Figari ist really a good destination for GA. I have been there two years ago when they did not charge for landing and parking. Anyway I will fly again to this beautifull island.
The main season is very busy everywhere in the med region as one can see on the apron. Thank you for this reminder !
Hi everyone,
Thanks for your enthusiastic messages. One feels welcome here!
@Peter: Ajaccio does have Avgas, but the last time I went there (Aug’12) we arrived during lunch break and had to wait for 2 hours before being served… I’ll report that trip if I find the time. In Figari it was very straightforward.
@lenthamen: I think the Garmin 430 is fairly “IR-oriented”. I haven’t got any VFR reporting points in the database and have to enter them manually, which requires a bit of time. But once it’s done and the FPL is activated, it’s a great help for navigation.
@Robert18LC: for the return flight, I simply used the “Invert FPL” function of the Garmin. On our way to Figari I flew FL075 until NW (Ajaccio), where I was requested to fly max 1500ft, until Figari. Same thing on the return trip, with cruise at FL085.
@Jan Olieslagers: you’re right, I created the first picture using Navigeo.org. Major VFR reporting points (such as STP/MERLU/LONSU in the Mediterranean sea) are available there. I created the others manually, using the “create navigation log” tool and clicking on the map.
The rules at Figari LFKF have changed. Since one year or so ones needs PPR for parking and Police have to be informed 6 hours in advance. So far so good.
What is new to me is that IFR Flights need a slot from ATC, VFR not. This is an extra hassle. To resolve the slot problem I do suggest a change from IFR to VFR before reaching Corsica, say at ODINA. This is what I got from Figari :
I do now wonder if a Z-plan with it`s last portion VFR is registered as an IFR plan or as a VFR plan or both. AIP says nothing in this regard. It is my understanding that when cancelling IFR the flightrules change to VFR, but does this change the FP-registration? Is this a way to resolve the Slot-hassle?
highflyer wrote:
Since one year or so ones needs PPR for parking
When I went there about 4 or 5 years ago, this was already the case. We had sent the PPR request by e-mail, but when we arrived they said they hadn’t received it. After some expression of discontent they still allowed us to push the plane onto the dust parking (couldn’t call it grass or dirt) among the other small planes.
Re the customs thing: so that’s one more French airport going berserk. Totally impracticable. Dash over from Sardinia for a quick fuel stop? Forget it. Ridiculous.
Airports forcing you to PPR for customs, for a flight which doesn’t require customs. And the second effect is that by doing so, they restrict the hours when that you can use the airport – because they force you to adapt to the customs office opening hours…
On Corsica, you still have Calvi and Bastia with avgas?
Yes, plus Ajaccio. Plus Propriano (VFR). But none of them is an alternative for the (beautiful) south of the island. Except for July and August, Figari is a very quiet airport. In summer, it gets reasonably busy.
i guess the Slot thing is maybe only in peak July Aug, i work for an Airline and they wanted to force us to come earlier on Saturday, finaly the extended the custom times, at the same time they did not want/could give us timings to land during the custome timings till 17lt.
It seems they are busy on certain days..fot the size of the tarmac space
The Slot thing must be because they dont want confusion if an airliner lands and they have to deal with both. Just a guess at trying to be logical.
Another thought, something which I ran into a few times already. An airliner is due in at a certain time and they clear an imaginary bubble 25NM around the incoming flight and because there is no radar service they want to make sure the airliner (at least in Europe it appears) has airspace and airport precedence.
The next question is whats this deal with having to go through either immigration or Customs ( Greece and now Corsica) when arriving from another full EU country?
Arent there any rules and laws which countries have to follow as being a member of the EU or is it a free for all, accept what you want and discard the rest?
Im a bit confused.
