Canada to Europe - customs and airport recommendations?

[digits_]

Hi all,

after postponing my trip many times, it looks like I will finally be able to fly from Canada to Europe and back the first half of September.

I've flown in Europe quite a bit 10 years ago, but I'm a bit out of touch with the practicalities regarding customs/immigration/international airports, and when you need them.

The proposed route would contain landings in:
Canada - Greenland - Iceland - Faroe Islands - Scotland - Ireland - Belgium
And then return pretty much in the same way:
Belgium - England - Wales - Faroe or Schotland - Iceland - Greenland - Canada.

Are there any flights here where I would *not* need customs or an international airport? I figure Ireland to Belgium could technically be done without it, since both of them are in the Schengen zone. Is there anything else I'm missing? I don't mind bigger airports, but might be nice to avoid them when I can.

I'd be flying a Canadian registered Cessna 310.

Kind regards,
digits

[Pilot DAR]

It's been a while since I've done that flight. When I did it, customs between Canada and Greenland was not required. I don't know if that's still the case. Kangerlussuaq (Sondestrom) is a common stop, though Aasiaat or Ilulissat are very pretty, and worth the extra distance for the scenery, if you can do it. Reykjavik is the common Iceland stop, but alternatively, I would highly recommend Vestmannaeyjar (island to the south) or Akureyri (at the end of a magnificent fjord to the north as picturesque alternatives to Reykjavik. In any of the three places you can walk to town. If you can stop in Vestmannaeyjar or Akureyri, budget a day for sightseeing. Vestmannaeyjar has an amazing volcanic eruption history, and you can walk it all, I have twice. I have never stopped in the Faroes, though I hear it's beautiful. We flew the Cessna 303 Reykjavik to Prestwick direct, no problem on one of the trips.

Alternative, and very scenic route would be Iceland, Faroe to Floro Norway, then Bergen, then Stavanger, Kristiansand, hop across to Denmark, then Sylt Germany, then to Belgium as you like (Bremen is a good stop). The scenery between Floro and Stavanger is magnificent. Lista Norway is also beautiful, with a super WW2 museum at the airport (lots of captured German equipment). The nearby town of Farsund is maritime quaint. From Belgium, back to the UK is easy. Aside from the UK, when I flew, customs was not a problem at all from/in between: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, and countries south to Croatia.

I hope that helps....

[nomilk]

I figure Ireland to Belgium could technically be done without it, since both of them are in the Schengen zone. Ireland is not in Schengen.

[digits_]

Ireland is not in Schengen.
And already this topic proves useful!

Thanks!!

[jollyrog]

There's a difference between Ireland (Republic) and Northern Ireland (UK). Scotland to Ireland, you will be subject to Customs/Immigration and the Irish rules about port of entry or agreement to use a smaller airport by submission of paperwork. Scotland to Northern Ireland is an internal UK flight, no Customs or Immigration, any little aerodrome will do at either end.

But, you are also required by UK anti-terror legislation to give 12h PNR to the UK police when flying to/from either Northern Ireland or Ireland or between the two. Of course, a real terrorist would circumvent that by flying UK to Ireland via France where no such notification is required, or in the case of a flight between Northern Ireland and Ireland, they'd just go by road across the open and unchecked border. Or you could fly from one of a handful of airports who have resident "Special Branch" police officers, in which case the 12h notice isn't a requirement.

England/Wales/Scotland is paperwork free, terrorists don't travel between those places. Do as you please, no forms, no fuss.

It's nuts, I know, but could be a world of pain or delay if you fail to fill in the form. If you tell us the aerodromes you plan to use in Scotland and the island of Ireland, better advice will follow.

99% of the time, if you fill in the right bits of paper before flight, there's no hassle and it's easy enough.

[deing]

For Belgium
gendec to https://www.police.be/bordercontrol/en/general-declaration
But you also need to send the gendec separately to the local customs!

[digits_]

It's been a while since I've done that flight. When I did it, customs between Canada and Greenland was not required. I don't know if that's still the case. Kangerlussuaq (Sondestrom) is a common stop, though Aasiaat or Ilulissat are very pretty, and worth the extra distance for the scenery, if you can do it. Reykjavik is the common Iceland stop, but alternatively, I would highly recommend Vestmannaeyjar (island to the south) or Akureyri (at the end of a magnificent fjord to the north as picturesque alternatives to Reykjavik. In any of the three places you can walk to town. If you can stop in Vestmannaeyjar or Akureyri, budget a day for sightseeing. Vestmannaeyjar has an amazing volcanic eruption history, and you can walk it all, I have twice. I have never stopped in the Faroes, though I hear it's beautiful. We flew the Cessna 303 Reykjavik to Prestwick direct, no problem on one of the trips.

Alternative, and very scenic route would be Iceland, Faroe to Floro Norway, then Bergen, then Stavanger, Kristiansand, hop across to Denmark, then Sylt Germany, then to Belgium as you like (Bremen is a good stop). The scenery between Floro and Stavanger is magnificent. Lista Norway is also beautiful, with a super WW2 museum at the airport (lots of captured German equipment). The nearby town of Farsund is maritime quaint. From Belgium, back to the UK is easy. Aside from the UK, when I flew, customs was not a problem at all from/in between: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Belgium, and countries south to Croatia.

I hope that helps....
Very helpful, thanks! Norway got added to the list. Shetland islands too, since we'll be in the neighborhood;)

[Jan Olieslagers]

Ireland is not in Schengen.
I was going to question this, but a quick check on Wikipedia confirms!

@topicstarter: apart from passports, immigration, customs &c, be prepared for Covid19 checks. For the moment there are almost no limitations in Europe, but they might come back, since mutations of the virus are spreading. I would recommend to get a vaccination, and inquire about getting a certificate that will be accepted in Europe.

For fields with customs/immigration in BE, consider EBAW Antwerp, EBKT Kortrijk, EBOS Oostende. OTOH Brussels, Charleroi and Liege are too big and too busy and on the expensive side.

[Sam Rutherford]

Do you already have your insurance in place? This is where most Trans-Atlantic trips come unstuck.

[digits_]

Thanks, EBKT will be the final destination.

[digits_]

Do you already have your insurance in place? This is where most Trans-Atlantic trips come unstuck.
Yes. Expensive, but it's in place :-)

[Sam Rutherford]

Great! I think the next thing to figure out is whether the Trans-Atlantic is just A to B, or whether you want to make it more of an adventure/holiday (spend some time seeing some cool stuff).

[avionimc]

NB: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland are part of the Schengen Agreement! -- UK is not (and never was).

[Azaiba]

If you do not have HF radio the following restriction from the Canadian AIP applies:

Because of VHF coverage, aircraft may proceed across the Atlantic without HF radio subject to the following restrictions: a) below FL 195, routing YFB – SF– KFV; and b) FL 250 or above, routing YYR – OZN (or NA) – KFV

[Sam Rutherford]

HF - this is not entirely accurate, there are other options.

[digits_]

HF - this is not entirely accurate, there are other options.
I'm interested to know what the other options are? I was under the impression Azaiba's message was correct?