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Flights to/through Morocco and eventually over to the Canary Islands?

I’ve seen a couple comments about Morocco on a thread regarding LDSB which is a bit off-topic so I thought I’d start a new thread and ask if anyone has any experience, advice, and information sources for flights to/through Morocco in a single (C172)? I’d like to make a trip to La Gomera in the Canary Islands. With the Canary Islands as part of Spain, there is a bit of info around, but I don’t find much on Morocco especially for maps, customers, avgas, etc.

LSZK, Switzerland

Hi,
ai’ve flown a 172RG to Morocco ten years ago. But i have not flown to the Canar Islands.
Morocco was beautiful and very simple too. I think we had a visa (forgot!) and a regular flightplan, VFR from Malaga, Spain. We landed in Fez for Fuel, which was simple, cheap and without any problems. The we proceeded to Er Rachidia airport close to the Sahara and did a great tour into the desert. From Er Rachidia we flew to Quarzazzate, and that was probably the most beautiful leg along a desert valley. Quarzazzate was very nice too. The last airport was Marrakech. A crazy place but a MUST!
If you have any specific questions, maybe i remember. But, really, it was very simple to fly in Morocco and other than some funny stuff that happened i only have good memories!

In Marrakech, just after touchdown and still on the runway i had a guy on a old motorcycle under the wing, reaching out towards me (the window was open due to the heat after landing) … yelling “50 dollars … landing fee … 50 dollars!”… it was just some guy from the next village ;-))

Many thanks. That is very encouraging and now really makes me want to go.

LSZK, Switzerland

If you read German i can send you the PDF of an article i did on that flight! But can’t do before Wednesday, traveling abroad!

The AIP, including AICs and NOTAMs is here.

Traditionally, for VFR flyers, the most important thing is the VFR reporting points and subsequent VFR routes, along which they expect all flight to be planned and take place. Found here (huge pdfs!).

Last Edited by boscomantico at 17 Nov 21:18
Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

Been to Morocco several times in a 172 RG (Flyer59, we may have flown the same a/c ex LEMG!). It’s pretty straightforward. They want you to fly the published VFR routes and report at the, equally published, VRPs. No ‘free flight’. You will check in / leave their airspace via IFR intersections, even if VFR. Be aware, that certain routes (e.g. the direct one Malaga – Fez) are not available during weekdays, due to R airspace. Do not, I say again, do not, overfly the centers of Fez and Marrakesh, as they contain royal palaces. Big no-no.

No need for a visa. At places like Marrakesh, you will have to go through security with the __hoi palloi_ – find an official and flash your license – presto, you’re at the front of the queue. Be aware of Avgas availability – usually worse, the farther south you get. Errashida doesn’t / didn’t have it. Have small Euro notes (fivers) to hand – helps matters along. Upon departure, make sure the fueller knows you are leaving Morocco, gets you a better price. Never crossed over to the Canaries, so cannot help there.

One more thing. Leaving/entering Spain (i.e. the EU) will have to be done via a ‘Port of Entry’. In southern Spain, these are Malaga, Jerez, Seville and Granada. Of these, by far the cheapest (landing fees and handling) is Granada.

Enjoy

Last Edited by 172driver at 17 Nov 21:29

Being so near, I’ve never flown into Morocco. Is there any special prior permission required or just a filed FPL is enough? After reading GEN 1.2.3 I would say that a FPL is the only requirement.
According to your comments I understand that even flying VFR you need to file the ‘route’ section in the FPL and adhere to some IFR intersection as the entry point and compulsory VFR routes after. Is that right?

Last Edited by Coolhand at 03 Dec 20:00
LECU - Madrid, Spain

Coolhand, you are correct. Have a look at the info in the links posted by Bosco above. AFAIK you can request customs and immigration at LECU, so you might be able to go direct. If not, you’d have to stop somewhere in the South. As I said, LEGR being the easiest / cheapest for that. Same on the way back.

Interesting thread. We are looking at doing this trip in February next year. leaving the UK on 16 February to Southern Spain, via Morocco and arrive Canaries on 18 Feb and back in the UK by 2 March. That’s about as detailed a plan as I have at the moment so looking for best fuel stops in Morocco and best islands to visit in the Canaries. It looks like avgas is only available at Tenrife North, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote. Having never been to any of the islands before are there any pratical tips? Are La Gomera, Hierro amd La Palma good place to visit to get away from the normal sun seaking crowd?

La Gomera is very, very nice! There is one “tourist trap” – Valle Gran Rey – but the rest of the island has just the right level of “tourist facilities”.

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden
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