Thanks guys. I have updated my FPLs with the CAA Permission number in field 18. Fingers crossed. If I get arrested on arrival I will ask for help again!
Don’t forget the permission number in field 18 also for your outbound flight. I simply forgot even though I had the number for our flight from Varna to Arad and it got canceled. But it wasn’t a problem, I just deleted it in AR and filed a new one with the number.
I started to wonder why/how I was never confronted with that CAA permission system. Maybe they considered my flights as “technical stops” for which permission is not required.
I’m not sure if it’s related to the permission system, but as mentioned above when our group flew into Bulgaria from Serbia all our FPLs were rejected because we didn’t submit a whole batch of paperwork similar to that listed above … insurance, airworthiness docs, etc . At that time, AIS was referencing regulations that required all that paperwork. AOPA Bulgaria told us when we met after sorting it out that the regulations being referenced applied only to CAT and that AIS was inappropriately applying them to GA as well. There may still be some of that going on today, perhaps depending on the person handling the FPL which would make the pilot experience vary from case to case. Perhaps the permission system is something that has been put into place since 2018.
Plovdiv airport told me I had to apply for the Permission and clearly know I am GA.
