Trips / Tuscany
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With Veleda, Charlotte and Maurits to Tuscany. August 8/24, 2008 |  |
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Date, Destination (legs)
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From Lelystad to Kagiswil
On Friday, August 8, 2008, Charlotte and Rene departed from Lelystad early in the morning for a direct flight to Buochs, Switzerland. Near Trier the weather became too bad, and we stopped
at Trier-Fohren to wait for the weather to improve. After two hours we continued our journey, and we followed the Rhein from Strasbourg to Basel to avoid the higher Black Forest, that was in low clouds.
When we arrived in Buochs, we cleared formalities and continued for a short flight to Kagiswil where we parked the plane overnight (Buochs was closed in the weekend).
Legs of August 8, 2008
Take-off RWY 23 Lelystad
Pause at Trier-Fohren because of the weather
Rene at Trier-Fohren
Sursee at Sempaer See in Switzerland
Buochs
Charlotte on the ground at Buochs
Approaching Kagiswil airfield
Rene at Kagiswil
Trips / top
From Kagiswil to Mensanello
On Saturday Maurits was going to join Rene to Florence.
From Kagiswil, Rene contacted Micheli to request permission to land at the private airfield of Tenuta di Mensanello in Tuscany.
I was of course very welcome, no problem, and we planned for the journey to Mensanello.
The GAFOR indicated that the Gotthard was closed because of clouds, but the western part of Switzerland was good flying weather.
We decided to leave Switzerland via Sion in the Rhone Valley.
The GAFOR indicated that the Gemmipass to the Rhone Valley was "Difficult",
but Rene decided that if we could not enter the Rhone Valley via the Gemmipass we could fly around to enter the Rhone Valley from the west.
Legs of August 9, 2008
Maurits at Kagiswil the next day
To Sion via Gemmipass
Long final RWY 25 Sion
Maurits at Sion
Aletsch gletscher
Ganterbrucke to Simplonpass
Lago Maggiore
Approaching Firenze Peretola airport
Final RWY 05 Firenze Peretola
Rene at Florence airport
Florence after departure RWY 05
Mensanello airfield
Trips / top
To Elba
On Monday, August 11, 2008, Rene and Charlotte made a day trip to Marina di Campo, on the island of Elba. After the visit we returned to Mensanello via Siena, where we fueled.
Legs of August 11, 2008
At Mensanello airfield
Piombino on the west coast
Approaching Marina di Campo
Rene at Marina di Campo
Elba
Siena airport
Fueling at Siena
Back to Mensanello
Trips / top
To Corsica
| On Thursday, August 14, 2008, we brought Wies from San Vincenzo to Bastia, on Corsica. Charlotte and Maurits joined for the trip. We first flew from Mensanello to San Vincenzo, on the west coast north of Piombino, where Wies joined us. We crossed the Tyrrhenian Sea in about thirty minutes. After leaving Wies with friends at Bastia, Charlotte, Maurits and Rene continued for a flight to Corte, in the inland of Corsica. At Corte we had lunch, and then we flew to Pratello, a private airfield in the Firenze airspace. At the hotel nearby the field we had a refreshment from the friendly owner Paolo, and then we flew back to Mensanello. |
 Trip of August 14, 2008 |
From Mensanello to San Vincenzo
San Vincenzo airfield
Final RWY 16 Bastia
Charlotte, Wies and Maurits at Bastia
To Corte airfield
Rene, Maurits and Charlotte at Corte
Approaching the coast at Bastia
The Peccioli/Pratello airfield
Maurits and Charlotte at Pratello
Back at Mensanello
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To Assisi
On Saturday, August 16, 2008, Rene, Veleda, Charlotte and Maurits made a trip to Assisi.
We flew to Perugia, and from there We took a taxi from Perugia airport to Assisi.
We walked around Assisi, and also visited the Basilica of San Francesco d'Assisi and the Basilica of Santa Chiara.
Trip to Assisi, August 16, 2008
Take-off RWY 25 Mensanello
Lago Trasimeno
Perugia
Rene at Perugia airport
Charlotte, Veleda and Maurits in Assisi
Departing Perugia
Maurits, Rene and Charlotte at Mensanello
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To Rome
On Monday, August 18, we made a trip to Rome.
We departed early in the morning, and set route to Urbe airport just north of Rome.
From Urbe airport we took a bus a few kilometers south, and then further by subway to the centre of Rome.
After a long day of walking through Rome, we returned to Urbe airport where we took-off early in the evening to fly back to Mensanello.
Trip to Rome, August 18, 2008
Maurits co-pilot
En-route to Rome
Lago di Bolsena
Rome, Urbe airport
Vatican
Coloseum
Having a break
Pantheon
Take-off RWY 34 Rome, Urbe
Near Siena
Trips / top
To Arezzo and Montecchio-Podere
On Tuesday, August 19, 2008, Rene made a flying trip to Arezzo and Montecchio-Podere.
Trip of August 19, 2008
From Mensanello to Arezzo
Left base RWY 30 Arezzo
Rene at Arezzo
PH-EAH at Arezzo
From Arezzo to Montecchio-Podere
Montecchio-Podere
Take-off RWY 23 Montecchio-Podere
San Gimignano
Trips / top
To Ravenna
On Thursday, August 21, we flew to Ravenna.
We could not reach anyone by phone in the morning at Ravenna airport, so we first flew to Lugo di Romangna.
There we found out that Ravenna airport was not officially open, but that we could land there at our own risk.
We continued to Ravenna airport, and at the airport restaurant we called for a taxi.
The old town of Ravenna is not too big, and we started our walk at the Basilica of Sant'Apollinare.
The last Basilica we visited was the Basillica San Viltale before returning to the airport.
We flew back to Mensanello via Forli airport, where we fueled.
Trip to Ravenna, August 21, 2008
Leaving early for Lugo
Passing Florence (Firenze)
Over the mountains
Final RWY 03 Lugo di Romangna
Rene and Maurits at Lugo di Romagna
Departing for Ravenna
Over Ravenna
Approaching Ravenna RWY 26
At Ravenna airport
In Ravenna
Veleda and Rene
Approaching Forli for fueling
Maurits in a Tiger Moth at Forli
Departing Forli for Mensanello
Trips / top
From Mensanello to Locarno
On Friday, August 22, Rene first flew to Locarno via Brescia, while Veleda, Charlotte and Maurits stayed one day longer in Italy.
The idea was for Rene to fly to Hausen am Albis in Switzerland to visit Carsten and Maria, but when Rene got in Locarno to clear formalities,
the Gotthard was getting in clouds, and Rene stayed the night in Locarno.
Legs to Locarno, August 22, 2008
Airfield operator Filippo with Rene
Veleda waving good-bye
Final Brescia RWY 32
At Brescia to clear customs
Near Lugano, Switzerland
Locarno RWY 26R
Trips / top
From Locarno to Freiburg
On Saturday morning, August 23, Rene crossed the Gotthard to Hausen am Albis,
and visited Carsten and Maria in Zug who where about to leave for South America.
Veleda, Charlotte and Maurits drove to Freiburg, visiting the San Siro stadium in Milan on the way to Freiburg.
In the afternoon Rene also continued to Freiburg via Grenchen.
Normally Rene would have cleared formalities in Birrfeld,
but the airport was closed the second half of the afternoon because of a remote controlled aircraft event.
In the evening Rene, Veleda, Charlotte and Maurits were back together in Freiburg.
Legs to Freiburg, August 23, 2008
Departing Locarno RWY 08L
Approaching Urnersee
At Hausen am Albis
Carsten and Rene
Final Grenchen concrete RWY 25
At Grenchen
Approaching Freiburg
Rene at Freiburg
Trips / top
From Freiburg to Lelystad
On Sunday, August 24, Maurits and Rene flew to Lelystad. Upon arriving at uncontrolled Lelystad,
a local instructor was teaching his student that there is absolutely no problem to line-up behind a landing airplane
and wait on the runway while another following plane is on final,
and to just force that other plane to go-around, but otherwise it would have been an uneventful flight.
It was a great holiday, and certainly one I can recommend if you have the opportunity.
Leg to Lelystad, August 24, 2008
Rene and Maurits at Freiburg
En-route to Lelystad
Co-pilot and captain
Lelystad
Trips / top