As pointed out, many many PPLs from Germany alone have gone VFR to Israel in recent years; most of them with the help of AOPA Israel. AFAIU, one needs an invitation (and therefore a contact person over there) in order to receive the permit. Flying is obviously all controlled only and only between international aerodromes.
Re Jordan: I considered flying to Aqaba (OJAQ) this spring in the Cirrus, but in the end decided otherwise. I understand that Jordan is a very easy and western-oriented country where things tend to “work”. Aqaba must be nice since it’s a smallish city, with very good snorkeling etc. and Petra is only about a two hour’s drive away. But attention: landing and handling (including the permit fees) costs about 900$ in OJAQ. Avgas is officially not available and difficult (but apparently not totally impossible) to organize (at premium prices).
Ric, if you’re still interested, let me know and I can give you a contact of someone who’s been there recently.
From here
Peter wrote:
Portugal, Israel, Iceland, Gibraltar as doable in a single day
Good luck with Israel. I tried to fly there a couple of years ago. Amongst other impediments the rules required me to have a sponsor who would vouch for me with the security services. I put down a friend of my son who I have met a few times and is the founder of a successful tech start up and from one of the most prominent Israeli families – denied, “didnt know him well enough”. Then I submitted a guy who is related to my business partner, is an El Al captain as well as a Colonel in the Air Force reserve – denied. Then that guy offered to the security forces to go to Cyprus, meet me and fly with me the last leg – denied again. At that point I gave up, though I would dearly love to make the trip one day.
Buckerfan wrote:
Good luck with Israel.
I remember when I was CC with BA. Beautiful place to visit but my gosh, difficult questions we had to answer on arrival. Can only imagine flying GA in will be a nightmare.
@pilotrobbie I think you probably need to have someone in the local AOPA act as a shepherd, but once met someone who flew there in a small Jodel 120. I believe he was lead aircraft and a group of light GA flew together.
The country prefers an interview, or two, as a security screening, over a simple metal detector.
RobertL18C wrote:
@pilotrobbie I think you probably need to have someone in the local AOPA act as a shepherd, but once met someone who flew there in a small Jodel 120. I believe he was lead aircraft and a group of light GA flew together.The country prefers an interview, or two, as a security screening, over a simple metal detector.
Every time I flew as CC, we were interviewed too. It’s just their way of doing things I guess.
RobertL18C wrote:
once met someone who flew there
Timothy (is he no longer here on EuroGA?) flew to Israel back in around 1987 in a Grumman Tiger, I only recall the date as he left around the day before that storm, (good timing) maybe things were a lot easier those days
Lots of people have done Israel, but I bet you all of them had a local contact arranging stuff.
You need someone to vouch for you and I received two phone calls from some israeli government’s agency asking me who I was , my relationship with the sponsor, the purpose of my trip . Nothing difficult but you can just take off and go .
And a guy I know that routinely deliver ultralights from Italy to Israel for some reason had not done all the paperworks . In sight of Haifa he was obliged to go back to Cyprus.
I flew to Israel in March this year. They have an interesting procedure for entering the airspace. Three questions about favorites and one numeric code assigned before flying. They also require a phone call before departure towards Israel with doors closed.
loco wrote:
I flew to Israel in March this year. They have an interesting procedure for entering the airspace. Three questions about favorites and one numeric code assigned before flying. They also require a phone call before departure towards Israel with doors closed.
Did they require passengers seated and seatbelts on too? haha! We had that requirement and used to be seated for 40 minutes!!
