Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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By A le Ron
#1191601
Does anyone know of any GA-friendly airfields in southern Sweden, not too far from a town with accommodation, and which accept card payments for AVGAS? I would have liked to go to Vaxjo, but from the web site it does not look GA friendly.
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1191603
Pretty much all airports are GA friendly in Sweden. In fact, you can buy a landing card which gives you inclusive landings at all but a handful of airports in the country. Or at least this used to be the case.

I used to fly out of Bromma, which is Stockholm's City Airport. Apparently, back then, since Bromma was closed overnight, if you returned back after 10pm and couldn't land, you were allowed to go and land at Arlanda (Sweden's equivalent of Heathrow, and, as was touted, Europe's 5th busiest airport), and as long as you got the aeroplane out of there before 7am, you weren't charged any landing or parking fees. I never did it though.

I seem to remember the Kristianstad in the south was one not in the landing card scheme.
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By Ben Twings
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1191604
The NW Scania flying club are based at Höganäs. They have bunk rooms, bikes and unleaded Avgas and are very friendly.

Near the East coast about 30NM N of Copenhagen.
By Intercepted
#1191607
I don't know what website gave you the impression that Växjö is not GA friendly. They have a club and welcome visiting pilots. In Sweden most clubs are run on a voluntary basis and in Växjös case the club house is not always manned. There is a phone number to call and some friendly soul will be there and let you in on arrival. Fully equipped planning room, bedrooms and kitchen for overnight stay at £15/person.

Do a google translate on

http://vaxjoflygklubb.se/besokare.html
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By Talkdownman
#1191625
I have done a lot of flying in Sweden and Norway, 2-ship, 2-up on each, and alternating aircraft and rôles. (Two of our group were 'strip collector' nerds, and there are thousands of strips to be 'had'). On several trips starting and beginning at Skavsta we found nowhere which was GA-unfriendly. We found it astonishingly easy to get about in Sweden, and Norway for that matter, and it was an absolute pleasure to fly there with its long daylight and frequent CAVOK, a wonderful adventure. It was grassroots stuff, a refreshing change from some of the anal hi-viz UK GA mentality. At the time AVGAS was very cheap because its tax was very low (I believe that changed in 2009). I think all of our fuel uplifts were using credit card. Having rambled all that I don't think that I personally got to Växjö.
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By A le Ron
#1191629
Thank you. This is very good indeed. I had not found Vaxjo Flying Club website, only the main airport website, which suggested a large regional airport which does not accept credit cards. The flying club website paints an entirely different picture! We are hoping to make the trip in a couple of weeks time. I very much like the look of Hoganas too, so will probably stop a night there.
By Hairyplane
#1191651
Whilst EKSJO might not be that convenient for you, they have a very nice bunk room with showers, nice long runway, very friendly members and fuel which can be bought for cash. the local town is a bit sleepy but there is a nice, inexpensive hotel there and a couple of reasonable restaurants.
I love flying in Sweden. the scenery is spectacular, especially along the NE coast near Stockholm. The rest is either 'Stage One Ikea' or lakes, plus the occasional farm here and there.
A night on the island of Visingsho, in their lovely clubhouse c/w log burner and BBQ, is fab. It is run by the local aero club. You will need to coordinate with them and get the door code. Waking up in the morning in the middle of a glassy lake, grabbing one of the courtesy bikes and cycling into town is just lovely.
GA seems to be in decline in Sweden, which is a pity. Don't expect to see much traffic.
Expect a warm welcome wherever you go. The Swedes are very friendly.
HP
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By akg1486
#1191668
You could say that there are three kinds of airfields in Sweden:

- National airports, owned and operated by Swedavia (the national, government-owned airport company)
- Regional airports, owned and operated by private companies or the local council
- Airfields, owned and operated by clubs or by small local companies

In terms of number, the latter is by far the most common. They typcially do not charge any landing fees and many also sell fuel. Few are equipped to accept credit cards, though. At national and regional aiports, credit cards are usually accepted, but some only accept carnets.

I would not go so far as to say that national and regional airports in Sweden are unfriendly to GA, but landing fees range from 20 to 50 pounds (approximately). Stockolm/Arlanda is really the only place where you are not welcome: you need to get a slot time, etc. The landing card system that Paul mentions is not as universal as it was five-six years ago: then most national and regional aiports were part of the scheme, now only a few. Växjö left the system in 2007, if memory serves me right. At our club, we have stopped renewing the landing cards now since it no longer gives value for money.

Many clubs, including my own, operate from regional/national airports, and sometimes the local flying club has an agreement with the airport for reduced (or even eliminated) landing fees for visitors to the club. I think Växjö has such an agreement, but one always need to get this information from the club. This topic is one of the most often discussed around the coffee table nowadays: how much does it cost to land at ESxx? Are there any discounts or club agreements?

At "my" airfield, ESGP, the local clubs and the commercial flying school have a reduced landing fee: 7.50 pounds instead of 30. But sadly that does not extend to visitors, so we get very few of those nowadays. Until december 2011, ESGP took part in the landing card system, but management saw an untapped source of revenue.

The general impression one gets from the national and regional airport is that they see themselves as businesses in their own right, and not as part of a national infrastructure. This even if most regional airports require subsidies from local or central government. (EU wanted that to stop, but Sweden now has the right to continue to give subsidies.) And as "businessmen", some prefer to effectively get rid of GA. Who pays 50 pounds to land at Ängelholm when you can land at Höganäs (mentioned above) for nothing?

For those who prefer paper charts, I can recommend the ones from Jeppesen: EKES-1 and EKES-2 cover the southern part of the country. Further north, you need the ICAO charts. PM me if you need to find a place to buy such charts.

/Peter

Edit to add that there is a fourth category: military airfields. Most of those are off limits, but not all. The ones that are not off limits do require PPR. Eksjö, mentioned above, is one of those. It's "military" in the sense that the airfield is smack in the middle of a military exercise field, where I spent ten months as a youth back in the eighties.
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By skydriller
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1191685
I flew up to southern Sweden last year directly after the Koblenz flyer fly-in, visiting Malmo and Ystad. I found the GA Aeroclub scene very friendly and welcoming, with a surprising number of places taking credit cards.

I can second (or third!) those saying Hoganas is a lovely airfield, where they sell AVGAS and take a credit card. I flew in for a day visit last year and they had unfortunately just suffered an arsonist attack which took out a hangar and several aeroplanes - though I believe their clubhouse survived because I paid for fuel inside it, I cant remember if the bunkhouse was intact.

I based myself out of Sodeslatt last year, and they were just great - even taking part in their annual open-day. I prefered the grass strip on the coast just outside Malmo because I was being met by car, as opposed to Malmo regional Airport itself which would be better for public transport.

Regards, SD..
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By mmcp42
#1191690
@akg1486
many thanks for an excellent heads-up
I'm looking at flying into Save as my son lives really close by
aside from the £30 landing fees - do you have any idea what parking for a couple of days would cost?

also - what's the weather like in October :)
By David Viewing
#1191755
Apologies for hijacking this thread but can anyone advise on a convenient GA field for downtown Stockholm? I've used Bromma a few times, but it's become quite expensive and the cab ride horrendous stuck in traffic for an hour and best part of £50 each way. (No busses that I've been able to discover, only the one to Arlanda). I'm going next week so not an entirely academic question!

I have used Vasteras, very accomodating aero club and fuel for cash, no landing fee (at the time) but an epic train ride into Stockholm (over an hour - same as cab ride from Bromma but much cheaper!!). Ideally, I'd like something a bit closer in.

Also in Sweden I've used Malmo, long bus ride to city centre hotel. About the only place you could use the landing card.

I liked Kristianstad, very friendly but not especially cheap. Bit of a trek to an Hotel though - busses don't actually stop outside and you have to walk to a bus stop for a long ride into town. There is a private hotel near the field apparently.

Further North I've been to Sundesvall and Kiruna, both very friendly but you really have to watch opening hours and weekend closures along with fuel hours. Be sure to phone and ask about that.

Flying in Sweden is marvellous - it's like a mini US with lakes and forests, no hassle, completely relaxed.
By Intercepted
#1191772
Apologies for hijacking this thread but can anyone advise on a convenient GA field for downtown Stockholm? I've used Bromma a few times, but it's become quite expensive and the cab ride horrendous stuck in traffic for an hour and best part of £50 each way. (No busses that I've been able to discover, only the one to Arlanda). I'm going next week so not an entirely academic question!


The state of GA in Stockholm is unfortunately very depressing at the moment. The main airports used to be Barkarby and Bromma. Barkarby is now closed and the club is looking for a new location where GA can continue to thrive. Bromma is not much better and all non commercial GA clubs are evicted and asked to leave the airport.

If you want to get to Stockholm it won't be as convinient as you would like it to be. You can fly to Hässlö in Västerås. This is a Ryan Air destination (Stockholm West!) and you can use the direct buses outside the terminal to get to central stockholm. Skavsta in Nyköping is another Ryan Air location (Stockholm South :roll: ) with busses to Stockholm.

http://www.nfk.nu/

http://www.flygbussarna.se/en/skavsta
By David Viewing
#1191791
Thanks for that very helpful info. I had not thought of getting a bus from the terminal at Vasteras.

I see from your link that there is now a bus from Bromma and so I tried to find out their landing charges. The chap at Swedavia said "there is a reorganisation" and would need to get back to me...
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By Paul_Sengupta
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1191807
Regarding Bromma, there's a bus which goes from the road just outside the airport on the flying club side - it will take you to the underground station. That's how I used to get there before I took my car out to Stockholm.

The buses are the 112 and 113. Take the 113 eastbound to Sundbyberg station.

That's assuming you're going out on the flying club side.

There are various buses from the terminal side.

With the closure of Barkaby and Tullinge, the only GA airfield I can think of around Stockholm is the grass airfield at Skå Edeby.

http://www.ska-edeby.se/

I've no idea about transport from there though, but there's some information on the webite.

http://ska-edeby.se/Visitorsinformation/tabid/286/Default.aspx
By RussStein
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1191819
I've landed and stayed at these fields in southern / southern central Sweden :

Hoganas - as already mentioned by others - supermarket nearby reached on lent bicycles + good eating in town
Falkopings
Kopings -
Tierp
Gavle
Mellansels

- all GA fields- all have accommodation on site or very close / avgas / not certain about cards we paid cash

Tierp was a mint of find as we were the first guests at their new clubhouse - stunning location and luxurious accom..

I have emails / names etc...for contacts if needed