VFR Touring of Europe - the practicalities

[topcat450]

Sorry if I am about to ask some stupid and obvious questions, but hey... here we go anyway!

A lot of the magazines recently have run articles of touring all over Europe, Gibraltar, Germany and Croatia are just some of the destinations visited. They all seem to make it sound very easy, and as someone who's only ever crossed the boarder in the back of a big-jet, I was curious to find out exactly how easy it is to do a VFR trip around Europe, taking in sothern Spain in your average spamcan.

In the UK we have Pooleys and others who produce nice, easy to use VFR flight guides, do VFR guides for other countries exist too (in a similar format to ours), for example how else do you know which airfields have fuel available or thier hours?

Does each country's CAA publish thier own AIP accessible via the web? How do you know what VFR rules are for the countries your flying in?

Similarly, where do you get half-mil charts for Germany/Spain/where ever? I've seen Jeppessen (IIRC) VFR charts for Europe but as they're weren't produced by the national authority can you really use them as the primary means of navigation?

Also, as I understand it you have to clear customs as soon as you touch down in France (be it Calais, L2K or ...) Once you've done that can you fly anywhere within the EU without the need for flight plans and/or customs clearance? ie can you fly all over France, Holland, Spain exactly as you would Leicester to Norwich? No extra paper work needed? Touring there doesn't seem too difficult if that is the case!?

Ta in advance,

<TC>:ok:

[bookworm]

Many European AIPs are available online at the European AIS Database (www.ead.eurocontrol.int) though the interface is a bit painful.

Visual Flight Rules should appear in section ENR 1.2 of each AIP, though what each state actually puts there tends to vary in detail and relevance.

I've never heard of a Jepp VFR chart being rejected by a national authority -- there are substantial advantages in using charts with the same legend and conventions rather than learning different ones for each country's national sectional chart. However, if you want them, Germany produces its own charts, available from the usual pilot shops or the DFS direct.

Once you clear customs you can fly without border control in the Schengen area (most of the EU as it was until the expansion at the beginning of this year, except UK and Eire). However you still need to file FPLs when you cross international borders. It's not particularly onerous, but bear in mind that FPLs need to be closed to avoid overdue action, unlike in the UK.

[Brooklands]

Once you've done that can you fly anywhere within the EU without the need for flight plans and/or customs clearance? ie can you fly all over France, Holland, Spain exactly as you would Leicester to Norwich?
No. A flight plan is required if you cross an international FIR boundary, so you'd need one for crossing into Holland from France for example. In addition some countries ( I think Spain is one) require flight plans for pretty much everything, including VFR flights: you need to check the AIP for each country (or a suitable flight guide) you intend to fly in to find out exactly what's required.

The good news is that you can use the Jeps maps as your 'primary means of navigation'

I should point out the furthest I've got into Europe is Le Mans

Brooklands

[LondonJ]

I have only limited experience of continental flying (Holland, France and Ireland), but as I understand it:

Jeppsen Bottlang manuals are the best alternative to Pooley's as they service the whole of Europe (buy them from pilot's supply stores).

Before you go don't forget to file a general aviation report (customs form) and take a copy of interception procedures and life jackets (and raft) for everyone on board. And obviously take aircraft docs and passports!

Flying abroad is great, it's one of the reasons I got the PPL, it isn't onerous at all, maybe you could try a couple of one day trips first just to get the hang of filing the docs etc. coastal airfields of Belgium, Holland, France and Ireland are all pretty easy to do in a day and there less chance of you waking up somewhere to find the weather's turned.

Please feel free to correct anything I've said; though I doubt an invitation is required;)

[Flyboy-F33]

The French now appear to be tightening up on ID when returning airside. My advice would be to always carry your PPL as proof. I have been asked for it several times in the last 12 months and have been reprimanded for sometimes telling the person in authority that I left it in the plane...oops!

Also in some Spanish locations (Son Bonnet - Majorca for instance) I had to produce all my docs including those for the aircraft so the nice policeman could enter all my details on his computer. I think that may have been a one-off exercise though.

Apart from that, Euro touring is a bit of a non event. Certainly worth doing and no more onerous than going to the Isle of Wight.

GG

[IO540]

European touring is easy enough. I think the things that one has to really get sorted are

- published airfield info is often duff, MUST phone them to check opening hrs, Customs, fuel etc

- lots of prohibited/restricted airspace, especially in France, so new charts and accurate nav (GPS) is a must

- must get notams (e.g. AIS narrow route briefing)

The above tends to imply that one needs mobile internet access, e.g. a laptop with a GSM/GPRS card. A fax capability for filing flight plans is also great although one can usually manage that from the airfield if there is somebody around.

A UK trained pilot doing his bimbles locally won't have come across any of this. The UK is pretty good for bimbling.

Having done the planning, the flying is no different and the scenery is usually better :O

I agree that security may be changing; my passport has been looked at a lot this year, but never in 2003.

[Aim Far]

European flying is as easy as anything in the UK. There are a few ways to make life simpler for yourself.

1. Until you get used to a country, use bigger airports than you'd use in the UK ie use regional airports. You can then guarantee English speakers on the radio and on the ground. You can also guarantee help with hotels and rental cars. You don't usually get the same kind of high charges in a light single that you'd get at regionals in the UK.

2. If you don't use regionals, the Bottlang VFR guides will tell you which airfields claim to speak English. It just makes life easier.

3. Get a BP flightcard for fuel. You can usually use it with other fuel companies too.

4. GPS is a must have.

5. The flightplan requirement is not an issue - if you file VFR, the minimum filing time before the flight is usually 30minutes - if you file first thing when you arrive at the airport it will usually take you 30 minutes to get fuelled and preflighted anyway so there's no time lost. It can help to phone through and check they got the flightplan though.

6. The big problem is getting weather information and Notams. Some places you will get a free personal briefing (Austria), others its very difficult to find anything at all. They all have their own versions of the AIS site which can be difficult to use. Again, going to regional airports can help with this one since they tend to have better facilities and people to help. One point to watch for is that some places do monthly notam publications and the online briefing only covers items not in the monthly publication. So you need to find and check both.

7. www.activitae.com/wx.wml is a good wap site for TAFs and METARS by mobile phone.

Just go for it.

[A and C]

I'v done most of europe VFR and agree with most of what has been said above , the GPS is not a must but it is good to have.

Spain has improved for VFR over the last few ears to the point that they allocate you a SSR code and it stays with you for the whole flight but the all flights Must file a flight plan.

Italy is OK but they still don't fully understand VFR in the same way as say France so a lot of the reporting of positions needs to be radial/distance from a VOR and you will find that the APP service that controls a lot of control zones is not used so all zone clearances are via the TWR.

Greece is lots of fun but check the supply of Avgas as there is no fuel on some of the smaller islands , the fees are very low and you only get charged by the day so one landing or five cost is the same.
Some of the airports are joint military/civil and PPR is required from the military this is not usualy a problem BUT make sure that they know exactly your ETA ,ETD and number of nights parking that you require and have the paperwork with you as the apearance of a light aircraft is not a common thing and it can get local officals in a bit of a panic.
Don't let this put you off Greece as it is a great place to fly but some of your flying will be VFR on the airways as they are sometimes a bit sensitive about some of the areas that you might want to transit.
The AIS and Met is very good with exactly the same service as I get when I show up in a B738 and at one large Greek airport a british light aircraft was such a novelty that I was invited to take coffee with the airport director in his office.

Fuel cards are not a must but I have found that the further south that you get in europe the less bowser drivers like taking cash or credit cards and an offer of payment by a BP or Shell card will usualy speed things along.

[david viewing]

Could someone comment on what's needed to go in to Switzerland (other than an overdraft) please?

[Flyboy-F33]

Jepp charts covering France & Switzerland and a Bottlang VFR trip kit worked for me this summer.

you may need to order the trip kit, allow 10 days or so

GG

[Whirlybird]

I personally don't agree that a first trip to Europe is easy. Like everything else in aviation, it's easy when you've done it once. The first time is a steep learning curve.

A friend and I took off to fly to Austria last May; I'd been to France once; she'd done something similar many years earlier. We learned a lot, had loads of fun, but it was quite stressful a lot of the time.

Charts - there are Jeppersons and the national ones. Both are available from most of the flying catalogues/shops, eg Transair. Pilot Warehouse is cheapest if you're getting a lot of stuff; I checked. Anyway, both types of maps have people who swear by them, so take a look and see which you prefer. Basically, I'd say if you're the sort of pilot who navigates with map and compass, uses VORs now and then, and switches on the GPS when you have to, use the national ones; they have far more detail. Otherwise the Jepps are fine. And I don't agree that you have to have a GPS; I rarely even switched mine on. However, if you don't have a VOR you would find it difficult in some featureless areas of France without GPS.

Get trip kits for every country you're going to, and study them before you go. And yes, the rules are different for each country. Unless you like learning lots of new stuff, I'd do one country at a time. We got thoroughly confused trying to remember what you could or couldn't do in France/Germany. It's not that complicated, but we didn't say that during the trip!

Look back at some old threads, and you won't get too caught out by long lunch hours in France, noise restrictions in Germany, and so on.

If you fly any high wing aircraft, I'd suggest an immersion suit instead of - or maybe as well as - a liferaft. Many people say that if you ditch, the aircraft will sink up to the wings, and you'll never get the liferaft out.

Don't get me wrong; it's not difficult, and it's great fun. But there IS a lot of new stuff on a first trip - and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

[Robboflyer]

I'm about to set off on my third Euro VFR trip in three years. We started with France and Spain, last year we did Holland, Germany, Poland, Baltic States, Sweden and Denmark. This time it's France, Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, Czech, Germany and Belgium.

1) My first trip was as an 80 hour PPL and I had no problem.
2) Mostly I'd say flying over there is easier than in the UK - better service from ATC and less congested airspace.
3) Filing flightplans - you get into the habit. It takes about 3 minutes when you are practiced.
4) Good GPS is a must (for me)
5) Fuel up as soon as you land.
6) Jepp charts wherever you can. It is so much easier when you don't have to get used to different style charts with every country you cross.
7) Bottlang trip kits are excellent. If you want to save you can download most of the info from the various country websites, but it's a fag.
8) Just go for it - it's so, so much easier than you think.

[Miserlou]

I spent a superb couple of years trollying around Europe doing para-dropping.

There are two things which I found to be invaluable. The Jep. VFR/GPS chart and flight level 100. Fly high to avoid all the really dangerous airspace and with some or other ATC unit handling all the airspace issues for you; easy life.

Otherwise, if pottering around at your normal 2-3000' don't talk to any-one except departure and destination fields.

I found Europe to be significantly easier, more helpful and friendly than the typical UK airfield.

[DaveW]

So far as actually getting over to the Continent/CI/IoM/Eire is concerned, I initially found it far from straightforward to understand the legal requirements for when and where it is necessary to inform Customs, Immigration, SB etc.

A while ago I therefore put together an aide memoire (http://www.buckle-cottage.org.uk/Going_Foreign.htm) to help.

Quite a few people have looked at it and provided helpful comments now, but any other suggestions always welcome.