Events

This is formal notification of the Annual General Meeting of PPL/IR Europe, to be held via Zoom, on Thursday 26th October 2023.

• 18.00 UTC
• 19.00 BST
• 20.00 CEST

 

Register in advance for the Zoom link for this meeting here.

Minutes of the previous AGM, held on 10th October 2022, and the latest set of Annual Accounts, are available to members on the Annual Accounts Page.

PAFRA Over-Nighter [LFRK]

An invitation to ALL pilots & friends, including PPL/IR Europe members, to Caen, France Over-Nighter with Pilots and Friends of Rochester Airport (PAFRA).

Following the popularity and success of previous Over-Nighter’s to Abbeville, Cherbourg Maupertus, Bruges, and Chartres, Peter is planning another one, this time to Caen [LFRK].

Please see the attached for details.

 

PAFRA Overnighter Caen Oct-2023 (351 downloads)

 

Barbeques are a simple and easy way to come together and socialise as pilots. This one is at Turweston Airport (EGBT), kindly hosted by our Chairman Graham Mountford.

We are looking to host some training followed by a social BBQ, including food for vegans, vegetarians, gluten intolerant, and pescatarians, plus soft drinks, Tickets are £10 for members and £12.50 for non-members, Please book your tickets using the link below.

 

Times

• 1030-1100 (BST) Aircraft arrive
• 1100-1200 Seminar
• 1200-1700 BBQ

 

Seminar

The seminar will be an interactive session focused on personal minima and how these vary based on qualifications, origin, destination, en route, aircraft capability and currency. Delegates will be able to review / refresh / set their own personal minimas and test their knowledge on this complex, but hugely practical, topic.

 

BOOK HERE

 

Tickets are now closed for the 'not to be missed' PPL/IR Europe Annual Conference 2023! This event is a fantastic opportunity to learn new skills, meet friends old and new, and for many, to add a new airport to your logbook. This year we are meeting at Bremen Airport (EDDW), Germany. The conference and accommodation is at the Atlantic Airport Hotel, a 3 minute walk from landing, plus Friday night dinner a short tram into the beautiful Bremer-Schlachte region in central Bremen. Join us for the whole weekend, conference and dinner, or just the conference on the Saturday 22nd July.

The event is designed to achieve three things:

1. To give us a fantastic excuse to fly somewhere, abroad for many.
2. To refresh skills and knowledge to keep us safe and capable pilots.
3. With time to move around, in smaller groups, for socialising and to simply catch up.

Friday 21st July

• Friday afternoon / evening arrivals for anyone wishing to join pre-evening dinner and drinks.
• Check-in, a short walk away, at the Atlantic Airport Hotel.
• Head into Bremen city via the tram for dinner and drinks at 8pm local at Paulaners Restaurant.

 

Saturday 22nd July

• Lunch, teas, coffees and soft drinks are included in the price and an opportunity to spend time with fellow pilots.
• 09.00 Registration opens at the Atlantic Airport Hotel.
• 10.15 We take our seat.
• 10.30 Chair’s Welcome.
• 10.45 Going Further - David Fabry shares his insights and experiences planning and flying a single engine aircraft from Northern Europe to the legendary Oshkosh.
• 11.15 Test your knowledge as we take a walk down memory land on the history of aviation for PPL/IR Europe.
• 12.00 Lunch and networking.
• 13.00 Breakouts Sessions 1 and 2 - see below (choose 2 of the 7 breakouts available).
• 14.00 Coffee and networking.
• 14.30 Breakouts Sessions 3 and 4 - see below (choose 2 more of the 7 breakouts available).
• 15.30 Panel Discussion
• 16.30 Closing remarks and Q&A
• 17.00 Close
• Have a safe journey home, having rekindled old friendships, made new friends and refreshed your skills, or stay for dinner at the Atlantic Airport Hotel.

 

Breakouts

Similar to previous years, attendees get to choose four of the seven sessions available. Please note Foreflight is a double session.

BEG - Increasing your confidence IFR Flying
This class is for people newer to flying across Europe (from pre-flight planning, weather 10 days to 0 days, customs, filing a flight plan, optimising flying VFR and IFR).

SIT - Situational Awareness
Understanding how even the most experienced pilot can experience a loss of situational awareness, tricks to avoid it and what to do should it happen to you.

FOR - Foreflight Flight Tooling Masterclass (DOUBLE SESSION)
This builds on last year’s seminar, jumping into the more advanced capabilities of Foreflight for VFR and IFR flying. Hosted by Foreflight.

GAR1 - Garmin Avionics Technology
What’s new in Garmin, including latest in aviation technology, PlaneSync, databases, and more. Hosted by Garmin.

GAR2 - Garmin Pilot
Garmin Pilot workshop to learn, enhance your skills using the Garmin Pilot app. Hosted by Garmin.

GRA - Mastering the Gramet
A must have chart for most pilots when travelling to determine cloud tops, icing, wind, and turbulence. Learn how to use this amazing feature from Autorouter including via Telegram.

SIM - Flight Simulators
Bartosz hosts a session on flight simulation for GA pilots – as we know in a simulator, we can safely test scenarios we never want to experience in the real world.

 

Sunday 23rd July 

• For anyone staying, enjoy a leisurely breakfast, get a tram into the city, or head back home, having rekindled old friendships, made new friends and refreshed your skills.

 

PPL/IR Europe are planning to visit the Private Flyer event on 7-8th July at Leeds East Airport (EGCM).

You are very welcome to join us!

More details on the event can be found here:

https://www.privateflyershow.com/uk/leeds/

PAFRA Flyout [Germay]

This is another invitation to ALL pilots & friends, including PPL/IR Europe members, from the Pilots and Friends of Rochester Airport (PAFRA) to Germany in July 2023.

As Peter has done for the past 22 years, he is organising another PAFRA Summer tour. By popular request, he is going in the SECOND week of July, a week before the Annual Conference to: Berlin, Potsdam & Dresden.

 

The trip is arranged in easy stages so pilots/planes can join for whatever period they like: There is no obligation to do the whole trip. Likewise, although an outline programme is proposed, everyone is entirely free to use their time as they wish.  The trip, as always, is not restricted to pilots/planes from Rochester/Lydd; but is open to all.

Please see the attached for details.

PAFRA Summer Trip 2023 (205 downloads)

 

PPL/IR Europe are planning to visit the leading show for General Aviation on 19-22nd April at Aero Friedrichshafen (EDNY).

You are very welcome to come join us!

More details on the event can be found here:

https://www.aero-expo.com/

 

If you are planning to attend please let the Events Manager know. We look forward to seeing you there!

We still have plenty of summer left and so this is an opportunity for another fly-out. This time across Scotland, UK.

Graham Mountford, Chair Elect, is kindly leading us on a wonderful trip around Scotland.

Feel free to come for one day (Saturday, or Sunday) or make a weekend of it.

 

All tickets are fully cancellable and refundable 10 days before. Hotel bookings are fully cancellable and refundable 11:59pm local hotel time on 11 August 2022 (1 day before arrival).

In the unlikely event that we decide to cancel the event due to poor weather, a full refund will be given.

All times are local (UTC+1).

Friday 12th August

• For those people wishing to arrive on the Friday, fly to Inverness airport (EGPE) and a short (3-8 mins) walk to the Courtyard Marriott Hotel
• Please book General Admission ticket (fully refundable) to reserve your slot
• Please book Pilot Pack ticket for airport landing - limited to 12 aircraft, first come, first served (all fees go towards your landing and parking). Once confirmed I shall provide details for PPR / booking in. Please note this amount paid (for a Pilot Pack) will be deducted from your actual landing and parking fee.
• Please book Rate 1 Hotel for two nights' accommodation at the four star Courtyard Marriott Hotel

 

Saturday 13th August

• Flying option - make the most of the long hours of sunshine (12th August sunrise is 05:35 and sunset is 21:05)
• Please note that all routes and stops are provisional and subject to conditions and permissions on the day. Anyone joining this fly-out will receive direct updates on any proposed changes. The following day will also be covered in the bar the evening before.
  • If flying in on the Saturday arrive at Inverness (EGPE) no later than 8.30am, or meet us at one of the destinations below.
  • 9.00am depart to fly North to Orkneys, up the coast to John O'Groats, over Scapa Flow, and out to the small islands to the east, optional touch and go on Westray and papa westray (shortest scheduled route) for capable aircraft (520m strips), continue around the Orkney Island and land at Kirkwall (EGPA) for tea and biscuits in the terminal. Estimate 1:20 flying and 1 hour break.
  • 11.30am depart Kirkwall to fly along the north coast of Scotland and across to Stornoway, do not land but fly down the outer Hebrides – spectacular landscape, and over Barra, to see the beach airport, optional landing there for those who want and if tide permits, otherwise onto Tiree (EGPU) to land for lunch at a nice local restaurant about 20 minutes walk from airport. About 1 hour 40 to Barra, extra 15mins to Tiree. Allow 3 hours for lunch and walk.
  • 4.30pm fly from Tiree to Mull and up the west coast to Skye then across the mountains back to Inverness (EGPE). Approx. 50 minutes, arriving back at Inverness about 5.30pm.

• Non-Flying Option (if weather awful or people want alternate)
  • Drive to Cawdor Castle for visit, with tea and cake at castle.
  • Contine to Speyside and drive along the Spey to Macalan distillery for distillery tour and lunch.
  • Drive over the moors back towards Forress and along back to Inverness

• If not booked for Friday, please book General Admission ticket (fully refundable) to reserve your slot.
• Please book Pilot Pack ticket for airport landing - limited to 12 aircraft, first come, first served (all fees go towards your landing and parking). Once confirmed I shall provide details for PPR / booking in. Please note this amount paid (for a Pilot Pack) will be deducted from your actual landing and parking fee.
• If not booked for Friday, please book Rate 2 Hotel for one nights' accommodation at the four star Courtyard Marriott Hotel

 

Sunday 14th August

• If flying in on the Sunday only arrive at Inverness (EGPE) no later than 9.00am, or meet us at one of the destinations below.
• Please note that all routes and stops are provisional and subject to conditions and permissions on the day. Anyone joining this fly-out will receive direct updates on any proposed changes. The following day will also be covered in the bar the evening before.
• 9.30am fly down the great Glen over Loch Ness ad past Ben Nevis to Oban (EGEO) for a tea stop.  (30 minute flight, 1 hour stop)
• 10.30am continue down to Cambeltown and touch and go on former shuttle emergency landing strip and continue to Islay (EGPI)) and land to visit Bowmore Distillery and have lunch.  (30 minute flight, 3 hour stop)
• By 3.00pm depart back to home airfields.
• If not booked for Friday/Saturday, please book General Admission ticket (fully refundable) to reserve your slot.
• If not booked for Friday/Saturday, please book Pilot Pack ticket for airport landing - limited to 12 aircraft, first come, first served (all fees go towards your landing and parking).

 

TRAVELLING TO THE UK

• For anyone travelling to the UK, please see here for border control rules and restrictions: https://www.gov.uk/uk-border-control

 

INVERNESS AIRPORT NOTES

• Inverness Airport Operations require a full PPR in advance of attending. I will provide full details for anyone who has purchased a Pilot Pack for this event.
• Airport opening times are Friday/Saturday/Sunday AD Closures: 0700-0735, 1800-1845. Times in UTC.
• Unfortunately, they are unable to offer any discounts from their published prices.
• Highland Aviation can provide AVGAS on the Friday and Saturday. Jet A1 is also available but through Airport Operations.

 

Book Tickets

To book tickets please see here.

 

We started our 2022 events programme, with a virtual get-together on flight tooling.

The presentation was given by Paul Ruskin and Craig Warmington.

 

Topics covered:

• Insights and tips flying IFR using SkyDemon and benefits over other products
• A personal workflow for using Foreflight for IFR flight planning and flying
• A personal workflow for using Garmin Pilot for IFR flight planning and flying

As many members will be aware, the Cirrus Owners and Pilots Association (COPA) runs a range of training events through its Cirrus Pilot Proficiency Program (CPPP). COPA is running a one-day seminar on avionics in Salzburg on Saturday 13 November 2021 and have invited PPL/IR Europe members to participate.

While run by COPA, the workshop will cover other types like Cessna, Mooney, Piper or Diamond / TBM etc.

Details of the event (in German) are below, together with a link for registration:

CPPP LOWS Salzburg Avionics Workshop

This time the workshop is presented in German language only. If it is a success, COPA may provide it next year in English. Indeed, the PPL/IR Europe Board is exploring opportunities for working with other like-minded pilot organisations in Europe so I'm delighted to announce this as the first product of the initiative.

Michael Hochenrieder, who hosted us so well for a social weekend in 2017, is part of the CPPP team and should be able to address any questions you might have.