Trip along the coast of Croatia

[dppintr2]

A trip along the coast of Croatia in a Piper Archer

Trogir

Look here for a trip report with pictures

Click here for my previous PoA trip report to Münster in Germany

 

[AdamZ]

Sounds like a great trip. Thanks for posting. Another POAer "PeterH" from England posted a great write up on his trip to Croatia from England. You might want to take a look at it as well.

 

[Flyhound]

Fabulous! I traveled from Ljubljana, Slovenia to Cavtat, Croatia by car and have plans to charter a sailboat along the coast of Croatia, but seeing it from the air was a real treat. Thanks for sharing your adventure. That is a pretty magical part of the world!

 

[skynewbie]

Awesome! I'd love to rent a plane and fly around Croatia and sail as well. Any FBO there?

 

[Henning]

A US-kind of FBO does not exist in Europe. It is difficult to find places to rent planes from outside flying clubs, where one has to be a member, or from flight schools. The UK CAA has a clear website including licensing requirements; these are standardized throughout Europe.

I have managed to rent from several clubs throughout Europe with a "temporary membership" and a checkout flight. Some even have N- tail airplanes which require no government paperwork, (one of the advantages to our easy to keep instrument rating is that there are N-tail planes all over the world to rent). In Germany the conversion process to fly a D-tail was show up at the airport with my license and medical, the dude ran my stuff into town and 15 minutes later came back with my PP-Day VFR license good for a year.

None of it is difficult anywhere in the world I've been (except in Indonesia where there is no GA, and still I managed to get in the Military Flying Club since the yacht next to me was owned by an Indonesian General.), it's just bloody expensive.

 

[mtuomi]

Not entirely true. The standards are NOT the same across Europe yet, thanks to the EASA Part-FCL and countries who have derogated the regulation, currently until April 2015. Most countries still use their old local regulations about flight crew licensing.
UK does not require any validation at the moment, Finland neither. Unsure about Croatia, you first need to check whether they have applied to derogate from the Part-FCL, and if they have, read the old national rules.

Croatia is a very nice country for GA. I flew a Saratoga from the UK to Pula last summer (via Ibiza, Sardinia etc), and really liked it.

 

[mtuomi]

Well, most European nations grant a JAR-FCL. The license fits a common criteria such that it is honored in all member states. With the license, I myself have flown Dutch, German, French, British, Spanish, Greek and Italian registered planes.
See also http://www.jaa.nl/licensing/licensing_overview.html valid until gradually replaced by EASA

True, I was talking about using an ICAO PPL(such as FAA) within Europe, where the rules are not uniform yet before Part-FCL finally comes to force.

 

[Henning]

Good to hear. User skynewbie will appreciate your help

It's usually a matter of setting down your license, medical, and Visa card on their desk. With those three items you will normally go flying.

 

[mtuomi]

And for longer trips, I can recommend a place in the UK that has two nice Saratogas for rent with very low experience requirements and no daily minimums...
(But the price will make you scream if you aren't used to European GA pricing)

 

[Henning]

And for longer trips, I can recommend a place in the UK that has two nice Saratogas for rent with very low experience requirements and no daily minimums...
(But the price will make you scream if you aren't used to European GA pricing)

I'd be interested to adding it to my list of places for 'just in case'.

 

[mtuomi]

Modern Air, based in Fowlmere, not far from Cambridge. Very nice planes, Derick, the guy who owns the place is great, and the strip is in very good condition.
They now have two Saratogas, website only lists one. I had that for a month last summer, and will do another trip next summer.

But again, prices are very European (although need to remember they only charge for airborne time, no Hobbs ripoffs).

 

[Henning]

Modern Air, based in Fowlmere, not far from Cambridge. Very nice planes, Derick, the guy who owns the place is great, and the strip is in very good condition.
They now have two Saratogas, website only lists one. I had that for a month last summer, and will do another trip next summer.

But again, prices are very European (although need to remember they only charge for airborne time, no Hobbs ripoffs).

Yeah, I'm familiar with the prices outside the US, if you want to fly, just don't think about it. Australia was much the same but it provided an interesting benefit, almost every airplane on the airfield is for rent. I even had access to a Navajo if I had need for one.

 

[mtuomi]

Yeah, I'm familiar with the prices outside the US, if you want to fly, just don't think about it. Australia was much the same but it provided an interesting benefit, almost every airplane on the airfield is for rent. I even had access to a Navajo if I had need for one.

I've been to Australia a couple of times and every time I think "damn, I really want to fly here". Happy to hear any suggestions (especially if they involve Cairns and the GBR...)

 

[AdamZ]

Rene, I have to tell you that you have combined my two favorite passions, Flying and Sailing. My goal is to be able to fly My plane to My Sailboat. Of course I need to buy the plane first and get a sailboat. I've owned a few boat but they were smaller and nothing to over night on.

Curious as to what the rental fees were for the sailboats in Croatia, did you bare boat or get a captain. How large a boat?

 

[Henning]

I've been to Australia a couple of times and every time I think "damn, I really want to fly here". Happy to hear any suggestions (especially if they involve Cairns and the GBR...)

I flew mostly out of Victoria when I lived in Melbourne. Lilydale in the NE suburbs was a good field with an FBO and a variety of private planes for rent including an A-36 Bonanza I used to use. Moorabin had a bunch of planes as well including a Lance I would use.

The only flying I did out of Cairnes was in the Beaver with Cairnes Seaplane, paying for the time.

 

[Henning]

Adam, the boat was owned by the friend I made the trip with. He has got his boat at the Biograd Marina in Croatia. It was 36'. I do not know the rental cost for these boats. A search on the internet (rental boat biograd) provides some figures.

You should manage to find something in the 36-42' range for €2500-€3200 a week bareboat price.

 

[Henning]

Including cleaning and in the high season (July/August) prices indeed go well over EUR 2000 p/w. In april it is half that money.

True, always better deals in the flanks of the season if you're willing to freeze your ass off. Even July and August last year weren't particularly warm.