Flight to Sudan - Critique my plan!
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Flight to Sudan - Critique my plan!
Well, I have flown from Rotterdam to Tunisia before, but this is a whole new level. I'd appreciate any comments people have on the plans I've made; I've already incorporated quite a lot of advice from several notable aviation experts on here 
Weekend 1: Ferry aircraft from UK to Antwerp. No mode S means no Holland for me!
Day 1 (Thurs): Antwerp to Sens to Cannes
Day 2 (Fri): Cannes to Scalea, Italy
Day 3 (Sat): Day off!
Day 4 (Sun): Scalea to Sitia, Crete
Day 5 (Mon): Day off!
Day 6 (Tues): Sitia to Luxor
Day 7 (Weds): Day off!
Day 8 (Thurs): Day off!
Day 9 (Fri): Luxor to Wadi Halfa, and return to Luxor
Day 10 (Sat): Day off!
Day 11 (Sun): Luxor to Sitia
Day 12 (Mon): Day off!
Day 13 (Tues): Sitia to Dubrovnic
Day 14 (Wed): Day off!
Day 15 (Thurs): Dubrovnic to Salzburg
Day 16 (Fri): Day off!
Day 17 (Sat): Salzburg to Antwerp (Drop off my passenger who has no UK Visa) to UK.
I have clearances sorted for Egypt and Sudan. I have the visa situation sorted. I'm pretty certain there is Avgas everywhere I need it (including Luxor). I have agents to help out at Luxor and Wadi. I'll have PLB, life raft, vests, immersion suits. I've located convenient hotels. I have VFR, or where not available IFR, charts. I'll have my white shirt and gold bars, on the advice of our Sudan agent! I'll be carefully checking Sitia's opening hours!
So...what have I forgotten?
I'd be interested in intermediate stops along my Cannes - Scalea and Scalea to Sitia routes. (Also some of the long return legs such as Sitia to Dubrovnic). Can anyone recommend nice places to land and lunch, and stretch legs? They don't need to have fuel, just to be easy to visit!
Weekend 1: Ferry aircraft from UK to Antwerp. No mode S means no Holland for me!
Day 1 (Thurs): Antwerp to Sens to Cannes
Day 2 (Fri): Cannes to Scalea, Italy
Day 3 (Sat): Day off!
Day 4 (Sun): Scalea to Sitia, Crete
Day 5 (Mon): Day off!
Day 6 (Tues): Sitia to Luxor
Day 7 (Weds): Day off!
Day 8 (Thurs): Day off!
Day 9 (Fri): Luxor to Wadi Halfa, and return to Luxor
Day 10 (Sat): Day off!
Day 11 (Sun): Luxor to Sitia
Day 12 (Mon): Day off!
Day 13 (Tues): Sitia to Dubrovnic
Day 14 (Wed): Day off!
Day 15 (Thurs): Dubrovnic to Salzburg
Day 16 (Fri): Day off!
Day 17 (Sat): Salzburg to Antwerp (Drop off my passenger who has no UK Visa) to UK.
I have clearances sorted for Egypt and Sudan. I have the visa situation sorted. I'm pretty certain there is Avgas everywhere I need it (including Luxor). I have agents to help out at Luxor and Wadi. I'll have PLB, life raft, vests, immersion suits. I've located convenient hotels. I have VFR, or where not available IFR, charts. I'll have my white shirt and gold bars, on the advice of our Sudan agent! I'll be carefully checking Sitia's opening hours!
So...what have I forgotten?
I'd be interested in intermediate stops along my Cannes - Scalea and Scalea to Sitia routes. (Also some of the long return legs such as Sitia to Dubrovnic). Can anyone recommend nice places to land and lunch, and stretch legs? They don't need to have fuel, just to be easy to visit!
Last edited by Katamarino; 30th Apr 2011 at 09:47.
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I don't like the "days off".
Real pilots don't have days off.
Otherwise I can't see a problem
Just make sure the wheel nuts are nice and tight when you park in Egypt. It's probably actually even worse than Liverpool
I take it you carry a satphone. There is quite a long piece of nothing between Sitia and Luxor.
Sitia has specific and on some days very narrow opening hours, so check it out. Mr Dimitris is very helpful and replies to emails
Real pilots don't have days off.
Otherwise I can't see a problem
Just make sure the wheel nuts are nice and tight when you park in Egypt. It's probably actually even worse than Liverpool
I take it you carry a satphone. There is quite a long piece of nothing between Sitia and Luxor.
Sitia has specific and on some days very narrow opening hours, so check it out. Mr Dimitris is very helpful and replies to emails
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Stop in Albania and then catch the bus 3euro each way to Tirana great city this time of the year or get a taxi from Airport to Durres and eat on the beach normally get some lovely prawns and bread
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No mode S means no Holland for me!
And if you call Rotterdam Tower in advance, you can probably even get into Rotterdam to visit the club. I'd love to see the aircraft and wish you luck.
(Can't give you any advice beyond Antwerp though.)
Thread Starter
Technically not entirely true. You are confined to uncontrolled airspace below 1200' though.
And if you call Rotterdam Tower in advance, you can probably even get into Rotterdam to visit the club. I'd love to see the aircraft and wish you luck.
And if you call Rotterdam Tower in advance, you can probably even get into Rotterdam to visit the club. I'd love to see the aircraft and wish you luck.
I suppose I could have another look into it...it would save some train trips.
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Given your departure airfield you could route DVR-KOKSY-COA-EHRD or DVR-COA-EHRD and not fly that many extra miles compared to DCT. Either of those routes would leave you clear of the North Sea Area.
But on the scale of this trip it would be a very minor issue indeed.
But on the scale of this trip it would be a very minor issue indeed.
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If you do, and if they agree, don't forget to give the club a call as well so that they can do your handing. And let me know so that I can stop by and wish you a good trip.
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Strange route; but I suppose it's not so much a ferry as a jolly :-)
I echo the "days off" sentiments and suggest that the weather should be the driving factor. At least your plan has some slack to allow for that.
Your equipment list should include a battery-powered GPS (with local database) and a handheld radio as well as the satphone suggested. Make sure you have a very large pack of the appropriate batteries for all three! And don't forget the medicinal brandy in the first aid kit.
I echo the "days off" sentiments and suggest that the weather should be the driving factor. At least your plan has some slack to allow for that.
Your equipment list should include a battery-powered GPS (with local database) and a handheld radio as well as the satphone suggested. Make sure you have a very large pack of the appropriate batteries for all three! And don't forget the medicinal brandy in the first aid kit.
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I have flown from the Alps to Dharfor twice, but my aircraft couldn't go more than 320 nm in a single hop, so I needed a few more stops. What are you flying in (More specifically how far can you go between refuels, AVGAS won't be that easy to find as you get to some of you remoter destinations!
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Backpacker, good call. I sweet-talked ATC, who only normally allow you in without Mode S if you need maintenance, and they have allowed us in to Rotterdam. Should be there from May 29th until early on June 2nd
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It still amazes me that you can get all the way from the UK to Sudan with just mode-C, and the only place where you need to sweet-talk ATC into letting you in/through is Holland...
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Mode S is a northern european hobby, basically. The USA is gradually dropping it, and the rest of the world is not interested in it. It's another "will be great tomorrow; look at the super clever things we can do with it" technology.
Aviation has a fair few things like that. PRNAV is another boat which left the port about 10 years ago.
Mode C is what you need.
Aviation has a fair few things like that. PRNAV is another boat which left the port about 10 years ago.
Mode C is what you need.
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I guess that the evening of June 1st would be a good one for show-and-tell at the club, and maybe a spot of dinner if you're around, Backpacker 
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katamarino,
I am not in a position to critique your plan, but I wish you the very best for your trip. It is along the lines of what i hope to do in the not too distant future and look forward to reading about how you got on
Can I ask, with your immersion suits, do you intend to wear these as you fly?, have them half on, half off?
Best of luck,
Nick
I am not in a position to critique your plan, but I wish you the very best for your trip. It is along the lines of what i hope to do in the not too distant future and look forward to reading about how you got on
Can I ask, with your immersion suits, do you intend to wear these as you fly?, have them half on, half off?
Best of luck,
Nick