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Trip to Canaries

This trip was planned for last year, approximately in the same period of the year but, due to various limitations, it was too complicated to execute. Few months ago, it also didn’t look easy but following @terbang, I realized that actually it can be easily done. Few things had to be coordinated and synchronized (PCR tests, immigration PPR, handling PPR, slots, accommodation, and rental car) which complicated logistics a bit but being able to cancel on short notice (especially accommodation) if something goes wrong, helped a lot. Originally, we planned to visit Morocco on this trip but due to additional border crossings and PCR tests we decided to skip it and leave for the next time.

Since this is a trip in progress, I don’t know which islands we’ll visit but the initial plan is: Lanzarote, El Hierro, La Gomera, La Palma and Fuerteventura.

Preparation:

Confirmed parking place at Lanzarote from May 5 to 9, confirmed immigration (PPR 24 hours) and refueling at LFMU for May 4, confirmed handling and refueling at LEJR for May 4 and performed PCR test on May 3 (got results in the afternoon), confirmed immigration at departure airport (PPR 4 hours) in Croatia (LDVA) for May 4 at 7:00 UTC, filling in Spanish Health Ministry visitor forms, booking accommodation at Jerez (1 night) and Arecife (4 nights).

Day 1:

We departed from Croatia as planned, knowing that strong headwind was forecasted. As usual the wind was stronger than expected, briefly going up to 40 kts which resulted in flight that lasted 4:15 (no wind is around 3:30). Other than that, the flight was uneventful, almost totally clear sky with just few cumulus low below us flying at FL160. Refueling at Bezier LFMU was fast and efficient, everything was done is 20 minutes, immigration police just said via radio that they were ok, nobody asked us to show either passports or PCR tests, although we were told we would need them.

Continuing to Jerez brought us a mixture of headwind and tailwind resulting in flight that lasted 3:40 which is the same as duration of that flight with no wind. Again, uneventful flight at FL160 with some clouds below us when crossing Pyrenees. When we landed at parked at LEJR the fuel truck was there after 5 minutes, Iberia ramp agent picked us up immediately after refueling and we were in the taxi 30 min after landing. Again, nobody asked us for either passports or PCR tests or Spanish Health Ministry forms, all emphasized as must when entering Spain.

Here’s is what we covered on the first day:

Landed at LEJR:

Day 2:

Although I send slot message (required for IFR flights) for GCRR a day before, I didn’t get any reply until morning, requiring sending the same slot reservation message to another address. Luckily, PPR for slot is 3 hours and the flight lasts more than that, so resending at any time before departure was fine. We arrived at the airport an hour before planned departure time which wasn’t enough because paying at AENA took us 15 min and paying at Iberia took us 30 min and walking to General aviation, check and drive to parking position took us another 15 min. I delayed the plan for 15 min and tower coordinated slot, so we were able to depart with minimum delay.

As forecasted, we had tailwind, again stronger than expected but this time luckily in our favor, resulting with flight that lasted 3:40 which would be 4:00 without wind. Unusual silence on frequency was the only thing I noticed during the flight, checking few times with Tangier whether we were still in reach. After handed over to approach the communication intensified a bit but far from what would one expect arriving to popular touristic destination.

Tower asked us for high-speed approach for separation, so we maintained 175 KIAS until 6 NM final and then slowed down. The landing was pretty windy with 17 kts of headwind, gusting to 28 kts and crosswind that was changing direction, ranging from 2 to 8 kts. In addition at 1000 ft we had some blast from above similar to wind shear, requiring full power to maintain the altitude.

Here is what we did on the second day:

After landing the fuel truck was there immediately after we tied the aircraft, and we were outside 20 min later. Again, nobody asked us for any document.

The first and (until now) the only person who asked to see our passports and PCR tests was the owner of the apartment that we booked at Arecife explaining that this was mandatory when greeting the guests.

Arecife fortress:

Last Edited by Emir at 05 May 22:54
LDZA LDVA, Croatia

Looking at aerial pictures my wife took yesterday, I guess these two are decent

Cadiz

Arecife

Last Edited by Emir at 06 May 07:23
LDZA LDVA, Croatia

Wow! Fantastic! Thanks for trip report! Wonder what that would take with an Arrow from Sweden…need to kick off my daily dreaming on Skyvector… :-)

Looking forward to hear about your return journey!

ESOW, Sweden

Nice trip, using GA aircraft for the right mission !

A big constraint for me in the new world is that 24h PCR tests would expire by the time I reach Canaries after 6 overnight stops

Emir wrote:

Refueling at Bezier LFMU was fast and efficient, everything was done is 20 minutes, immigration police just said via radio that they were ok, nobody asked us to show either passports or PCR tests, although we were told we would need them.

I would definitely use them later this year if going to Spain/Morocco
If you have 3h to spare go via Biarritz

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Day 3: some hiking and some beach time at Lanzarote.

Last Edited by Emir at 07 May 06:52
LDZA LDVA, Croatia

Emir wrote:

Again, nobody asked us for either passports or PCR tests or Spanish Health Ministry forms, all emphasized as must when entering Spain.

Is it just 2 POB? If so, that is to be expected as Spain exempts all crew from COVID requirements.

Antonio
LESB, Spain

Days 4 and 5: Some hiking, some beach time, some wine time

La Cueva de Los Verdes

View to La Graciosa

Vineyard

Corona vulcano

Famara beach

Last Edited by Emir at 10 May 07:42
LDZA LDVA, Croatia

Day 6: Flying to El Hierro – short 1:30 low level flight with stunning scenery.

Leaving Lanzarote

Approaching Fuerteventura

Crossing Fuerteventura

Passing Gran Canaria

Tenerife in a distance

El Hierro

Short final RW34 at GCHI

And the track

Last Edited by Emir at 10 May 08:44
LDZA LDVA, Croatia

Day 7: El Hierro is completely different than Lanzarote. A lot of vegetation, pine forests, high mountains, water…




Last Edited by Emir at 10 May 22:10
LDZA LDVA, Croatia

What an absolutely brilliant trip!

I have lots of memories of Famara Beach, from my £250/week windsurfing holidays in 1985, 86, 87… then revisited in 2013 and could barely find where I was staying in the 1980s (built up) but Famara looked the same, minus the permanent ageing surfers

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Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom
39 Posts
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