Inverness

[Ridgerunner]

Hello,

I am planning a flight to Inverness this weekend and was wondering if any of you have any advice for me as I have never flown into Inverness nor been so far North.

Also, is there a good place for lunch nearby?

Thanks

RR

[Thumpango]

I completed my training in Inverness. I found everyone at the airfield very friendly and helpful - it's a great place to fly in and out of, stunning scenery.

If you don't want to travel far I would suggest lunch at "The Gun" in nearby Ardesier. If you want something more special and upmarket then "The Mustard Seed" in Inverness is very good, but you will need a good appetite and time! There are several other pubs and restaurants on the way into Inverness.

Several Ppruners are from that area, so no doubt they will advise. Particularly with regards to flying up there.

Best wishes and have a good trip - sure you will enjoy it.

[C-dog]

Ridgerunner,

Assume you are coming from the south? Then you'll likely be coming over some fairly high & inhospitable terrain.

So file a flight plan and have an escape strategy for when mountain top meets cloudbase ahead of you.

Or aim to route up the Great Glen & see Loch Ness. You might then be tempted to look in at Oban or Glenforsa on the way there or back.

If you're arriving from the Aberdeen direction then Lossie Radar give a good service, usually fairly quiet at the weekend.

And of course don't forget to PPR in order to get the cheaper landing fee!

I'm only ever in & out of EGPE for fuel so unable to oblige with eateries - apart from the airport terminal where you get a reasonable selection of typical terminal food.

Enjoy your trip, they're a friendly bunch there.

[Islander2]

Things may have changed since I flew into there two years ago but, in case not, it could be well worth your while establishing exactly how you're supposed to get back airside.

When I arrived on a Tuesday I was told by the handling agent that they would not be on-site when I departed on the following Saturday ... but it was no problem, I should go to the aero-club to "get airside". In the event, that was news to the aero-club. Despite their best endeavours by telecom to security, they couldn't arrange it and asked me to go and talk to the security man myself. This resulted in a five-minute walk to where I had a farcical conversation, through a wire fence, with a jobsworth who had clearly never had any briefing on the needs of private pilots. And "no", he couldn't let me airside unless I had an Inverness Airport security pass (how a visiting pilot was to get one of those remained a mystery ... certainly the handling agent hadn't volunteered one!).

The only legal alternative I was left with was to come back two days later, when the handling agent was back on duty! Fortunately, expending a little ingenuity and a lot of time, I found a locally-based commercial pilot who took pity on me and risked his livelihood by opening a security gate to let me in. I taxied out awaiting a call from ATC to return to the parking area for an interview with the police!

User friendly? Nah ... a nerve-racking experience that stressed my passengers, took more than an hour to resolve and then only by bending the rules with the collusion of an equally-astonished local pilot. Never again!

[mad_jock]

Ridgerunner

It would help if you let us know which route you intend to take.

there are basicaly 4 routes you can go.

1. Round Aberdeen way. Not a problem speak to Aberdeen they are very helpfull. Lossie radar isn't open at the weekends.

2. Over the top if its nice. Over the top of the cairngorms. Very spectacular but in some bits very sparce on forced landing sites. Scottish info can give a service but its very patchy and don't worry if you can't get them low level.

3. Up the A9 a few more sites for forced landings takes you up and into the spey valley see how many distillerys you can spot.

4. Up the west coast you could drop into Oban if you like and pick fuel up there then up the great glen to INV.

There isn't that much within easy reach of the airport at INV. If you need fuel its a bit of a pain if you arrive at the wrong time. There is only one refueller and if you arrive just before the lunch time rush you can be waiting a while while he gets the schedules done.

Personally I would advise carrying on North to Dornnoch which is just to the north of Tain bombing range. Lovely grass strip right next to the beach. Within 20 mins walk of Dornnoch which has many eating houses. When you turn up there may be several dog walkers and also maybe model aircraft flying. A quick low pass and they will clear out the way. You will be fine just leaving the aircraft unattended.

If a local police man appears don't worry he is very friendly and will just be down because he is bored and likes planes.

If you don't fancy that and want to go into Inverness city there is a bus which goes from outside the terminal into town along with taxi rank. When you get back and want to get back to your aircraft if you go into the terminal with your license and speak to security next to the oversize baggage belt next to BA sales (have a high -viz in your pocket just to keep them happy). The supervisors live there and should be able to get you sorted.

As long as you have PPR you shouldn't have any problems in or out. You pay for landing fees in the flight planning office which a credit card will help you, fill in a form and put it in a box. And there is a fax/phone for flight plans and booking out.

And they also have a musem of sorts out the back,with a Bucc and various other bits and pieces. I haven't as yet sussed out how you get from the highland hanger into it from that side but there are a variety of lumps of ex-flying equipment about.

[Islander2]

When you get back and want to get back to your aircraft if you go into the terminal with your license and speak to security next to the oversize baggage belt next to BA sales (have a high -viz in your pocket just to keep them happy). The supervisors live there and should be able to get you sorted.
Well, Ridgerunner should be advised that didn't work for me on the Saturday in question! In fact, despite much polite, protracted enquiry, I couldn't find anybody on the airfield that believed they were allowed to let someone airside without a) a boarding card, or b) an Inverness Airport security pass. I was able to show photo i.d. and my pilot's licence, but that cut no ice.

That was two years ago, and maybe things have changed. Or maybe I was just plain unlucky with the staff on duty on the day. Nonetheless, based on my regrettable experience, I would strongly advise anybody flying into Inverness to check in advance with the airport authority on the weekend procedures for gaining airside access ... and to get a name/number for an operations manager that security can call in case they disagree!

[Ridgerunner]

Thankyou everyone for the valuable replies, I am a fairly low-hour PPL so it is going to be a bit of an adventure for me, but the weather in Fife is spectacular the last two weeks so I plan on going high over the mountains from Glenrothes, overhead Pitlochry and then descending to Loch Ness and joining via Dores VRP. I will take the advice about escape routes etc, but I only plan to fly in the best of weather.

I will definately give the airport a call for getting airside access at the weekends, that sound a pretty awful experience that you had Islander2 which I shall try to avoid.

Hope the rest of you can enjoy the fine weather this weekend,

Thanks,

RR