LOWW as a homebase I have never heard progressive taxi instructions nor the rather useful "follow the green" that Heathrow uses (or used?). Expect to be sent over to Ground (121,6 or 121,775) after vacating, then depending on general traffic level it may take more or less time to get through to the GND controller. You will get a taxi clearance that may be straight-forward or involve stopping at various holding points, swerving between parallel taxiways via a multitude of exits between them, holding short clear of an exit or two and the like. Having a pencil and a map ready will be very helpful, as some controllers do not seem to particularly like repeating their clearance.

Some first-time visitors mistake the 3 yellow lights at M2 or L2 (these are the handover points between the two GND frequencies during times of heavy traffic) for active stop bars and stop there also when not instructed to do so. This will draw a frown from GND. The real stop bars on the taxiways use red lights; those will always be off when You are cleared to cross them but may or may not be switched on when You are to hold short.

[wobo63]

...in several decades of working there I could not confirm what you are saying.

Everyone is welcome and proper flight preparation is not an issue for flying to LOWW only, right? ;-)

Happy landings!

[ChickenHouse]

Flying into LOWW can be nice, but don't rely on it. I was there several times with C 172/182/210's and it was a mixed bag with full spectrum - from very nice, easy and friendly to one of the nastiest angry blustering landings, you name it, they can do.

Taxiing is also some surprise bag, sometimes straight forward, sometimes amazingly confusing - and with no obvious reason you could derive from cockpit. Expect the worst and be happy of better.

After a while I switched to LOAN, which is close by and more relaxed for GA.

[Jonzarno]

I flew into Vienna in September 2012 in an SR22.

At the time I needed to book an arrival slot but this was done relatively painlessly online.

As has been posted before, the airport taxy diagram looks a bit of a nightmare but is not as bad as it seems. I landed on runway 11 having done the ILS, and that positions you nicely for the taxyway to the general aviation terminal.

My departure was off runway 16 which requires a longer taxy, but a close study of the airport diagram before starting made it a lot easier than it initially looks.

Landing fees and three days parking was 216 Euros. The people were friendly and helpful and, whilst the service is unarguably expensive, it is very good.

As posted earlier, taxis are available at the FBO door and there is also a cash machine on the way out.

I hope this helps

[rennaps]

Why not fly into Bratislava. Less traffic and costs a lot less.

Vienna city centre is only a 1 1/2 hr bus ride away and the bus leaves from Bratislava airport terminal

[JTN]

Thanks all. FYI we ended up flying to Salzburg LOWS instead. ATC en-route and at the airport were excellent and a great time was had by all. I recommend it.

LOWW is still on the list, probably for next year.

And I agree - Bratislava is also a great place to go. But better as a destination in its own right than as a staging post for Vienna I think.

[Steve6443]

+1 on Bratislava, especially as a place to visit in it's own right.... I was there in a P28A mid 2012, cost around €55, I believe.......

[dera]

Bratislava last summer on PA32R was just under 200eur for 2 days parking. Service was ok though. Vienna isnt difficult if you are used of operating from big airports.