Dublin International   EIDW

Date of Visit = 09/99

Pilot: = Tom McCormack

e-mail = Tom@tmcc.demon.co.uk

Field Report = Dublin International is relatively GA friendly, and they have recently installed a self-service credit card-accepting 100LL fuel pump on the GA parking area.

(Dublin used to be a pain before the arival of the fuel pump as GA had to wait until all the big jets had been fueled before getting the AVGAS bowser out to them.)

Dublin has mandatory handling by a company called Parc Air. Good service, but why pay gbp 30 if you don't need to?

Typical landing handling and parking fee for less than 12 hours stay is about 35.00 - rising to about 48 for 24 hours.

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Routing VFR from the UK:

Routing from Bristol depends on how nervous you are over water. I fly to Ireland 8 or 10 times per year in a single. Only two people ever fly the plane, so I have a relatively high level of confidence. The glide rate is also so poor that anywhere more than 10 miles from the coast and I am going to get wet if the donkey stops. - so it becomes a little irrelevant.

I choose between three route options:

1) Bristol - Hawarden - Anglesey - KIL. Stays over fairly low ground, less risk of turbulence and icing - sea crossing follows route of Ferry boats so maximise chances of being picked up - avoids danger areas and controlled airspace - Radar service available for just about al the trip.

2) Bristol - Strumble - KIL stays over fairly low ground (Brecon hills can be turbulent and SSA can be above the freezing level). Longish stretch over water but are never very far from land. Need permission to cross D201, need to calculate your point of crossing the FIR to put on fltplan (I use 11nm south of Liffey). On weekdays - good chance of seeing RAF Hawks at play. Lose radar cover 25 NW of Cardiff, may get radar from Valley depending on day and alt.

3) Bristol - Strumble - Rosslare - coast line to Dublin as above - but shorter sea crossing (62nm). Poor radar cover along eastern coast of Ireland due to shielding behind mountains.