Greece Freight Work

[thereceiver2004]

Hi guys
currently flying the ATR42 for a uk based airline, flying pax around, moving onto greece soon to carry out some freight work out of athens around the islands to thessoloniki etc...

just wondered, never flown in this area before, whats the flying like, ATC, structured airways, common IFR flight plans and operations.. any hints suggestions advice

cheers
TR

[the flyingenglishman]

TR,

I have a friend who flew out there a couple of years back. The ATC were good in general, but although they had radar, they didn't use it to ease the pilot workload. They weren't being paid any extra for being radar controllers, so they just monitored aircraft and knew what was going on but still required pilots to make compulsory position reports etc. so flights were conducted as if radar was non-existant. I am not sure if it is still this way today, maybe someone else will know.:ok:

Flying Englishman.

[Kyprianos Biris]

TR,
I am not sure if it is still this way today, maybe someone else will know.:ok:
Flying Englishman.

It still is this way because controlled airspace in LGGG FIR is only the one within the airways. So en route ATCO's are uncomfortable with clearing sortcuts that bring you off airways.

APP ATCO's will do all the stuff you expect and they are very good. APP terminal radars are curently fully operational in Athens, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Iraklion and Kerkyra.

Apart from the above cities (airports) all the rest is procedural approach ATC.