Just Back from Great Trip
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Join Date: May 2002
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Just Back from Great Trip
Just back from a fantastic two weeks touring, just mrs CB the bonanza and myself.
Left on Friday eve from Glos to Deauville then next day one hop to Cannes took 3 hours up at 10k with stunning views. Caught the last night of the film festival and took in the atmosphere of Cannes. Extremely good airport with GA friendly atmosphere and reasonably priced handling.
Next stop was Cannes to Calvi on Corsica. This was an awesome approach with Mountains all round and the view was incredible. We parked up and put the covers on the aircraft as the temp was up around 38. A short taxi ride into the lovely town of Calvi. Next day hired a scooter and visited some mountain villages. The food and wine was superb.
We then fuelled up as the avgas was cheap and we were heading for Sardinia (Italy) where the fuel is very expensive. A stunning flight down the west coast of Corsica then across to Sardinia where we landed at Olbia. Hired a car and drove north to the Semeralda Coast. Back to Olbia the next day. The handling agent was rather expensive at 75 euros for landing and 1 day parking. Then the shock of the fuel price 45 litres for 90 euros.
We got back into the aircraft sweating like pigs in the midday sun and climbed out to FL 75 to get some cool air. This was one of the most breath taking flights yet routing north east from Sardinia with Corsica of to the left. We flew over Monte Christo and then got a FIS from Pisa as rome did not answer. Coasting in south of Pisa we routed inland to Lucca a lovely airfield and very friendly. One of the fire crew called and booked us a room in the town and sorted us a taxi. This was Italys little gem, a walled town with surrounding parks and lovely litlle restaurants etc.
The next Day we fuelled up with that really expensive Avgas and said goodbye to the crew at Lucca airfield and set of for Venice. Our route took us over some very high terrain and Bolonga ATC keeping us at only 1k AGL gave us very bumpy flight then down to 1 thousand feet the other side where it was as flat as a pancake.
The approach into Venice was great with views of the islands etc. Two days in Venice was tiring walking in the crowds in the heat but was well worth it. On the way back to the airfield Mrs CB dropped a bottle of Grappa to my horror and she disappeared momentarily in a haze of fumes. Back at the airfield we were told no fuel was available (even though the AIP says they have it) so we had to re plan the day’s route.
After a long flight back to Cannes to clear customs and pick up fuel we flew north to the lovely airfield of Gap Tallard where there is lots of skydiving activity. Two nights there and then long flight to Jersey to fill up with cheap fuel, lunch then back to Glos.
All in all a very good trip, would have liked to gone on to Croatia but time was running out.
I found against much advice Italy was great for flying apart from the price of fuel.
Cheers for now!!!!
Left on Friday eve from Glos to Deauville then next day one hop to Cannes took 3 hours up at 10k with stunning views. Caught the last night of the film festival and took in the atmosphere of Cannes. Extremely good airport with GA friendly atmosphere and reasonably priced handling.
Next stop was Cannes to Calvi on Corsica. This was an awesome approach with Mountains all round and the view was incredible. We parked up and put the covers on the aircraft as the temp was up around 38. A short taxi ride into the lovely town of Calvi. Next day hired a scooter and visited some mountain villages. The food and wine was superb.
We then fuelled up as the avgas was cheap and we were heading for Sardinia (Italy) where the fuel is very expensive. A stunning flight down the west coast of Corsica then across to Sardinia where we landed at Olbia. Hired a car and drove north to the Semeralda Coast. Back to Olbia the next day. The handling agent was rather expensive at 75 euros for landing and 1 day parking. Then the shock of the fuel price 45 litres for 90 euros.
We got back into the aircraft sweating like pigs in the midday sun and climbed out to FL 75 to get some cool air. This was one of the most breath taking flights yet routing north east from Sardinia with Corsica of to the left. We flew over Monte Christo and then got a FIS from Pisa as rome did not answer. Coasting in south of Pisa we routed inland to Lucca a lovely airfield and very friendly. One of the fire crew called and booked us a room in the town and sorted us a taxi. This was Italys little gem, a walled town with surrounding parks and lovely litlle restaurants etc.
The next Day we fuelled up with that really expensive Avgas and said goodbye to the crew at Lucca airfield and set of for Venice. Our route took us over some very high terrain and Bolonga ATC keeping us at only 1k AGL gave us very bumpy flight then down to 1 thousand feet the other side where it was as flat as a pancake.
The approach into Venice was great with views of the islands etc. Two days in Venice was tiring walking in the crowds in the heat but was well worth it. On the way back to the airfield Mrs CB dropped a bottle of Grappa to my horror and she disappeared momentarily in a haze of fumes. Back at the airfield we were told no fuel was available (even though the AIP says they have it) so we had to re plan the day’s route.
After a long flight back to Cannes to clear customs and pick up fuel we flew north to the lovely airfield of Gap Tallard where there is lots of skydiving activity. Two nights there and then long flight to Jersey to fill up with cheap fuel, lunch then back to Glos.
All in all a very good trip, would have liked to gone on to Croatia but time was running out.
I found against much advice Italy was great for flying apart from the price of fuel.
Cheers for now!!!!
Join Date: May 2001
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Wow what a trip! Pictures would be great. It's nice to know Lucca is welcoming, I plan to fly in there one day...such a nice town and as you said great restaurants! It's particularly nice to cycle around the walls on a warm evening.
Glad you enjoyed yourselves!
M
Glad you enjoyed yourselves!
M
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Sounds like a great trip!
2D I'm not sure about that if one is in an aircraft not registered in a Schengen country. Can you identify which part of the SIA site refers?
Had a little problem with our French cousins a year or two ago about this...they insisted (politely) that when going France to Spain in my G-reg, I clear in and out via customs fields.
Hiring a car one day (due to the weather), however, there were no border controls whatsoever!
2D I'm not sure about that if one is in an aircraft not registered in a Schengen country. Can you identify which part of the SIA site refers?
Had a little problem with our French cousins a year or two ago about this...they insisted (politely) that when going France to Spain in my G-reg, I clear in and out via customs fields.
Hiring a car one day (due to the weather), however, there were no border controls whatsoever!
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Your French customs friends were simply acting in contravention of EU law. This is not unusual in France.
The Freedom of movement between Schengen countries is not contained within the SIA documents as such since the actual legislation is not aviation-specific.
French Customs officers have the right to search any flight, regardless of whether or not it is involved in a cross-border flight - they may not insist that a intra-Schengen flight lands at a specific airport.
2D
The Freedom of movement between Schengen countries is not contained within the SIA documents as such since the actual legislation is not aviation-specific.
French Customs officers have the right to search any flight, regardless of whether or not it is involved in a cross-border flight - they may not insist that a intra-Schengen flight lands at a specific airport.
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The Rules concerned originate in the Schengen Treaty of June 14th 1985 which are incorporated into the Law of all signatory states.
Generally, the Treaty permits the residents of implementing countries to travel between Schegen countries without border checks. This would ordinarily exclude Brits, however, Schengen is also extended to cover those who by way of visa or other rights have the freedom to reside within a Schengen country. A UK Citizen, therefore, once within a Schengen country, has the same rights to move freely between Schengen countries without border checks.
2D
Generally, the Treaty permits the residents of implementing countries to travel between Schegen countries without border checks. This would ordinarily exclude Brits, however, Schengen is also extended to cover those who by way of visa or other rights have the freedom to reside within a Schengen country. A UK Citizen, therefore, once within a Schengen country, has the same rights to move freely between Schengen countries without border checks.
2D
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Thats what is great about this forum, you learn something new every time, Oh well it was worth visiting Cannes again for the low level route past Monaco, Nice etc even though I didnt need to.
Some pictures to follow.
Some pictures to follow.
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2D Thanks for that...a search through the EU Law Site found lots relating to the law...but not the law itself!
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2D, this is really a very important point, i.e. whether intra-Schengenland flights must land at customs airports. I have always understood that this is not the case, as you confirm.
However as reported above this could become a matter of controversy with local officials.
The solution would be to carry in the aircraft some quotation from the relevant legislation to present as evidence in such circumstances.
If 2D or someone could post here a link or suchlike to the relevant chapter and verse, this would be a service to all ppruners!
Incidentally I have come across an alleged exception to the general principle for intra-Schengenland flights, Denmark apparently requires flights to (say) Germany to depart from regulated airfields. Maybe someone can confirm this.
However as reported above this could become a matter of controversy with local officials.
The solution would be to carry in the aircraft some quotation from the relevant legislation to present as evidence in such circumstances.
If 2D or someone could post here a link or suchlike to the relevant chapter and verse, this would be a service to all ppruners!
Incidentally I have come across an alleged exception to the general principle for intra-Schengenland flights, Denmark apparently requires flights to (say) Germany to depart from regulated airfields. Maybe someone can confirm this.