Poland

[piotr]

I am planning a trip (VFR) to Poland in the summer.

Does anyone have any useful experience or advice? I know that some of the RT/traffic procedures are different (e.g. altitude given in meters not feet) - but are there any specific "funnies" I need to be aware of? Any specific/additional documentation or equipment I must take?

Also, apart from logging the usual flight plan with UK ATC, do I need to pre-warn the Polish authorities or anything? (I will fo course fly into an airfield that has customs facilities).

Any help much appreciated.

[A and C]

Since sep 11 the polish authoritys have required all aircraft to have a large amount of insurance for terrorist related risks and a copy of this has to be sent to the polish transport ministry and aproved before flight in polish airspace.

If this is not done the aircraft will be inpounded untill the paperwork has done the rounds of the ministry , and i woud think that that could take some time !.

[aerodeano]

As far as I know you won't have any problems. This is not from my experience but I think it's pretty much the same as flying here in the Slovak Republic. Here there is no problems with ATC and all heights are in feet. I was looking in the Bottlang for Poland and it seems fairly straight forward, it states "Non commercial non scheduled flights of foreign aircraft do not require permission for entry and operation, assuming that the aircraft is registered in an ICAO member state". While you are in Poland why not visit us in Slovakia for a bit more of a eastern european experience. Have a good trip.

[aerodeano]

It says nothing in my Bottlang about this insurance clause, though i'm not disputing it isn't true.
Check with the aeroclub in Warsaw. You can e-mail them at
[email protected]

[Reichman]

I've flown through Poland VFR many times over the last 10 years or so, on delivery flights from Lithunia to UK (no points for guessing what type). Most visits were to Gdansk, Posnan and Szceczin (I know the spelling is probably wrong).

A few tips you might find useful:

1. If you are flying VFR you should follow the airways routes (VFR route maps are available at most places) as long as you don't accidentally fly through "sensitive" areas you can deviate.

2. Heights are in metres and should be annotated as such on flight plans. Most of my flights were filed for 600 metres.

3. If you are stopping somewhere just for fuel, go and file the flight plan first, then refuel the aircraft (there is no Polish word for quickly) as it will take a little time.

4. There is no real radar cover, except in the vicinity of major airfields. You can fly for hours without talking to anyone. I used to fly with 121.5 dialled up just in case.

5. Hotels a very cheap and the people a very friendly and helpful.

6. US Dollars are accepted everywhere.

It's about a year since I last went through there but i hope this helps.

Have fun.