Never Again: Change of plans

Using IFR low-level charts, I found a two-leg route that circumvented the Alps. I obtained all en route airport plates and reviewed relevant notams. Weather was VFR and the flight plan was submitted to EuroControl in Brussels. On the morning of the flight, the plan was rejected. I had to telephone Brussels and negotiate an acceptable routing. Not only was this plan completely different, it also stipulated a departure in 30 minutes.

This allowed only the most simplified fuel calculations to be completed. Zadar (LDZD) on the coast of Croatia could be reached with one hour of reserve fuel, so off I went. The flight was uneventful until passing Graz, Austria (LOWG). Croatian ATC began issuing seemingly random diversions. My fuel reserve was rapidly dwindling, and it was clear I would not land with minimum reserves. Declaring low fuel, I diverted to Rijeka (LDRI) and filled up with 100LL. Because I declared low fuel, Croatian authorities had to document the “emergency” for hours.

EuroControl flight plan negotiations began afresh. My proposed route was south to the Greek Islands and then east. This avoided high terrain and offered numerous airports on route. Again rejected, the route offered was over mountainous terrain in Albania and Macedonia, with no en route airports, a stiff headwind, and a “take it or leave it” off-block time in 30 minutes. With only the most basic fuel calculations completed, I departed.

Almost immediately, ATC began diversions from the agreed routing and filed altitude. FL120 (12,000 feet) was assigned (service ceiling of my XL2), requiring oxygen as the sun was setting. At this level, the headwind was 20 knots stronger than planned. Kavala could not be reached with my available fuel. Furthermore, accumulative delays meant that the airport would be closed at my ETA; I diverted to Thessaloniki (LGTS).

Then, ATC informed me that Kavala would await my late arrival and asked my intentions. My GPS estimated a time en route of 1:05. Ten minutes earlier it was 2:15. The headwind had switched to a tailwind! As I turned westbound, the headwind returned and the ETE shot back to two hours. Back to Thessaloniki, where I shot the ILS 14 approach. With my fuel at the required reserve, I landed and taxied to the ramp.

The lineman chirped: “Welcome to Thessaloniki, you are going to be stuck with us for some time.” 100LL was no longer available at this airport. My iPad app had indicated that 100LL was available; notams had yet to be updated. Luckily, I was able to beg some 100LL from a local flying club. Fuel could only be purchased for $20 per gallon in cash. After emptying my wallet, my tank was only three-quarters full, but that would get me to Kavala.

Finally arriving, I learned that avgas was also not available at Kavala. No sightseeing trips around the Greek Islands; I needed the fuel to get home. My business completed, I opted to leave on Friday. More EuroControl negotiations were required for an IFR plan to Belgrade, Serbia. The fuel requirements were sufficient and off I went.

Less than 10 minutes into the route, ATC diverted me east to Bulgaria, avoiding Serbian military operations (not on notams). Soon, something more ominous appeared over the radio. All radio traffic appeared to be heavy iron, and they were diverting for weather. Without on-board weather radar, I was at ATC’s mercy. They vectored me directly into a supercell thunderstorm. Picking up rime ice with extreme turbulence, I declared another emergency and was vectored back to the original Serbian route.

Diversions/weather avoidance had reduced fuel to critical levels. Either it was Belgrade (LYBE) with exhausted tanks or another diversion. The GPS nearest airports offered a few grass fields and only one airport with a hard surface. For the third time, I declared a low-fuel emergency and headed to the hard-surface airport, Ladevci (LYKV). Unfortunately, this was a military airbase.

At the parking area, military vehicles surrounded my airplane; out poured armed soldiers with police following. We tied down the XL2, covered it, and dashed for cover as hail began to fall. Hours passed as I sat surrounded by soldiers, police, and airport staff in the office of the base commander. It took some time to convince them I was not a subversive. After multiple forms were filled out and documents copied, everyone wanted to go home and get rid of this bothersome pilot. Avgas was available, but I could only pay in cash. I was short of cash, so soldiers took up a collection to buy me enough fuel to get to Belgrade. The flight home was uneventful.

General aviation IFR flying in the Balkans is more difficult than in the United States. IFR is primarily for commercial operators. For GA, IFR flight planning is a negotiation exercise with EuroControl, and it appears that ATC is often unfamiliar with GA operations and limitations. While some resources are being developed to address this problem, extreme care must be taken when flying GA aircraft in this region. ATC tends to issue multiple diversions when flying IFR flight plans. Legal fuel requirements and even higher personal fuel requirements may not be sufficient. Prudence would suggest that flights in this region should be planned with a minimum of two hours of fuel reserve. Alternatively, one could fly VFR. However, many areas in the Balkans are not accessible to VFR traffic.

Finally, iPad apps provide valuable information about airport facilities. However, these resources can be wrong: Only later did I learn that 100LL is almost impossible to buy in Greece. There is no substitute for doing one’s homework prior to departure. And remember: Always have lots of cash whenever you fly in Europe, especially in the Balkans.

Robert Tompkins is a CFI and MEI who lives in Oberursel, Germany.