So, where will my licence NOT take me?

[J.A.F.O.]

In theory once you have your poo brown book the world is your lobster but is it?

You should be able to fly anywhere with your PPL, I believe, but, in practice, is there anywhere that you cannot go?

[matelot]

Space............? :)

[rustle]

You should be able to fly anywhere with your PPL, I believe, but, in practice, is there anywhere that you cannot go?

Without an IR: Class A airspace.

Restricted and Prohibited areas.

TRAs (or RA(T)s as they're now [or will shortly be] known)

Otherwise you should be okay in the UK.

Other states may have more rules ;)

[Keef]

You can fly to pretty much anywhere in the EU, and some countries in North Africa. You may find that your insurance is more restrictive than your PPL.

Landing fees are a gotcha in some places, and some countries have some quirky rules - for example, check before taking a camera, or taking pictures from your aircraft.

[FlyingForFun]

Heathrow is closed to single-engine aircraft and light twins.

And, on a more global scale, wasn't there a long-term NOTAM banning G-registered aircraft from Iraq during the war?

FFF
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[J.A.F.O.]

on a more global scale, wasn't there a long-term NOTAM banning G-registered aircraft from Iraq during the war?

That was more the sort of thing I was thinking of, along the lines of "Burkina Faso doesn't allow GA movements" or "Light singles aren't allowed into Laos without four government officials on board and a note from all of the pilot's great-grandparents"

Sorry, rushed the question, what I should have asked was - "Are there any countries or large areas of the world that will not allow a plain vanilla PPL to fly his/her light single-engined aircraft overhead?"

I know from reading Polly Vacher's excellent "Wings around the World" - available via her website with a percentage to Flying Scholarships for the Disabled - that the Antarctic is a mite troublesome.

Does anyone know of any other places that make it difficult if not impossible?

[IO540]

If your license issue country matches the aircraft reg country, you have worldwide (ICAO, to be precise) VFR privileges, non commercial.

If additionally your Instrument Rating issue country matches the aircraft reg country, you have worldwide (ICAO, to be precise) IFR (airways) privileges, non commercial.

The above is what ICAO gives you. But, when planning a flight, you may have to do some extra work:

Caveats include:

VFR flight needs to be outside controlled airspace although you can usually ask for a transit and get it.
Customs rules vary (restricts choice of airports).
Immigration rules vary (as above).
Avgas availability gets pretty random if you go too far (as above).
Most of the 3rd world needs overflight permits ($$$).
Some (few) airports don't allow VFR at all.
Some (e.g. Malaga LEMG) allow VFR only on some days of the week.
Some (few) don't accept light aircraft.
Many have PPR (prior permission required) which can be long (2 wks in some) and has to be sorted by fax or telex.
Notams often throw up issues, e.g. airport closed due to some public event, etc.
Russia requires an interpreter on board if going VFR.