Golf Hotel Whiskey

Golf Hotel Whiskey: for pilots and aviation enthusiasts

Airports

Saanen (LSGK)

When it comes to unusual airports in mountainous area, Saanen comes after Sion and before Samedan. You probably don’t know where Saanen is, but you certainly already heard of the nearby town of Gstaad, in the Berner Oberland. The approach to Saanen is unusual because of the surrounding high grounds. The runway length is not an issue as it is an ex-airforce base. Because of the intense VIP activity in Gstaad, you’ll see many turboprops and even some light jets in Saanen.

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Saanen is an un-controlled airfield which requires PPR. Practically, you have to call (+41 33 744 40 25) before flying there. The AFIS is almost always active and will inform you about the runway in use… most of time it is runway 26. What makes Saanen a bit tricky is that there is no room to fly a standard pattern. The approach for runway 26 starts with overhead, flying away from the airport on the runway axis…

The “pattern” then includes a right turn above a crest, and a loop around Gstaad, before coming back on final. Do not overfly the town, as there are many VIPs relaxing there. Describing this approach is not easy, so I built a Google Earth picture of it…

The airport plate says that an initiation is recommended, due to the particular approach. The biggest trick is is to manage descent while on the extended base leg, because the runway comes back in sight only on final. The unpublished tip to make it easier is to aim at the white church located right of the threshold. The end of base and begin of final must be flown relatively low over ground to avoid coming high on short final. In summer, intense glider and para-gliders makes the thing even funnier. The good thing is that the AFIS makes a great job at informing aircraft about each other.

Compared to the approach and landing, departing Saanen is really a non-event. The airport has no IFR procedures at all. If you want to file a Y or Z flight plan, a good joining / leaving point is the Fribourg (FRI) VOR, a few miles away on the G5 airway. During my last visit to Saanen, I made this video guide which showing approach and departure.

Saanen is not really a golf destination, but it is great for skiing in the winter, but don’t forget to call before you fly in, it could be that the runway is not clear of snow… During your stay you will have to eat at least one “meringue” with double cream. The best hotel in Gstaad is the “Gstaad Palace“, which is easy to spot while you fly the pattern: it is a square-ish castle with a single tower. You can reserve the cheapest room for 410 CHF per night, but the Penthouse Suite will cost you 9’700 CHF per night.

Jersey (EGJJ)

Airport information

Nearest town: St.Helier (5 miles by car), Jersey

Opening Times: Winter: 0700-2100 and by arrangement; Summer: 0600-2030; and by arrangement

Longest Runway: 1706m, Asphalt

Fuel: AVTUR JET A-1, AVGAS 100LL.

Phone: 01534 446109

Website: www.jerseyairport.com, Wikipedia entry

AIP: plates and airport diagram

Landing fees: £4 for each metric tonne of the authorized weight of the aircraft (Passenger and security charges extra for flights carrying passengers)

Airport map

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Airport services

Pubs

  • The Lamplighter, Mulcaster Street, St. Helier, Jersey (01534 510096). One of the more popular pubs on the island, this one serves a good selection of real ales; its facade displays an imposing ‘Britannia’ figure carved by John Philippe Giffard, local stone-carver of some notoriety.
  • Town House, new Street, St. Helier, Jersey (01534 615000). Large and comfortable two-in-one pub with one room acting as a sports bar and the other a quieter one. Serves up some hearty pub fare.
  • Old Court House Inn, Le Boulevard, St. Aubin, Jersey (01534 746433). Cosy pub in an old 15th century hotel, with views across over the harbour.

Restaurants

  • Aviator Restaurant, Arrivals Terminal, Jersey Airport. Food, as well as coffee and pastries at this airport restaurant with fine views of the runway as well as the coast.
  • Bohemia, Green Street, St. Helier, Jersey (01534 880588, www.bohemiajersey.com). Sophisticated yet comfortable restaurant that makes great use of local produce. A fine wine list is part of the attractions.
  • Cafe Poste, La Rue da la Ville es Renauds, Grouville, Jersey (01534 859696). Friendly restaurant with a interesting menu, in an old post office. Caters to vegetarians and those who need gluten-free/dairy-free options as well.

Hotels

  • Pomme d’Or, Liberation Square, St. Helier, Jersey (08704 867462, http://www.seymourhotels.com/PommedOrHotel). A 100 year old hotel, very friendly, most comfortable and in the liveliest part of St. Helier.
  • Caverna, Simon Place, St. Helier, Jersey (01534 873366, www.cavernajersey.com). A typical B&B in a fairly central location, but the highlight is that it offers a single room for the solo traveller.
  • The Royal Yacht, Weighbridge, St. Helier, Jersey (01534 720511, www.theroyalyacht.com). A 4-star luxurious hotel on the waterfront catering to those up for a bit of indulgence. The spa at the hotel is a big hit with travellers.

Golf Courses

  • Jersey Recreation Grounds, St. Clement, Jersey (01534 21938). Open to golfers of all abilities.
  • Wheatlands Golf Course and Country Hotel, St. Peter, Jersey (01534 888844, www.wheatlandsgolf.com). A challenging 9-hole golf course set out in 30 acres of parkland and structured beautifully around the natural habitat.
  • Royal Jersey Golf Club, Grouville, Jersey (01534 854416, www.royaljersey.com). A 129 year old club that requires proof of handicap.

Activities

  • A Visit to Mont Orgueil, Gorey, St. Martin, Jersey (www.jerseyheritagetrust.org), a 13th C. castle built to protect the island from the French. This is considered one of the best preserved castles in Britain.
  • Occupation Tapesty Gallery, New North Quay, St. Helier, Jerset For war history buffs, a museum detailing life in Jersey during the German occupation. There is also a Maritime Museum at the same location.
  • La Hougue Bie, Grouville, Jersey (www.prehistoricjersey.net), an excavated neolithic burial mound with geology and archaeology galleries nearby.

Useful Information

Isle of Man/Ronaldsway (EGNS)

Airport information

Nearest town: Douglas (7 miles by car), Isle of Man

Opening Times:

  • Winter: Mon-Sat 0615-2045; Sun 0700-2045; and by arrangement
  • Summer: Mon-Sat 0515-1945; Sun 0600-1945; and by arrangement

Longest Runway: 1754m, Asphalt/Concrete

Fuel: AVTUR JET A-1. AVGAS 100LL

Phone: 01624 821600

Website: www.iom-airport.com, Wikipedia entry

AIP: plates and airport diagram

Landing fees: From £8 for aircraft 500 kg and under to £16 per tonne or part thereof for aircraft 3001kg and over (details on annual fees/discounts etc available at http://www.gov.im/lib/docs/airport/feesexternal0708.pdf)

Airport Map

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Airport services

  • Handling: No compulsory handling outside the restricted zone. For light aircraft, handling available from Manx Flyers Aero Club (01624 825999, www.manxflyersaeroclub.com) or Island Aviation and Travel Ltd.(01624 824300)
  • Taxis: Taxis available from taxi rank at the entrance to the terminal building. More details available at http://www.iom-airport.com/lib/docs/airport/taxidetails.pdf
  • Car Hire: Isle of Man Rent A Car (01624 825855, www.isleofmanrentacar.co.uk), Mylchreests Car Rental (01624 825587)
  • Facilities at airport: Cafe and bar, parent and baby room, traveller’s shop, fax and photocopying facility, wi-fi at selected areas
  • Flying Schools: Ashley Gardner School of Flying (01624 823454), Manx Flyers Aero Club (01624 825999, www.manxflyersaeroclub.com)

Pubs

  • Queens Pub, Queens Promenade, Douglas (01624 674438). A large-ish pub that serves some good handpulled real ales and has fine views over the bay.
  • The Rovers Return, Church Street, Douglas (01624 676459). A quirky and locally popular pub that serves the Bushys range of beers. One room is dedicated to the Blackburn Rovers!
  • The Railway, Lake Road, Douglas (01624 673157). Spacious and comfortably furnished, this pub serves a good range of foreign beers.

Restaurants

  • Tanroagan, 9, Ridgeway Street, Douglas (01624 612355, www.tanroagan.co.uk). Cafe style restaurant located in the quay area. Here, they are serious about their seafood.
  • Archibald Knox, Avon Dale Road, Onchan (01624 613203). Named after the influential 20th C. British designer, this is really a family pub, but its good value meals make it popular with the locals.

Hotels

  • The Town House, 24, Loch Promenade, Douglas (01624 626125). Apartment-hotel with six luxurious suites, suitable for independent travellers who want their space.
  • Mereside, 1, Empire Terrace, Douglas (01624 676355). Family-run guest house with very friendly service and sea views from the eight rooms.
  • Glen Mona, 6, Mona Drive, Douglas (01624 676755, www.glenmona-iom.co.uk). Another family run hotel, conveniently located close to town centre and includes a fairly well-stocked bar.

Golf Courses

  • Pulrose Golf Course, Pulrose Road, Douglas (01624 661558). A 100 year old golf course at the outskirts of Douglas. Has some challenging holes.
  • King Edward Bay Golf Club, Howstrake, Groudle Road, Onchan (01624 620430). A course situated on elevated mountain turf, with imposing views all around the srurrounding region.

Activities

  • Manx Aviation and Military museum (01624 829294, www.maps.iofm.net). A short distance from the airport, this museum focuses on the island’s aviation history and also houses the relics of many air crashes.
  • A visit to the House of Manannan museum (01624 648000) , an introduction to the Celtic and Viking traditions of the island.
  • Nature and countryside walks around the island, including a visit to Curraghs Wildlife Park (01624 897323, www.gov.im/wildlife), a refuge for endangered wetland species from around the world.
  • Water sports and whale/shark watching at various coastal locations around the island.

Useful Information

Humberside (EGNJ)

Airport information

Nearest town: Grimsby (12 miles by car), North Lincolnshire

Opening Times: Winter: 0630-2115; Summer: 0530-2015

Longest Runway: 2196m, Asphalt and Concrete

Fuel: AVTUR JET A-1. AVGAS 100LL

Phone: 01652 688456

Website: www.humbersideairport.com, Wikipedia entry

AIP: plates and airport diagram

Landing fee is £16.70 or part thereof for aircraft up to 3 tonnes and £20.00 or part thereof for aircraft over 3 tonnes.

Note: Flights outside the published hours can operate after gaining an ‘Extension of Hours’ as identified in the UK AIP. Additional landing and other charges are levied for these. [Read more…] about Humberside (EGNJ)

Sion (LSGS)

Sion, in Switzerland, is the perfect place to start with some mountain flying. The airport is located along the Rhône valley in the Swiss Alps, surrounded by mountainous peaks with summits well above 10’000 feet. The runway is at roughly 1’500 feet and if you need an escape route, it is possible to fly along the Rhône to Lake Geneva area at 2’500 feet. This is also an easy way to find Sion: fly from the eastern end of Lake Geneva, follow the Rhône, turn left at Martigny and you’ll have the runway in sight.

Because of the local aerology, the active runway is almost always 25. If you come from the west, you’ll fly an interesting circuit. You’ll fly much closer to ground than to mountain tops. A small town on the right hand-side is exactly at pattern altitude – don’t miss the photo of the white church. The valley is not as tight as at Samedan, but there is not engoug room for a base leg. Simply fly a continuous turn from end of downwind to final.

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Don’t be surprised if you get traffic informations about military aircraft. Sion is an air-force base frequented by F-18s but also business jets, KingAirs and a lot of rescue and taxi helicopters. Beware of the arresting cables and nets before the threshold: your landing gear and prop would probably not survive if you land a bit short of threshold and roll over this military gear. The positive side of the military nature of the airport is the runway itself: over 2’000 meters of concrete with lights and PAPI.

There is an IGS procedure (no typo, this is an Instrument Guidance System). The localizer has an offset of more than 7 degrees with the runway axis and the glide slope ends a few thousand meters before the runway. Unless you can start the approach at FL180 and have local training, don’t even think about flying an IFR approach. Your best option for a leaving is St-Prex VOR (SPR) or Fribourg VOR (FRI), then fly below Geneva TMA through the mountains or via the Rhône valley.

One word about mountain flying for pilots not having experience with this kind of operations. Don’t consider flying in the Alps if the winds at FL050 and FL100 are above 20 knots. You could encounter serious turbulence and downdrafts, possibly well above what a light aircraft can compensate for. Apart from that, getting to Sion is really easy, and many flying excursions are possible from there: Matterhorn, Aletsch glacier, Jungfraujoch, Saanen, …

Click here to see a YouTube video a passenger of mine made of a landing. The video starts by begin of downwind 25, shows the famous church, the base turn, and ends after touchdown. This is in a DA40 TDI, flying approximately 110 knots on downwind and 70 knots on final. Flying the same circuit with a faster plane can become impressive, but the valley is not that narrow.

In the “airport restaurant” category, the local one is slightly above average. The possibilities for Golf, Hotel and Whiskey in the Valais area are countless, but if I had to retain only one resort, this would be Crans-Montana. The 9-hole course designed by Jack Nicklaus is really a wonder… Finally, because it’s a vineyards region, The “W” should for this time stand for “Wine”.

Kemble (EGBP)

Airport information

Nearest town: Cirencester (5 miles by car), Gloucestershire

Opening Times: Winter: 0900-1700 or SS, and by arrangement; Summer: 0800-1700, and by arrangement

Longest Runway: 2009m, Asphalt

Fuel: AVTUR JET A1, AVGAS 100LL

Phone: 01285 771177

Website: www.kembleairport.com, Wikipedia entry

AIP: plates and airport diagram

Landing fees: From £8.50 for aircraft 450 kg and under to £22 for aircraft in the 1651 – 2750 kg range (Lowest fire cover option; higher cover available)

Note: Flight Information Service (FIS) available during standard opening times but the airport may switch to an Air/Ground (A/G) service during quiet periods. All circuits need to be pre-booked.

Airport Map

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Airport services

Pubs

  • The Tunnel House Inn, Coates, Cirencester (01285 770280, www.tunnelhouse.com). A pub whose decor can be described as a bit of everything collected over the years; Great views from the garden and a choice of ales from local breweries make it a popular choice.
  • The Wild Duck Inn, Drakes Island, Ewen, Cirencester (01285 770310, www.thewildduckinn.co.uk). A 16th century inn with a cozy bar and comfortable seating in the garden, for sunny days.
  • The Mad Hatter Wine Bar, Castle Street, Cirencester (01285 642371). Fancy a change from quaffing beer? This wine bar has a good selection of wines though the beer drinker isn’t entirely ignored!

Restaurants

  • AV8, Kemble Airport (01285 771188).  AV8, the airport restaurant, has fine views of the runway and is commonly considered one of the best on-airport restaurants in the UK.
  • Bathurst Arms, North Cerney Cirencester (01285 831281, www.bathurstarms.com). British and Italian food with a focus on local ingredients. Served in a comfortable old-style setting.
  • Indian Rasoi, Dollar Street, Cirencester (01285 644826). Indian food and a choice of Asian beers in contemporary settings.

Hotels

  • The Fleece Hotel, Market Place, Cirencester (01285 658507, www.fleecehotel.co.uk). The Fleece Hotel is close to everything worth visiting in Cirencester. Visitors insist that inspite of its not being quite a ‘modern’ hotel, it has a certain charm and sense of history. The good breakfasts help!
  • The Ivy House B&B, Victoria Road, Cirencester (01285 656626, www.ivyhousecotswolds.com). A lovely 19th century house within walking distance of central Cirencester and noted for the friendliest owners. The wi-fi may be an added attraction.
  • Cotswold Willow Pool, Oaksey Road, Pool Keynes, Cirencester (01285 861485, www.willowpool.com). A B&B a little out of the ordinary – this is a lakeside home in the Cotswold Water Park, with all the rooms overlooking private lakes.

Activities

  • The popular Kemble air show with its RAF displays is scheduled for the 20th and 21st June 2009 (www.kembleairday.com)
  • For WW2 buffs! Kemble Airport hosts a Battle of Britain weekend on 19th and 20th Sept, 2009 complete with a flying display of vintage aeroplanes.
  • Visit to the Church of St. John the Baptist at Cirencester, one of the largest churches in England.
  • Cirencester has a farmers market every Monday and Friday and an antiques market every Friday.

Useful Information