VFR Flight in Norway

[bigjok]

I am trying to access the "VFR Flight in Norway" brief but without success. Is this document now history?

My provisional itinerary for this summer's flying adventure in June is; Tromso-Bardufoss- Stokmarkness-Svolvaer-Bodo (n/s) -Trondheim-Bergen(n/s)- UK via Holland etc. This is after positioning low-cost to Tromso.

Any advice? The Good? The Bad? The Ugly?

[englishal]

Have a look at:

http://www.aopa.no/english/tip.htm

You might want to get yourself a landing-card-season-ticket for about £55.....

[M609]

http://www.caa.no/multimedia/archive/00002/VFR-guide_2866a.pdf

Otherwise www.ippc.no is a winner for all publications, weather, notam etc.

Feel free to PM if you have questions

Rgds
M609
Bardufoss Aeroclub (and ATCO during the daytime :) )

[IO540]

I've been planning a flight to Trondheim (ENVA) for quite a while (can do this in one leg in the TB20, from the S. Coast) but almost every time I look at the MSLP chart, the whole place is so buried under fronts one can hardly see Norway!

I reckon it's a place where flying is totally wonderful when the weather is CAVOK, and absolutely sh*te, even for IFR, the rest of the time. Airline pilots I have spoken to report regular serious icing conditions.

One needs to pick the (very) few really clear days, IMHO.

[M609]

I concur with last speaker :) (It´s the reason IFR for light a/c is not big over here)

Summer is better than winter, and the west coast south of Trondheim is worse than the rest. If you are apprehensive about the weather, making sure the cloud base is higher then ALL the terrain along your route, your fine. (Flying in valleys that are "capped" with cloud is not all that nice if you are new to mountain flying, and apart from the area in the south east around Oslo mountains are the norm)
:)

[englishal]

I'll go with you to Trondheim IO if you want to share the ride ;)

The weather in Bergen is typically sh*te, I think last year they had about 80 consecutive days of rain before Christmas. However if you entered Norway further south (South of Stavanger) in my experience the weather is much better (and the terrain is flatter). Then you could head up the spine of Norway inland a bit where the weather seems to be better....

I didn't realise but the highest mountian in Norway is only about 8000' I think....

[JW411]

I have done a fair amount of flying in Norway in the past especially when I was in the RAF. I have managed to visit Oslo, Kjevik, Stavanger, Bergen, Oerland, Trondheim, Andoya, Bodo and Bardufoss among others.

When the weather is good it is spectacular but you cannot guarantee good weather. It changes so quickly. I can remember landing east at Bodo one day and by the time I had taxied in, a 30 knot westerly was blowing!

Going round the circling lights at night in a snow storm at Trondheim is also a barrel of laughs.

On one occasion we got to Bodo at the same time as a front and the whole coastline went out. Having tried Trondheim and Bergen, we ended up diverting to Lossiemouth!

Be very, very careful.

[bigjok]

M609. Please check your PMs

[philippevd]

I'm thinking about planning a honeymoon flying trip around the Bergen area, departing from Belgium. This would take place in August. We have about 2 weeks for the trip.

Apparently the general opinion is that weather is very tricky and unpredictable. Does this statement apply year-round, or can we expect better luck in August? I'd hate to be stuck for days due to weather, or being diverted on every other flight due to unexpected weather. What does the average August look like, from a VFR pilot's point of view?

Thanks

JP

[Talkdownman]

bigjok, how about this (http://www.luftfartstilsynet.no/caa_no/article1192.ece/BINARY/VFR+Guide+2011.pdf)?

I have flown hundreds of hours around Norway in SEP. Tremendous fun. Respect the weather changes. Have a Plan 'B'...and a Plan 'C'. Be prepared to get stuck for 24 hours. Buy an Avinor landing card. Plan fuel carefully. Be careful of wires strung across fjiords. Don't forget Alta, Kirkenes and Nordkapp. Honningsvag has a fantastic approach...

[Russell Gulch]

1944, moonlight, flight down the fjords, engine humming, low level, watch for the wires.
Stunning scenery in the 24-hour light. The highest peaks topped with snow. Steep cliffs to the waters edge. Nowhere to go if the donkey quits, but needs must on these missions.
Easy to do VFR, but watch for clouds. Be careful of opposite traffic, we need to keep clear of them. Enjoying the exhilaration.

[Russell Gulch]

Alternatively:

2012, sunlight, flight down the fjords, engine humming, low level, watch for the wires.
Stunning scenery in the 24-hour light. The highest peaks topped with snow. Steep cliffs to the waters edge. Nowhere to go if the donkey quits, but needs must on these missions.
Easy to do VFR, but watch for clouds. Be careful of opposite traffic, we need to keep clear of them. Enjoying the exhilaration.

[philippevd]

I was looking at the avinor website for the weekly season card. The charge for the card is 877NOK (116euro) without parking, and 3690NOK (490euro!!) including parking. This sounds extremely expensive, or is this just one of the many expensive surprises awaiting me if I decide to fly there?

[jeab]

Yes, they have just introduced parking fees: It's free for 2 hours - then about 27 Pounds for up to 24 hours - then 54 Pounds at the beginning of every 24 hours after that!
Seems like they don't really want any visitors? Or maybe they do - but they do not want them to stay for too long!
But here is the "bargain": You can buy a card valid for a week, at the cost of "only" 5 times 54 Pounds....:ugh:
ohh...I forgot: Add 25% VAT to that!!

[philippevd]

Hi jeab,

Thanks for the info. This doesn't sound very good, I'm not prepared to spend 1keuros on parking fees for a few weeks in Norway. Are there any ways to get around this? Are the fees the same on all airfields, or are there cheaper places? I read about an airpark near Fyresdal where the landing fee was waived when staying at an affiliated hotel?

Thanks

JP

[jeab]

I have become aware, that there is an AIC: A 08/12, that stipulates, that if you are a member of a flying club, you can park for free. This AIC canceled another AIC from just 2 weeks earlier, where it was a requirement to be member of a Norwegian flying club.
According to Avinors charging calculator: Charges calculator - Avinor.no (http://www.avinor.no/en/avinor/traffic/_chargescalculator), you only have to pay 102.49 NOK in a Terminal Navigation Charge for an aircraft up to 2 tons.
But there is a number of smaller airfields, that is not run by Avinor. I wanted to go to Lysefjord, and close to it, is an airfield called Araksoyene, ENVE.
You find a VFR guide for Norway here: VFR-guide for Norway - 2011 Edition - Luftfartstilsynet (http://www.luftfartstilsynet.no/caa_no/article1190.ece)
And a list of airfields in Norway here: Norskeflyplasser.no (http://www.norskeflyplasser.no/public.aspx?pageid=61191)

[S-Works]

We have a new base in Norway since last summer. I am off there this week to swap an aircraft out again. The flying is fantastic with amazing scenery but the weather can be very changeable so you need an escape route.

Alesund is worth a visit Up in the North and Kristiansand right down south.

[A and C]

Having found myself working in Norway I would add a few comments.

The advice about changeable weather should be heeded, the changeability is like the Channel Islands on speed but 15-20c colder.

All the people I have met in Norway have been very helpful and in an aviation context very professional.

The one thing that lets Norway down from a visitor point of view is the cost, just to give you some idea, Small Beer £7, Caesar Salad (small) £16, Bottle of red wine ( house ) £42, packet of M&M's (large) £3.78 all these numbers were pulled from the menu of a moderately priced crew hotel.

If you have money to burn I am sure that Norway is a great place to visit as long as you don't have to meet any time constraints that the lack of VFR weather might force on you. If like me you do have some of the above constraints then I would think it best to point the aircraft south until the Norwegian economy falls more into line with the rest of Europe in terms of retail prices.

[david viewing]

I was in Oslo a couple of weeks ago (courtesy Ryanair) and can confirm the prices, except my beer was £10! I might be invited back, so I'm thinking about the GA options.

Are there any affordable GA fields near to Oslo with convenient connections? I flew Ryanair into Torp and out of Rygge, both very small places a long long way from the city. I didn't see any private aircraft at either place, but it was dark at Rygge. I'm thinking that an alternative that I've been to before might be Hagfors in Sweden (very friendly GA field, not much further from Oslo than Torp) and a rental car, though a car would be a nuisance in Oslo city.

Any ideas appreciated.