Greek Islands Flying
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Beckenham UK
Age: 70
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More Greek Flying
We completed a tour in September in a Grumman AA5B Tiger, arriving at Thessalonica from Belgrade then going Lesvos, Skyros, Ikaros and Corfu before flying on to Losinj in Croatia.Kyprianos of Greek AOPA was as ever a fount of knowldege and help.
We arrived with a shakey start, Thessalonica having failed to clock that we were on an IFR not VFR flight plan. At the time we were about to begin letting down in the mountains with internittent VMC! Having sorted out that, other confusion reigned with last minute swops of runway (we weren't the only ones, the big boys were wondering what was going on too). Eventually got down frtom a VOR approach and circle to land. We had followed advice and asked for Olympus handling but got Swissport who cahrged us a wacking 153 euro weekend handling charge and Avgas at 2.60E a litre! That was our last bad experience in Greece thereafter we had to argue but were succesful in getting the reduced fees applying to club aircraft (ours is group owned).
Lesvos was fine. Strong turbulence off the mountains and landed in whacking crosswind. Greeted by very attractive female 'follow me' driver struggling with holding down rather inappropriate skirt in billowing wind. She told me on the basis of I know not what that it was 'too dangerous to fly today'. I wanted to tell her it was 'too dangerous to wear a skirt today' but I am too much of a gentleman.Lovely island.
As per Kyprianos' advice we had applied for permission to land at the military Skyros a week in advance., but notwithstanding, the necessary authorisation did not arrive. We were bailed out by the airport director at Lesvos who very kindly sorted things out on the phone within a couple of hours. Skyros was also hassle free. An unspolit inexpensive non-touristy island. Really loved it. Have good accommodation recommendation if needed.
Plan was then to go to Corfu via Ikaros for fuel (on the mainland North of Athens). Gem of an airport. Lovely 1000 metres approx concrete runway. Nice club house, helpful caretaker but no internet access for briefing.Unfortunately heavy storms appeared south of Corfu (the first rain for 3 months there apparently) so we had to overnight which meant a 60 Kilometre taxi ride to the nearest metropolis.
Trip to Corfu. We went lowish VFR to avoid the possibility of CBs still around resulting in problematic radio contact at times. Would recommend IFR across the mountains as easier and shorter. Corfu well used to handling light aircraft. All in all a great experience.
Steve
We arrived with a shakey start, Thessalonica having failed to clock that we were on an IFR not VFR flight plan. At the time we were about to begin letting down in the mountains with internittent VMC! Having sorted out that, other confusion reigned with last minute swops of runway (we weren't the only ones, the big boys were wondering what was going on too). Eventually got down frtom a VOR approach and circle to land. We had followed advice and asked for Olympus handling but got Swissport who cahrged us a wacking 153 euro weekend handling charge and Avgas at 2.60E a litre! That was our last bad experience in Greece thereafter we had to argue but were succesful in getting the reduced fees applying to club aircraft (ours is group owned).
Lesvos was fine. Strong turbulence off the mountains and landed in whacking crosswind. Greeted by very attractive female 'follow me' driver struggling with holding down rather inappropriate skirt in billowing wind. She told me on the basis of I know not what that it was 'too dangerous to fly today'. I wanted to tell her it was 'too dangerous to wear a skirt today' but I am too much of a gentleman.Lovely island.
As per Kyprianos' advice we had applied for permission to land at the military Skyros a week in advance., but notwithstanding, the necessary authorisation did not arrive. We were bailed out by the airport director at Lesvos who very kindly sorted things out on the phone within a couple of hours. Skyros was also hassle free. An unspolit inexpensive non-touristy island. Really loved it. Have good accommodation recommendation if needed.
Plan was then to go to Corfu via Ikaros for fuel (on the mainland North of Athens). Gem of an airport. Lovely 1000 metres approx concrete runway. Nice club house, helpful caretaker but no internet access for briefing.Unfortunately heavy storms appeared south of Corfu (the first rain for 3 months there apparently) so we had to overnight which meant a 60 Kilometre taxi ride to the nearest metropolis.
Trip to Corfu. We went lowish VFR to avoid the possibility of CBs still around resulting in problematic radio contact at times. Would recommend IFR across the mountains as easier and shorter. Corfu well used to handling light aircraft. All in all a great experience.
Steve
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Athens, Greece
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Kithira
As of yesterday that we got the first (for our standards 
) real autumn weather in Greece, here's a recent write up by Peter on this summer's trip of his to Greece worth reading while it rains cats and dogs outside.
Trip to Kithira - September 2011
) real autumn weather in Greece, here's a recent write up by Peter on this summer's trip of his to Greece worth reading while it rains cats and dogs outside.Trip to Kithira - September 2011
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Bonn
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Experiences in Greece July 2011
We came with 3 Grummans from Ukraine and Istanbull to cross Greece direction Croatia and Germany. Before you go to Greece ckeck 1. Availability of AVGAS and parking space. 2. NOTAM. No VFR charts. Have the IFR low altitude chart and Jeppesen trip kit. Kyprianos: In July there was NO AVGAS in Mikonos! Tower told us, AVGAS is not expected this year anymore. We landed in Samos. Good operation but parking space very limited. MEGARA very fine. For refueling (and leave) only no landing request necessary. Corfu okay, we had however long waiting times. Unfriendly not service minded bevaviour of the Athens TMA on the VFR routings. Very friendly people on the ground. Allover - nothing at all against flying in Greece. Just do it and be burocratically more prepared than in the rest of the EU. Each aircraft will help the country a bit more to recover. If you are in AOPA, ground stay is much cheaper. Full report (German) in Pilot und Flugzeug Airwork Press GmbH | Pilot und Flugzeug | Webstore.
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: EuroGA.org
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Because Greece does not have an online AIP, and because nobody reads the printed one they sell (except certain handling agents, and ATC personnel, who then give you duff info out of it 
) the principal fountain of information on what really goes on are the Notams.
I can't say what LGMK notamed when you went there but today the notams include this
FUEL 100LL NOT AVAILABLE.
In the Notams you also get gems like this
AERODROME HOURS OF SERVICE AS FOLLOWS: FROM 20/09/2011 TILL 29/10/2011 A.FM 20/09 TILL 27/09 EVERY DAY 0300-1715 B.FM 28/09 TILL 12/10 EVERY DAY 0545-1715 C.FM 13/10 TILL 29/10 EVERY DAY 0545-0915 1345-1715 NOTES: 1.ON 20/09 TUE 0300-2030 2.ON 25/09 SUN 0300-2030.
But better always to phone ahead. Greek airport staff tends to speak reasonable English - unlike Italy, Spain or even France.
Greece will never be a Switzerland or Germany (just as well) but my feeling is that it is improving on the airport services front.
) the principal fountain of information on what really goes on are the Notams.I can't say what LGMK notamed when you went there but today the notams include this
FUEL 100LL NOT AVAILABLE.
In the Notams you also get gems like this
AERODROME HOURS OF SERVICE AS FOLLOWS: FROM 20/09/2011 TILL 29/10/2011 A.FM 20/09 TILL 27/09 EVERY DAY 0300-1715 B.FM 28/09 TILL 12/10 EVERY DAY 0545-1715 C.FM 13/10 TILL 29/10 EVERY DAY 0545-0915 1345-1715 NOTES: 1.ON 20/09 TUE 0300-2030 2.ON 25/09 SUN 0300-2030.
But better always to phone ahead. Greek airport staff tends to speak reasonable English - unlike Italy, Spain or even France.
Greece will never be a Switzerland or Germany (just as well) but my feeling is that it is improving on the airport services front.
