We decided very late for an Easter week in Mallorca and so I am planning a trip from Augsburg to Son Bonet. It is not the first time I am flying there, but our family has grown bigger in the meantime and we now have two 2 and 3 year old children. We have just decided to take our DA42 for that trip. Airliners that leave Munich for Mallorca and vv at reasonable time of the day are booked out
The flight is around 730NM and something like 4:30h. I am planning two alternates for landing en route and see how they feel… The first is Annemasse (LFLI), which I like very much. Convenient to land, easy refuelling, nice bar. The 2nd I am not so sure as I am not familiar with the area should be around Montpellier/Perpignan. Anybody in this forum can recommend a place there. Should be nice for children, and easy refuelling possible (I have no TOTAL card…).
I make a point of not moaning about Airports, however my experience of Perpignan was a bureaucratic hell hole! Such a contrast to 99pc of other French airport which are fantastic.
It’s not quick for refilling which is some considerable distance from the GA parking. Getting airside involves turning gates etc etc and the office and security staff were appalling.
It may have changed in the last year or so but I would not even recommend it to my worst enemy especially with young children!
Would Carcassone (Air Bp) be any good?
Thanx Alex,
quickly looked up the PIREPS about Carcassonne in a German website.
The airport sounds like 5 star in the air (Controllers etc.), 1-star on the ground (bureaucratic and you walk a lot…)
Not sure I would recommend Carcassonne to anybody, based on the experience on the EuroGA fly-in in 2016 which was atrocious in its pomposity and arrogance.
Montpellier LFMT is quite nice for GA. All facilities and friendly and uncomplicated. There are good hotels nearby, the beach is near too and the city is also quite nice.
Group I work with had a fly out there 2 years ago and were very happy. As I see the reports in EDDH still are good.
I have not been to Perpignan for some years, last time I was there it was ok. But that is long ago… when they were still maintaining Caravelles there.
Jap! LFMT looks good, just quickly checked EDDH.
Thank you!
Also not to far away is Avignon, LFMV. Nice and GA friendly airport. Also the restaurant was good on our last time visits.
I used Beziers LFMU few times as fuel stop when flying to Spain and back. Super easy, friendly, quick, cheap (10€ or so), not much traffic, immediate refueling – if you don’t need actual break you can be back in the air in 30 min. Unlike Perpignan, it’s sufficiently far from Pyrenees to get good IFR routing continuing to Spain.
Have been to Montpellier and Perpignan in September and thus a direct comparison withing a month.
I would vote for Montpellier. Straightforward and helpful.
They have a pump and a truck going around, but I do not remember whether you need the TOTAL card or can pay with any CC
The Perpignan staff was helpful & friendly, but the processes are a bit chaotic..
Neither expensive nor difficult, just amazing how complicated things can be made ;-)
It felt as if they were inventing the stuff as we went along, nothing was established or clear, plenty of radio and non-radio discussions amongst the team members (who what when). And if you happen to arrive around the time one of the few airliners arrive, plan an extra hour, anyway.
What are the costs like at Montpellier LFMT? It looks great on paper e.g. no PNR or PPR, customs the whole time, etc
Unless it takes a long time, it seems to be a much better fuel stop if going around the Alps (e.g. UK to Croatia) than e.g. Cannes.
There is some question mark about avgas payment methods, suggesting only the TOTAL card can be used.