Flying in the USA vs. Europe

On Mar 16, 2:31 am, "Jay Honeck" wrote:
As many of you know, I'm currently on a "barnstorming tour" around the
Eastern half of America, flying wherever the weather is best, and
enjoying the scenery along the way. Since Sunday we've flown from
Iowa City, IA to First Flight (Kill Devil Hills, NC), to Ocracoke
Island, to Beaufort, NC, to Huntsville, Alabama, to Memphis,
Tennessee. We'll be flying home tomorrow, completing a relatively
simple VFR flight of 1977 miles.

Just for fun, I have overlaid the flight plan we're currently enjoying
on a map of Europe. The results are stunning, to me, as for the same
expenditure of time we could easily have flown the following route in
Europe:

London, United Kingdom (completely over-flying Germany) to Vienna,
Austria
Vienna, Austria to Milan, Italy
Milan, Italy to Madrid, Spain

During this flight we would have overflown nine (or more) countries,
with all the complications inherent with that task, covering much of
Europe. By comparison, this flight in America has barely scratched
the Eastern Seaboard.

Considering that our current flight has been almost effortless, with
minimal contact with air traffic control (VFR flight following, and,
of course, interaction with control towers at larger airfields), with
no landing fees, only a couple of parking fees, and the highest price
per gallon of avgas paid (thus far) pegged at $4.10 per gallon, it
really is a truism that you simply can't beat GA flying in the good
ol' U.S. of A.

It would be an interesting (if frightening) exercise to see what this
flight in Europe would entail, from a financial as well as technical
standpoint. Can any or our European brethren take a whack at it?
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
(Presently in Memphis, TN)
Pathfinder N56993www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

As others already have mentioned, it is just more expensive and it
takes somewhat more preperation.
Looking at your European route, some mountain flying lessons are
needed, you will be in the Alps.

-Kees.

BTW On a world map continental Europe appears to be larger than
continental US.

We'll be flying home tomorrow, completing a relatively
simple VFR flight of 1977 miles.
....
It would be an interesting (if frightening) exercise to see what
this flight in Europe would entail

Heh, at least Europe and America have the option of such flights,
imagine living here in New Zealand, our country is only about 1000
miles tip to toe and about 250 at it's widest.

There was a news item here a few days ago about a pilot who had just
completed a landing at every listed airfield in the country. I bet
anybody in the US simply couldn't imagine that being possible.

Of course, if we want to actually cross a border we have to overfly
hundreds of miles of open cold and mostly empty ocean just to get to
Norfolk Island (and for the brave, some more hundreds of miles to get
to Lord Howe, and some more hundreds of miles after that to get to
Australia).

In short, we are a bloody long way away from everywhere.

There was a news item here a few days ago about a pilot who had just
completed a landing at every listed airfield in the country. I bet
anybody in the US simply couldn't imagine that being possible.

That IS amazing.

Mary and I have been actively trying to land at every airport in IOWA
-- a relatively small state, by US standards -- for 10 years. I think
we've hit a little more than half of them.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

James Sleeman wrote:
We'll be flying home tomorrow, completing a relatively
simple VFR flight of 1977 miles.

...

It would be an interesting (if frightening) exercise to see what
this flight in Europe would entail


Heh, at least Europe and America have the option of such flights,
imagine living here in New Zealand, our country is only about 1000
miles tip to toe and about 250 at it's widest.

There was a news item here a few days ago about a pilot who had just
completed a landing at every listed airfield in the country. I bet
anybody in the US simply couldn't imagine that being possible.

Of course, if we want to actually cross a border we have to overfly
hundreds of miles of open cold and mostly empty ocean just to get to
Norfolk Island (and for the brave, some more hundreds of miles to get
to Lord Howe, and some more hundreds of miles after that to get to
Australia).

In short, we are a bloody long way away from everywhere.


I have always wanted to visit your country. I got close in '87 to
Sydney. Then for my 60th birthday my wife was going to plan a trip there
but it got too expensive, so we went to the Balkins. I'll get there
sometime.

--

Regards, Ross
C-172F 180HP
KSWI

Jay Honeck wrote:

*snip*

Just for fun, I have overlaid the flight plan we're currently enjoying
on a map of Europe. The results are stunning, to me, as for the same
expenditure of time we could easily have flown the following route in
Europe:

London, United Kingdom (completely over-flying Germany) to Vienna,
Austria
Vienna, Austria to Milan, Italy
Milan, Italy to Madrid, Spain

During this flight we would have overflown nine (or more) countries,
with all the complications inherent with that task, covering much of
Europe. By comparison, this flight in America has barely scratched
the Eastern Seaboard.

Jay,

What a great idea to try..and very interesting results.

And yeah it would be interesting to know what that equivalent European
flight would entail.

Gregg

What a great idea to try..and very interesting results.

Someday...maybe. From Borchert's descriptions, it sounds like flying
in Europe is what flying in America would be like if ATC were run by
the Iowa Division of Motor Vehicles...

;-)

(Having just paid $900 to the DMV for another one of those stupid blue
"Lodging" signs out on the freeway, I feel qualified to comment on
what a rip-off that department is. But I digress...)

We just got home. The tale of the tape: 2008 miles, covering 15 (of
the 48) mainland United States.

Actually, we got routed around the (very active) Lindbergh MOA in
Missouri, so add another 50 miles to that total...!

:-)
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
ups.com...
What a great idea to try..and very interesting results.

Someday...maybe. From Borchert's descriptions, it sounds like flying
in Europe is what flying in America would be like if ATC were run by
the Iowa Division of Motor Vehicles...

;-)

(Having just paid $900 to the DMV for another one of those stupid blue
"Lodging" signs out on the freeway, I feel qualified to comment on
what a rip-off that department is. But I digress...)

We just got home. The tale of the tape: 2008 miles, covering 15 (of
the 48) mainland United States.

Actually, we got routed around the (very active) Lindbergh MOA in
Missouri, so add another 50 miles to that total...!


Be ready to weep for me then.
I just got did my FAA IR currency with a couple of approaches to Cambridge
UK. Three times round the hold, an NDB approach and miss followed by
another hold and an ILS approach with a full stop landing cost me £47 or $92
inc tax. The landing itself cost $39 and was "discounted" as an incentive
to use the airport for approaches.

In another two months I will have to go through the same again to remain
current. Mind you I might drop of to Calais in France where its cheaper at
the airport but its an 80 minutes flying away so by the time you have been
there and back over the Channel its has cost the same.

Be ready to weep for me then.
I just got did my FAA IR currency with a couple of approaches to Cambridge
UK. Three times round the hold, an NDB approach and miss followed by
another hold and an ILS approach with a full stop landing cost me £47 or $92
inc tax. The landing itself cost $39 and was "discounted" as an incentive
to use the airport for approaches.

Your post should be reproduced by AOPA in ever pilot forum in
America. Nothing more graphically illustrates what we might be facing
here in the US if we don't nip the initiative in the bud.
--
Jay Honeck
Iowa City, IA
Pathfinder N56993
www.AlexisParkInn.com
"Your Aviation Destination"

"Jay Honeck" wrote in message
oups.com...
Be ready to weep for me then.
I just got did my FAA IR currency with a couple of approaches to Cambridge
UK. Three times round the hold, an NDB approach and miss followed by
another hold and an ILS approach with a full stop landing cost me £47 or
$92
inc tax. The landing itself cost $39 and was "discounted" as an incentive
to use the airport for approaches.

Your post should be reproduced by AOPA in ever pilot forum in
America. Nothing more graphically illustrates what we might be facing
here in the US if we don't nip the initiative in the bud.

The issue is that the airport is privately owned not subsidized by federal,
state or city taxpayers and has to make a profit to keep going. The ATC are
employees of the airport, not civil servants paid out of taxes.

The airport has a contract to service C130s for the RAF but are not allowed
to cross subsidize the GA activity. That would be a wrong use of taxpayers
money.

You don't run your business at a loss so why should the airport run at a
loss?

On 2007-03-17, Borat wrote:
Be ready to weep for me then.
I just got did my FAA IR currency with a couple of approaches to Cambridge
UK. Three times round the hold, an NDB approach and miss followed by
another hold and an ILS approach with a full stop landing cost me £47 or $92
inc tax. The landing itself cost $39 and was "discounted" as an incentive
to use the airport for approaches.

What are you flying? (Is it 2 tonnes?)
I've done the same at our local airport and it didn't cost anything
(Ronaldsway, IOM)

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