Travelling VFR in Europe has always been fairly easy in my limited
experience. However, I do wonder if my travels have been that way because
the local authorities didn't know I was there. With the introduction of
Mode 'S', area radars can now easily obtain your registration - that means
that we are more easily identified for aircraft type. Not being
particularly brave, I choose to cross the channel from Kent, usually to Le
Touquet or Ostende. The LAA has a document on line - 'TRAVELLING ABROAD IN
A PERMIT AIRCRAFT' - this covers a lot of the information required.
Unfortunately, the date on the document is 2005, is there a later version
available.
While, I know that France, Germany and the Netherlands are fairly permit
aircraft friendly, does Belgium continue to require an application with fee
to transit Belgian airspace. I recall that some of the Europa Club members
had a bit of a battle with Italian bureaucracy a couple of years back.
Perhaps an area of the Europa Club web-site could be dedicated to the rules,
regulations and pilots experiences - I for one would find such a site very
useful.
What do you guys on the Europa Club Committee think.
Regards,
Mike Parkin
G_JULZ soon to be flying again.
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