Plzen/Line (LKLN)

[akg1486]

Plzen is an historic city in the southwest of the Czech Republic. It's main contribution to the world may well be the invention of the beer type named for the city: pilsner. The airfield, 20 minutes and 20 EUR from the city, was until recently military and home to MIG 21s, but now it is civilian. It used to have a CTR but is now AFIS. No PPR is needed if landing during opening hours. According to the guy in the tower, ATC is now civilian and the company who runs it wants to buy and exploit the field more. As it is, you'll perhaps find it a bleak place but with a warm welcome. Landing fee and one night parking in a hangar cost 38 EUR for a C172 or PA28. Cash is preferred. 100LL is also available, but since our C172 has a diesel engine we could not refuel.

Plzen is a city worth visiting for a day or two. Food and drink are good and cheap; a half liter of beer is around one pound. The medieval city center features many interesting buildings, and the Pilsner Urquell brewery has a tour well worth taking.

The Czech AIP is found at http://lis.rlp.cz/ais_data/www_main_con ... en_aip.htm. You'll find LKLN under AD 4.