Sweden/Malmo
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If you're looking at around 2ish hours, I can recommend Hilversum (near Amsterdam) - wonderful airfield, really nice people too. I think it was around 2h last time I went there and you can also clear customs. Then Northern Germany has a load of airfields dotted everywhere, I have been told that it would be difficult to go wrong there, although I have no experience landing there. Denmark was very welcoming despite being large airports, not at all like Biggin!
I hope you have an amazing trip!
Alex90
With little personal experience, here's my 0,02 €:
* France is first choice for clearing immigration, LFAT and LFAC most indicated as they see many Brits - most of them on a hamburger run but still
* Some Belgian fields are EBKT Kortrijk and EBOS Oostende, they are more expensive, especially EBOS
* I would not recommend Dutch fields, they are even more expensive. That is not their own fault, they are subject to many legal obligations. If you must, consider EHMZ Midden-Zeeland or EHTX Texel but I'm not sure the last one has customs.
* Fly high enough - FL50 or higher over Belgium will get you into controlled airspace. Especially recommended Mo-Fri when some of the military airspace may go active.
* Agree about Northern Germany, plenty of nice little grass fields, inexpensive, often a good restaurant too.
* France is first choice for clearing immigration, LFAT and LFAC most indicated as they see many Brits - most of them on a hamburger run but still
* Some Belgian fields are EBKT Kortrijk and EBOS Oostende, they are more expensive, especially EBOS
* I would not recommend Dutch fields, they are even more expensive. That is not their own fault, they are subject to many legal obligations. If you must, consider EHMZ Midden-Zeeland or EHTX Texel but I'm not sure the last one has customs.
* Fly high enough - FL50 or higher over Belgium will get you into controlled airspace. Especially recommended Mo-Fri when some of the military airspace may go active.
* Agree about Northern Germany, plenty of nice little grass fields, inexpensive, often a good restaurant too.
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The fact that Le Touquet / Calais is only 40-45ish minutes from Biggin at 140kts (average day), means that it if the aim is to go to Sweden in 1 or 2 days, its a bit of a counter-intuitive place to have to stop, hence why I recommended Hilversum. I know that Lelystad and Rotterdam are a bit more expensive, but only marginally more than a single landing at Biggin.
Could do, Biggin - Hilversum (1h45 +taxi) - Leubeck (1h45h +taxi) - Malmo (1h +taxi) ish... For instance - but it really depends what your aim is - if its the trip there and back, sleeping under a wing, there are MANY detours that you could do!!
Let us know what you've planned - and keep us posted! :-)
Hm, fair enough, @alex90!
I have some diffculty with
- last time I landed in Calais I paid 4,30 € which is (for me at least) QUITE off the 20 quid you cited for Hilversum - but must admit that was for my 3-axis microlight. I do believe however that fuel will also be less expensive in France - again without having any hard figures at hand right now.
You are quite right though, that LFAC and LFAT are a bit too close to his starting point. Also I hadn't taken into account the rather high rates of UK aerodromes - T/S might well find them quite bearable in Holland. To each their own! Myself consider any landing fee over 7 € (give or take) excessive, but that is a very personal point of view of course.
Kind regards!
PS I strained myself but cannot keep from pointing out the apparently general issue the Brits have with spelling foreign proper nouns - your "Leubeck" is surely meant for "Luebeck" or - if you have the proper keyboard control - "Lübeck"?
I have some diffculty with
not far off Hilversum prices.
You are quite right though, that LFAC and LFAT are a bit too close to his starting point. Also I hadn't taken into account the rather high rates of UK aerodromes - T/S might well find them quite bearable in Holland. To each their own! Myself consider any landing fee over 7 € (give or take) excessive, but that is a very personal point of view of course.
Kind regards!
PS I strained myself but cannot keep from pointing out the apparently general issue the Brits have with spelling foreign proper nouns - your "Leubeck" is surely meant for "Luebeck" or - if you have the proper keyboard control - "Lübeck"?
Depending on which type you're flying, Hilversum can be a bit tight as the longest runway is 700m and grass. Both Midden-Zeeland and Texel have longer runways (at 1000m and 1100m) with good solid foundations under the grass top layer. That can make a big difference if you're loaded up with fuel and the weather is on the rainy side. Hilversum sometimes has to close when the weather has been too wet for a while. Customs is available at all three airfields, but you may have to give them some prior notice of your arrival.
I would recommend Texel, as it's a friendly place with a very smooth long runway but if you're thinking of just passing through, Hilversum or Lelystad is perhaps more conveniently located. You could have a look at Teuge as well. Texel has a large restricted area right next door overhead the tip of the next island. If that's active you may have to do a bit of a detour to fly around it, but Texel airport will be able to advise on that.
I would recommend Texel, as it's a friendly place with a very smooth long runway but if you're thinking of just passing through, Hilversum or Lelystad is perhaps more conveniently located. You could have a look at Teuge as well. Texel has a large restricted area right next door overhead the tip of the next island. If that's active you may have to do a bit of a detour to fly around it, but Texel airport will be able to advise on that.
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@JanOlieslagers - sorry about the spelling, my chart spells it this way, as does their own website's domain name, it has an E in it, and not the Ü. I am sure you are correct about its correct native spelling, perhaps they are aware that foreign people don't know how to spell it?
I wish I could pay £5 per landing! That'd be the dream, but to give you a frame of reference, based on a Turbo Arrow III with MTOW of 2900lbs and noise certificate at 71db - I paid €30 to land at Le Touquet, €15 to land at Calais. I also paid around £36 per landing at Biggin (I hear they also introduced border force charge for GA at £7 per pax, but I haven't been affected yet...). So paying €50 at Lelystad / Rotterdam might not be completely out of "normal" fees.
Jhieminga makes a good point regarding the length of the runway and the surface too. I personally have no issues landing on a short grass field in the plane that I fly, there are some tall trees around Hilversum which may make it a no-go at MTOW on a hot and calm day, but depends on the particular plane that you fly, performance charts, how heavy you are, and how comfortable you are with "shorter (than Biggin)" grass runways. Texel is very nice, although I have never been to Midden-Zeeland I have heard nothing but good about it!
I wish I could pay £5 per landing! That'd be the dream, but to give you a frame of reference, based on a Turbo Arrow III with MTOW of 2900lbs and noise certificate at 71db - I paid €30 to land at Le Touquet, €15 to land at Calais. I also paid around £36 per landing at Biggin (I hear they also introduced border force charge for GA at £7 per pax, but I haven't been affected yet...). So paying €50 at Lelystad / Rotterdam might not be completely out of "normal" fees.
Jhieminga makes a good point regarding the length of the runway and the surface too. I personally have no issues landing on a short grass field in the plane that I fly, there are some tall trees around Hilversum which may make it a no-go at MTOW on a hot and calm day, but depends on the particular plane that you fly, performance charts, how heavy you are, and how comfortable you are with "shorter (than Biggin)" grass runways. Texel is very nice, although I have never been to Midden-Zeeland I have heard nothing but good about it!
[[ apologies for thread drift ]]
Alex, allow me to recommend EBKH Keiheuvel, then - 1100m grass runway and a great restaurant, and indeed 5€ fee. Same applies for my homefield EBZH Kiewit only the runway is only 600 metres.
(( "Luebeck" is correct enough but "Leubeck" is not at all. In fact German allows the use of the alternative ue instead of ü - and likewise, oe for ö etc - because they realise these characters are not available in all fonts nor on all keyboards. To my regret German seems to have officially abandoned the similar ß, now using only the old alternative ss. How uniformly grey the world is becoming!
))
Alex, allow me to recommend EBKH Keiheuvel, then - 1100m grass runway and a great restaurant, and indeed 5€ fee. Same applies for my homefield EBZH Kiewit only the runway is only 600 metres.
(( "Luebeck" is correct enough but "Leubeck" is not at all. In fact German allows the use of the alternative ue instead of ü - and likewise, oe for ö etc - because they realise these characters are not available in all fonts nor on all keyboards. To my regret German seems to have officially abandoned the similar ß, now using only the old alternative ss. How uniformly grey the world is becoming!
))
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I would also not recommend Hilversum EHHV unless you're very familiar with the place, or are willing to spend some time studying their circuit diagrams. Between the three ~700m grass runways they have, the trees surrounding the airfield, the gliders in the opposite circuit, and altitude restrictions due to the proximity of Schiphol, it requires strict adherence to the circuit procedures and very good situational awareness.
If you're just passing through and all you need is to stretch your legs and refuel, Midden-Zeeland EHMZ would be a much better choice. (Texel would be a good one too but it's a bit out of the way considering your route, and the EHR4 areas close by.)
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Go Direct
I was thinking that Biggin to Malmo should be well within the range of a PA28R providing you buy one of those bottles that Transair sell.
The bottle is probably cheaper than a landing at LFAT and you can re-use the bottle !
The bottle is probably cheaper than a landing at LFAT and you can re-use the bottle !
