BEX aerodrome in Switzerland.

[stickandrudderman]

Has anyone been there and got any info?
I've found their web site but it's all in French, which I don't speak.
However, it could become a regular haunt for me so my French might improve!

[rosti]

You'll have to wait until April, it's closed to non based aircraft over winter.

[QDMQDMQDM]

Nice field and quite friendly. I went in there a couple of years ago on a not that windy day, but it was a southerly and the Rhone valley narrows just to the South of the field. That produces a venturi effect and the turbulence was quite phenomenal. The locals were very nonchalant about it, but that is worth being aware of.

[bonniejack]

May I commend the following Bex video to members
http://webmunism.com/vids/of/bex
Search Youtube for vids of bex mostly from PA28's

[A and C]

According to the IATA website BEX is in Oxfordshire !

[stickandrudderman]

Well, it only took me an hour and a half to drive there from Geneva so I guess I am sure!
Great video, thanks.
I'd really like an introduction to someone based there.
If anyone can help that would be appreciated.

[mountain-goat]

Stix, what do you need to know? Have flown above and around it many times but not landed there... have my current Swiss AIP on standby with plates etc. PM me for specifics if that helps.

MG

[Flyin'Dutch']

Not flown into it but enjoyed a few jars in the shade:

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b108/frankvoeten/SION2002_0818_154232AA-1.jpg

[stickandrudderman]

Have now done the obvious and checked it out on google earth.
It seems it's a grass strip of around 700m.
So winter ops are unlikely.

[172driver]

stik, I speak French, so here goes:

According to their website, the rwy is not closed, but may be so, in accordance with the wx. Current state can be found on 024/463 24 40 (tape) or 078/607 97 22 (person). I imagine these numbers should be prefixed with the Swiss country code, which is 0041, then dropping the leading zero.

Furthermore, they state that normal ops will resume on March 29, with a rwy opening scheduled for 1500L (after cleaning up, whatever they mean by that).

The link to this page is here (http://www.lsgb.ch/chefdeplace.htm)

HTH

[rosti]

If you haven't got the Swiss VFR Guide you can get the information you need in 'Nav2000' - LSGB

If you can't land there in winter Lausanne LSGL or Sion LSGS are not far, Saanen (Gstaad) LSGK would be interesting if you don't mind snow and ice...

[stickandrudderman]

Thanks Guys for the help.
I'll be spending Christmas and New year in the area so I guess the best thing for me to do is pop in and "break the ice":O
Stick

[mountain-goat]

Hi Stix, check your PM's pls.

Thanks,

MG.

[cloudranger]

Hi

I live just up the mountain from Bex and can watch the movements from my house. I know the airport manager and a couple of pilots based there, and can speak French, so if there are any questions you have, need suggestions for places to visit or stay, fire away. Plenty of people there speak English, and there are several English pilots based there.

Since I moved here I have been meaning to join the flying club there and get checked out, but work pressure means I haven't had time so far.

The flying club website can be found at:
Groupe de Vol à Moteur du Chablais (http://www.gvmc.ch/new/index.php)

Gliding club can be found at:
GVV 'Les Martinets' - Accueil (http://www.lesmartinets.org/Bienvenue.php)

There is a live webcam which updates each time you refresh your browser, and is nice hi res, so you can watch the movements (lots of gliders on aerotow at the weekend). (http://lesmartinets.dyndns.org/axis-cgi/jpg/image.cgi)

You can always translate the website to English using google translation.

As one of the other replies says the runway is about 700m of grass. Most approaches are from the east as the prevailing wind is usually from the west though it tends to flip in the afternoon as it cools and the air falls down the mountain, as the west side is open to the lake and the east side is surrounded by mountains.

If you have google earth you can "fly" the approach quite nicely with the built in flight simulator.

The runway is quite narrow, and often you will have powered aircraft to your left doing run up checks, and gliders on your right parked or lining up for a tow, and you need to land between them.

Next nearest airfields are Sion (down the valley to the East) (Accueil - Sion airport, Sion aéroport (http://www.piste25.ch)) , or Lausanne Blecherette (Lausanne Airport : Home (http://www.lausanne-airport.ch/)) to the West, both long Tarmac. After that you have La Cote near Nyon (close to Geneva) (http://www.aeroclublacote.com) - [where Phil Collins lives], or Geneva itself.

Cheers!

[stickandrudderman]

Blimey, how did you dig that old thread up!!
Quite a lot has happened since I posted that thread, see here:

http://http://www.pprune.org/private-flying/315871-fate-luck.html

However, I shall be back in the winter so would be glad to meet at the airfield for a coffee if you like.

Stick.