Flying to and around Ireland

[roncallo]

Help

Dose anyone know where I can find an R-22 for rent in Ireland. What minimum
credentials would be expected. What supplemental insurance might I need.
What is required for an american pilot to fly in Ireland. What are the
differences in flight regs I should be aware of. Where are good sources of
information on forigen flight.

Thank's
John Roncallo

[James Roc]

Try Eirecopter at +35316280059.If they don't have them for rent they may be able to point you in the right direction.As far as I'm aware your FAA licence should be adequate to enable renting a 22 or any single engine helicopter in Ireland.

[roncallo]

Thanks for the reply. I just got my rotorcraft licence may elect to use it over Ireland if I go there this summer.

J. Roncallo:)

[Davey Emcee]

The forigen summer takes a bit of getting used to !!

[James Roc]

...also try Chris Sheil at Executive Helicopters Galway +35391792111 email [email protected]

[whatsarunway]

You will need to do a check ride first obviously with the place you rent the heli from , as for Reg's . there are only 3 types of airspace , a , c , and g . i would say 80 percent of the country is class g so you don have to talk to many people if you don't want to . Stay above 500' or 1500' over a populated area .
only difference you have is that you must file a flight plan to enter class c airspace .
Just make sure you have a valid medical and your licence is in date before you leave , as the american licence complys with icao standards , you can use all ppl privelages here. no insurance suplements needed as most of the r-22's for rent are under training insurance. . Nice flying over here but it can get windy and crap .

Give me an e-mail if you are coming over and i might be able to do some ground work here before you get here.

Safe Flying !

[email protected]

[Helipolarbear]

For all you thousands of Helipilots operating in the Dublin-Ireland area: New Restricted Airspace, centered around the city in a box that extends from Blandcherstown (M50) Roundabout to East Link Bridge to Merrion Gates to Palmerstown (M50) Roundabout back to Blandcherstown Roundabout. from Sea Level to 1700'amsl. This is a No Fly zone effective from 01-01-04 to 30-06-04. Controlling agency is the Gardai at Garda GHQ, Pheonix Park...NOT the ATS chaps. This is due to the Irish EU presidency....who knows, they might think Icelandic forces armed with AH-R22's will invade and attack Leinster House!!
As usual, ATS are the last to know..( along with the pilots)!!
Night Rider....beware........be very aware!!!!;)

[Thud_and_Blunder]

Merely out of interest - how will this be enforced? Do the Irish Defence Forces have some new whizzo AA kit we've not heard about?

[Hedski]

40 year old Alouettes now powered by rubber bands with a corporal leaning out the side door armed with slingshot and all new aerodynamic rocks!:p

This is insane. :mad:

Usual rules apply................... except for the midnight express!;)

[Helipolarbear]

Think the old Radar will be watchin both at EIDW and EIME.
Odds on the Dumb Bat will ignore the restriction and bust the A/S first:p

[aidanf]

At the outset assume I know nowt about helis. All previous experience is with spamcans but might have an option to transfer to rotary with a group. My question relates to whether or not something like an EC130 would be capable (or wise) to cross the Irish Sea in? Again excuse the ignorance but is something like this all VFR or can it be IFR? - is such a heli IFR capable? What kind of range does an EC130 have (tried their website but no joy!).

... and before you ask, yes I am aware of the costs :uhoh:

[Thomas coupling]

Lets see now - using basic maths:

UK to Ireland in a straight line: 46 miles.

A helicopter doing 90kts G/s: 30 mins.

Answer:

ANY helo could cross the Irish Sea.
ALL helos can fly VFR across the Irish Sea
Some can fly IFR.
EC120 could fly it VFR

A glider could cross the irish sea!

[EESDL]

Fly Waterford to North England via heli, PM me for further details.

[headsethair]

From parts of Scotland you can polevault across to Ireland.
TC's figures are for the widest bit - so it all depends on which land you need to get to.
Have done Dublin-Caernarfon and Waterford-St David's Point.
Gorgeous.

[aidanf]

My requirement would be from Cork to Leicester, so routing for the shortest sea crossing would give me something around 350+ miles.

[EESDL]

Why shortest sea crossing.....are you planning on doing it by single piston-engined helicopter?
Thought you were twin?
Straight line it, you know it makes sense, reduces the time that you're in the air if you're that scared of flying!!

[magbreak]

your straight line over water distance would be 84 miles routing direct Cork to Leicester. Total journey is about 257 miles, but you'll need to add a bit to go round those nice chaps at Birmingham and their CTA.

[bvgs]

I am thinking of touring Ireland in the summer, if we ever get one, flying across the Kintyre Peninsula, Sanda into Northern Ireland in my newly acquired 44. I would be grateful for any advice on places to land/fuel, must see places and must avoids!! Info on any nice hotels that let you land would also be great. I would like to head down the West coast and back up the East, but I am open to suggestions. ( of a pleasant nature!)

Thanks in anticipation.

[The Nr Fairy]

Speak to other R44 owners out there - one I think is there is G-WAFU, which you can find through the CAA G-INFO database.

[Vertical T/O]

Abbey Glen hotel in Clifden very helicopter friendly, give them a ring before hand and there will be champagne waiting for you. Walking distance to Clifden town aswell. Aran Islands are a must see aswell as the Cliffs of Moher, but watch for the turbulence inland if the wind is from the west. Also the Armada Hotel south of the Cliffs in Milltown Malbay, helicopter friendly. Ring and ask for John Burke, Manager and Pilot himself. All along the coast there is good views and most hotels are accomodating if you ring before hand. Fuel can be got in Galway Airport and Connemara Airfield. Should ring ahead for Connemara but Galway are ok presuming you are on a flightplan the usual story.

[RINKER]

bvgs I think we may know each other I,m based in Scotland with a fair bit of gazelle and R44 in Ireland pplh.i could help a bit with info certainly crossing from scotland and around Dublin and west coast of Ireland.You can pm me if you know how to do it (I don,t?)Have pooleys charts etc happy to lend out.

[tu154]

The north and west is all spectacular from the air. Some 'gotchas' to note, in the North West Donegal rarely have Avgas, unless it's changed. Sligo do and are very friendly.
Down west, if stopping for fuel avoid Galway and go to Connamara airport to the west of the Galway zone. Uncontrolled but watch out for the Aran Islands flights which operate out of there.
Kerry is so so, if there's jet traffic to be serviced you may have to wait a considerable while. Plus a complicated trip from the pumps to the office to pay, then back (though security so keep the leatherman in the a/c) to the pumps.
Kilrush Co. Kildare have a great setup, fuel available by prior arrangement, and/or of you get lucky and someone is on the field.
Many of the small fields will not be manned/personned during the week. The international airports have varied reputations. Shannon and Cork Waterford are the better ones, Dublin is to be avoided.
Weston to the west of Dublin is the main GA field in Ireland, beware of the military and Dublin zones around and get info on the Weston departure/arrival procedures.
The helicopter site finder has a list of landing sites, also try Heliair who do a trip every year. Also do a search on flying in Ireland which may through up a resource or two.
In general flying in Ireland is very laid back. Note the Irish charts do not contain much detail compared to the UK charts. You'll be using major landmarks and not minor.
Disclaimer: Not comprehensive, only lists my personal experiences. May not do what it says on the tin etc.
Have fun!

[headsethair]

Echo all the above. However, for NI be aware that Special Branch procedures still apply (as well as for Eire). Still lots of Danger/Restricted/Prohibited airspace in NI - check AIP and latest half mill.
Although the Irish flying is gorgeous, be prepared for some testy ATC and the requirement to file flight plans.
And of course get used to hearing about that charming Irish gent, Hector Pascal.

[tu154]

Wouldn't worry too much about the flight plan issue. Only required for crossing/entering the regional airport zones when active, plus the Dublin zone. File over the air 10 minutes before for the regional airport zones (when active). Never had a harsh word yet on that basis. For the Dublin zone, definitely file over via phone/fax/email beforehand.
ATC are generally quite calm, no FIS in Ireland as it applies in the UK in class G. Tell them about yourself 'for information only'. They may be interested in you giving them position reports, they may not, depending on what else is out there.
Technically you should file a flightplan when crossing the FIR from NI to Ireland (as we like to call it), however have done and not done with equal effect. Special Branch as above.
Ah yes Hector, not to be confused with his batty behind the times cousin Millie Bar. ;)

[jbrereton]

Suggest you give Helicopter Training and Hire Ltd a call. They have fuel and will be able to advise on no go areas, special branch clearances required and sites to see. They have a web page at http://www.helicoptercentre.co.uk/. Landing fees at Newtownards last time I looked were £10.00. Speak to Lesley or Jackie they should be able to help.
Jon

[magbreak]

I would question tu154's advice on flight plans. We have been told to file flight plans for EVERY flight. be it from airport to airport, or farmers field to farmers field and VFR or IFR. Special Branch is also needed on all flights from the UK in Northern Ireland and from Northern Ireland in Southern Ireland (and vice versa)

Great scenery though and the maps of the south are not at all helpful as tu154 states (we'll agree onm that bit!! :O ).

Would also agree with steering clear of Dublin airport. Not very GA freindly and that wait for fuel can be long (1.5 hours for my last visit there with fuel booked in advance!!)

[tu154]

I would question tu154's advice on flight plans. We have been told to file flight plans for EVERY flight. be it from airport to airport, or farmers field to farmers field and VFR or IFR. booked in advance!!)

That may be what you were told, but couldn't be further from the truth.
There is no requirement to file a flight plan whatsoever in Class G, including farmers field to farmers field.
This perception may have arisen as ATC at the 'regional' airports used to be a bit sticky about transting/entering their airspace without a flight plan filed by phone an hour beforehand, and there may have been the odd bollicking, for no justified reason I can think of.
When active they are Class C, which is whacky given there is no such requirement at many UK airfields that are an order of magnitude more busy. I've never had a problem over the air 10 minutes before. In any case they are such a small percentage of the Irish airspace, you can easily avoid unless you don't want to.
Edited to say: If departing from a Class C airport, then of course you would need to file beforehand.

[headsethair]

So, it's as clear as Guinness then. And TU, don't get so jumpy - you're not the only fella with an Irish passport. Eire, Ireland, ROI - what's in a name ? I love both my countries - but I don't get pedantic about either.

[Fatigue]

Just be aware that the coast guard 61's regularly waz around low level in galway bay area and around the arran islands...talk to shannon on 127.5 and connemara ops that service the arran islands on 123.0.

all the best,
Fatigue.

[Bravo73]

Suggest you give Helicopter Training and Hire Ltd a call. They have fuel and will be able to advise on no go areas, special branch clearances required and sites to see. They have a web page at http://www.helicoptercentre.co.uk/. Landing fees at Newtownards last time I looked were £10.00. Speak to Lesley or Jackie they should be able to help.
Jon

Jon,

When you say 'they', don't you mean 'we'? :E :ok:

[delta3]

bvgs

One possible source for hotels detailing clearly those who have helipath :

http://www.bestloved.com/

d3

[Helipolarbear]

:) If you land at Weston (EIWT) make sure you sample some of the cuisine at the Sky Restaursant!!
Best around any airport in Ireland and possibly the UK.
Lebanese to Italian.....they'll cater to all tastes! You better be hungry coz there is a lot of food given in the standard portions! Ask for Simon or Hassan
and enjoy the flight and service!:cool:

[tu154]

So, it's as clear as Guinness then. And TU, don't get so jumpy - you're not the only fella with an Irish passport. Eire, Ireland, ROI - what's in a name ? I love both my countries - but I don't get pedantic about either.

That's me told then. :hmm: