What are you planning? Where shall we go?
User avatar
By GrahamB
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1907110
Iceman wrote:We’ll be routing via Jersey in order to pick up @derekf. I’ve hired a car at Friedrichshafen airport for travelling between Meersburg and Friedrichshafen.

Iceman 8)

Oh good. /cheeky. :clown:
User avatar
By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1907431
What a sh@t experience that was. After two hours of trying from 0500 today, continuously timing out, the slot booking system eventually let me in and I got an IFR arrival slot for 1340 - 1400 UTC at EDNY on Thursday 28th.

Going back to bed now :twisted:.

Iceman 8)
#1908122
Well, I got really lucky, and despite struggling and failing to complete the bookings this morning, I got a call and email today that my choices are confirmed.
1st time at Expo so looking forward to it.
Happy to buy some beers if I manage to see anyone of you there. :thumright:
Flyin'Dutch' liked this
#1908148
Flyin'Dutch' wrote:
> Konstanz is fine but onward travel? Not having wheels is a pain.


Konstanz worked really well for us last time.

The gentleman in the airfield tower had a taxi there to take is to the harbour us by the time we had paid the landing fee. At the harbour there was just time for a quick beer before the catermaran whisked us across the lake to Freidrischafen and then a short walk from the ferry terminal to the hotel. Once in town we used the ( very frequent) courtesy busses to get to/from Aero the next day.
By Lefty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1909183
We have a group of 5 going from White Waltham arriving Wednesday afternoon - Thursday at the show and departing after lunch on Friday.

Do we have a meeting point in the show? I don’t think Bossman / Flyer has a stand, so where shall we meet ?

Nb we had booked a hotel 18km away in Hagnau, but at the weekend some rooms became free at the IBIS at the airport - maximum convenience.
By Lefty
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1909632
Got back last night - 3Hr55 from Friedrichshafen to White Waltham.

Great show - but it was abundantly clear that no one is designing aircraft for us lardy types. Looks like 90% of the new aircraft are designed for the 600Kg market which means pilot and pax of less than about 70 Kg each. I can go on a diet - but I think loosing 20Kg is a big ask.

Its only been three years - but I was surprised how much I had forgotten about the processes for departing Friedrichshafen. eg how to get through security and into the departure lounge (B6).
They had one new piece of procedure. A security guy had to accompany us on the bus to our aircraft - then inspect / search the interior and then observe us until we had started and taxied off parking. In broken English he explained that it was necessary because we were non Schengen and more than two POB, saying that if there were only two - he wouldn't need to watch us. Strange?

We thought our luck was in when, about 10 minutes after takeoff, Alps Control cleared us direct to KOK (Koksy) - a direct track clearance of 320nm - and by far the longest I have personally ever received in Europe - and cutting about 90 nm off our journey. However Luxembourg Control seemed to have been left out of the loop because when we were transferred to them - they asked - who are you, what is your aircraft type and routing - then after a couple of minutes of confused conversation, gave us a 90 degree right turn that re-routed us north - almost back onto our original flight planned route.

NB my current longest DCT clearance was 398 nm - CYYR (Goose Bay) - YBC (VOR) on the St Lawrence Seaway in Canada.
User avatar
By Iceman
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1909824
Sorry to miss you @Flyin'Dutch'. It was a busy few days, indeed. A 1.5 hour slot delay on departure from Jersey, but perfect blue skies the whole way on Thursday. A great meal for 7 in Meersburg on Thursday night. Show all day on Friday and most of Saturday. Meal by the lakeside, Friedrichshafen on Friday night. 45 minute slot delay on the Saturday which meant it was tight for getting back to Jersey by 2130 local, but some good direct shortcuts saw us ok, including the last from Paris Control of direct to destination at 165 nm out. Great show with some very interesting new bits, as well as catching up with familiar faces.

Iceman 8)
Flyin'Dutch', Dave W liked this
#1909851
Great to see some of you there.
A large exhibition so worth the journey.
Lucky with the weather in general. The thunderstorm forcast for the saturday departure resulted in an extra day which was +- built into the original plan.
We incorporated it all into a mini vacation anyways, so very happy.
Flyin'Dutch' liked this