Airfield/Flight Guide for Europe

[one2go]

Hi,

I want to buy a book as a gift for a mate who's just bought himself a twin (lucky chap!!). He's not a pilot but has a man that can.

I'm after a guide book for Airfields/Destinations in Europe to give him inspiration for trips out in his new toy. He has little experience of this sort of adventure but is keen as mustard to start!

Can you give me any suggestions on what would be a good publication?

TVM

[dublinpilot]

A lonley planet guide would seem more useful than a flight guide, when it comes to determining where to fly to.

I do like the look of the French stop over guide, but still think that a Lonley Planet guide would be more useful.

dp

[BackPacker]

I have the Pilots' free flight atlas of the Eastern Hemisphere. It contains 1:2000000 (2 mil) or 1:4000000 (4 mil) charts (scale depends on continent) for basically the whole Eastern Hemisphere, with virtually any decent size airfields, including a lot of green ones, listed. Plus some other semi-useful info like volmet frequencies, de-icing fluid holdover times, Africa regional procedures, the morse alphabet and a list of JAA member states.

It's great to spend a few hours dreaming of far, far away destinations to fly to, planning that proverbial flight to Australia and so forth.

Mine is the 3rd edition, ISBN 3-00-003648-2, but there may be newer editions. And there's one for the western hemisphere as well.

Obviously, if you have serious money to spare (or are hoping for lots of free rides) give him a Bottlang subscription.

[Ni Thomas]

Yep verily! Jeppesen's - Bottlang (Edition 'E') will open up his/her/it's horizons.
or
Get yourself a copy of James Allan's "Going Foreign VFR" (Published by Robert Pooley) (ISBN 0 9020237 188) - Now sadly out of print (printed 1987!)and rather (or to be more exact ...very) out of date. However it does entice one to venture further afield and provides loads of suggestions and opinions. It's the book that got me flying all over the coninent and beyond.
As a matter of interest: I spoke to James a while ago about it being revised, but he sagely explained that there have been so many changes to the Rules and Regs + Shengen + airspace etc, that it would be a mammoth task. Maybe R.B. or some other enterprising executive would take up the challenge - (and put up the cash! :ok:)

[dublinpilot]

Why a Bottlang? They guy is a non-pilot.....hardly likely to appreciate the details that a Bottlang will contain. Useful for his pilot yes, but probably not very useful for himself.

dp

[Ni Thomas]

Dublinbloke asks "Why a Bottlang?"

Because he said in his opening message "I want to buy a book as a gift for a mate" - Said 'mate' has bought himself a twin - That's why. :rolleyes:

[dublinpilot]

Ah yes, but he also said
He's not a pilot but has a man that can.

So would a Bottlang not be a gift for the "man that can" rather than his mate ;)

[Ni Thomas]

Dublinwhallah sayeth:-
"So would a Bottlang not be a gift for the "man that can" rather than his mate"

Ah! yes... He did say that didn't he!

But, he could point at one of the Bottlang plates and instruct his mate to, "Go there my man, and don't spare the 'orses". It gives him loads of options.

You win! :D

[dublinpilot]

There are no winners, just debate ;)
One2go will know which is most useful for his friend because he knows his friend best.

My thinking was simply that a non pilot, will choose where to go by the things to do and see at the destination, rather than by the facilities at the airport, etc. Non pilots probably aren't too concerned about runway lengths, frequencies, airspace etc.....that's all for his 'man' to worry about.

I do of course accept that they will need to know that there is an airport there, which Bottlang will be useful for ;)

dp