Trip to Moscow in a DA40

[tdbristol]

Hi,

I am planning a flight in a DA40-180 from Bristol to Moscow in mid-May, stopping on the way e.g. Berlin/Warsaw, returning ~a week later. (IFR airways.) Routing via Germany, Poland, Belarus i.e. overland rather than a more northerly trip over the Baltic (too long over water for my preference).

Any recommendations would be much appreciated on airports / places to stop on the way / things to watch out for.
(I have seen PeterH/IO540's Templehof trip report; and I have done an airways trip Denmark to Bristol in the DA40.)

Thanks

[david viewing]

There was a requirement to take, and pay for, a Russian navigator. Don't know if it's still the case.

[IO540]

Quite a lot of people have done this. My vague recollections are: no avgas in Moscow, and you need the interpreter if flying VFR in Russian airspace.

Once going east of what we might call civilised Europe, published airport data gets less reliable so one needs to sort out the PPR / avgas situation carefully. I planned a trip to the Ukraine (Odessa) in 2007 and found it OK with a long range plane but extracting info from the airports was like pulling teeth. But completely doable.

I think all these trips are easy flying-wise. It's the planning / logistics that take the time.

[tdbristol]

Thanks for the info gentlemen; much appreciated.

[IanSeager]

I flew to Moscow in 2007 with my C182. The route was UK, Paris, Prague, Vilnius, Moscow, St Petersburg, Tallin, Malmo, Groningen, UK.

I went VFR as far as Vilnius and then IFR until Groningen. There's no need for a Russian nav when IFR, not sure about VFR. The terminology is a little different, and obviously they use metres instead of feet for altitude.

I landed at Zhukovsky during the MAKS show. Avgas was available at €3 or €4/litre, not sure about the other Moscow airports. St Petersburg didn't have Avgas, and weren't hugely interested in GA traffic, they would only accept an arrival after midnight, which made for an interesting flight.

The fees, landing, handling, lights, and all sorts of other bits and pieces came to over $1,000 just for the two Russian airports. They also love their paperwork, and I spent at least seven or eight hours at each getting all of the paperwork sorted. (I also got a bonus day in Vilnius waiting to get in, thanks to more Russian paperwork).

If you want more specifics, drop me a PM or email (or pop over to Bath for a pint)

Ian
PS There was no way that we could get permission to fly over Belarus

[effortless]

Lovely landing strip right by the Kremlin. Krasnaya Ploszit,

[poss]

I recall reading somewhere that the Russians us meters for altitude so if that is so, be careful ;-). Have a good flight!

[Ultranomad]

Altimeter settings in Russia are usually specified as QFE, you have to ask for QNH explicitly (though ATIS at big airports may give both).

[Johnny Redd]

If you're IFR in Russian airspace then you will be on 1013 above Transition Altitude (approx equivalent of 5000 feet from memory) so QFE only comes into effect when below this on take off or landing.

In reality the metres thing is no big deal provided you've got a crib sheet showing altitudes in a feet/metres comparison. Also RT is pretty much the same as Europe i.e "G-**** maintaining flight level 3000 metres". Flight levels seem to be seperated by 300 metres instead of the usual 1000'.

Hope this is of some use.

[Ultranomad]

Johnny Redd, of course, but don't count on transition altitude always being 5000' - there is no hard and fast rule.

[BelArgUSA]

Flying is Russia

Beware if you fly QNH/feet (and convert QFE/metric into QNH/feet)
I have never flown "privately" into Russian airspace.
Most recent flying was 2005, I trained their TransAero 747 crews.
xxx
My experience was airline, since 1970s where we had 3 brains in the cockpit.
And all the operators elected to fly QNE/metric in QNE/metric airspace.
When in Rome, do as the Romans do... We even had a metric altimeter.
Suggest if plane has 2 altimeters, you rent/install a metric as temporary replacement.
xxx
You should (sorry, you MUST) be thoroughly FAMILIAR with QFE procedures.
Know what a TRANSITION HEIGHT is...
Below transition level ("level in meters") you are in "height/meters" (NOT ALTITUDE).
Be aware that Russia uses mB/hPa at international airports to issue QFE.
But might use mm/Hg at small (domestic) airfields. 760mm/Hg = 1013.2 mB.
xxx
Approach control, they are great and will vector you to the localizer..
Be aware they give you an 90º INTERCEPT to the localizer.
However they WILL NOT TURN YOU TO FINAL. Do it yourself.
They will monitor your approach along the ILS.
You will be sent to the salt mines in Siberia if too high/low or too far L/R.
They DONT CLEAR YOU FOR LANDING... it is implied that you intend to land...
xxx
Indeed, if they request your speed (for 100 KTS TAS) answer 180 KPH.
Wind - Know that 1 meter per second = approximately 2 KTS.
Vertical Speed - Know that 1 meter per second = approximately 200 FPM.
xxx
So, you want to do it your way, QNH and feet, go ahead and let me laugh.
And convert your Russian flight experience in a saga of confusions.
I personally cannot convert all that, and handfly an airplane in clouds.
xxx
IFR levels - metric
3900 meters = 12800 feet
3300 meters = 10800 feet
2700 meters = 8900 feet
2100 meters = 6900 feet
1500 meters = 4900 feet
900 meters = 3000 feet
xxx
After landing in Moscow, enjoy a cold beer, Baltika is delicious lager brand.
St. Petersburg is definitely my favorite city... in summer...

Happy contrails

[maxdrypower]

Not sre if Matthias Rust is available , he has firsthand knowledge of the said airstrip by the kremlin

[tdbristol]

Thanks again to all; tips much appreciated.
I am fortunate in that the DA40 has G1000 so can set this altimeter to meters (backup still in feet).
Probably not follow Matthias Rust's example, a few downsides to it.

[maxdrypower]

[rmac]

Isn't there a less complicated trip that you can do for a challenge, like the North Pole or something