Hans Gutmann rally documents are now ready

The documentation for the upcoming rally to Georgia is now ready and will be sent out today to the persons who’ve indicated their interest. If you are interested to join, please send an email to info@georgia2016.eu


Regarding the delivery of AVGAS in Georgia, which was the most challenging part of the organisation, we’ve now agreed with the Vanilla Sky team at Natakhari that our participating pilots can preorder some AVGAS. That proved to be the most reliable solution. All the details are in the documentation


maps of Georgia issue

Skydemon is expanding rapidly with their maps of European FIR’s and recently made some great efforts with regards to Eastern Europe. I’ve been using therefore Skydemon in parallel to Jeppesen on my Ipad. The good point about Skydemon is that we can use them on our rally to Georgia all the way from Luxembourg to Turkey (included). However, Georgia is not mapped by them although general aviation starts developping over there. 


Our organisation team member Guido Peterzelka therefore contacted Skydemon Tim Lawson. Unfortunately, Tim Lawson of Skydemon learned us that Turkey was a huge amount of effort for Skydemon, for very little reward, and it’s unlikely Skydemon would chart Georgia any time soon….. too bad !

So, do we have to procure ourselves with road maps of Georgia ? Nope, there’s a map of Georgia which can be found online at Skyvector, which is quite instructive

Aerial map of republic of Georgia
Flying around in Georgia is different from Western Europe. Our team members Artem Kirillov and Mike Kornev are cooperating with the Vanilla Sky team at Natakhari airfield in order to work out some routes within Georgia.
Last year, Jean Birgen and myself have been flying the route between Tbilisi and tropical (and moist) Batumi. There were some low hanging clouds in Batumi, but the views on this road were absolutely spectacular.
beautiful Batumi in Georgia

Fuel stop scheduled at Engiz airport, Turkey

I was a bit confused as I could not find anything on Engiz airport in Turkey, which is the scheduled fuel stop on our way to Georgia: It does not show up here in this Wikepedia list and neither in this detailed list and it has no ICAO code either ? It cannot be found in Skydemon (where this airfield is not mentioned either, although a GA one).In fact, I didn’t find any info about this airport our friend Turgut was mentioning. Is it a secret airfield? Turgut learned me there are some other interesting GA fields in Turkey but they are not listed anywhere.

The answers are herunder:  

First, here’s an aerial view of Engiz airport (Google earth), but you can’t find it on Google maps strangely enough. Here’s the kmz file of Engiz airfield which you can use in Google Earth. The GPS coordinates are  41°30’38.40″N and  36° 7’10.89″O

Engiz airport, norrthwest of Samsun, directly near the beach



Engiz airport

Our friend Turgut Kulacoglu provided some more details on the so called Engiz airfield (nearby Samsun University), to which he flies quite often.

First, Engiz does not have an ICAO code. We’ll use ZZZZ in flight plans. 


Actually Engiz airport was a grass field in the past. Buildings around were tobacco silos.

The university got the field from Turkish Government 3 years ago and paved it to use for training.

It is a ZZZZ field with 2 huge hangars. All you do is approach there under control of Samsun Carsamba airport, Turgut does it all the time. They have sufficient Avgas (latest info Avgas price is currently US$ 2.90 or approx. 2.65 Euro/Lt.). Please bring your AOPA membership card with you as it reduces the handling cost from 70 to 35€

Further, Turgut learned me they have got minor and major maintenance and they are very friendly as such:)

 They even have medical check for aviators .

Approach is via Samsun Carsamba airport appr/tower 

Frequencies are : 

  • CARSAMBA Approach:118.17 
  • CARSAMBA Approach:118.22 
  • CARSAMBA ATIS:129.35 
  • CARSAMBA Tower:118.27 
  • CARSAMBA Tower:118.35 

Samsun Engiz airfield (University) 1

Samsun Engiz airfield runway 19(University) 2

Samsun Engiz airfield hangars  (University) 3

On our arrival day Engiz will give us a frequency to handle the landing and ground traffic.

After refueling at Engiz you can fly from there to Ordu-Giresun to handle the customs formalities and fly to Batumi. 


minutes meeting

We’ve had a constructive meeting with the organisation team and very good progress was made. As we like with our new organisation team to have an open approach, we hereby share the minutes of our meeting and related action points:

organisation teamù Hans Gutmann rally 2016

Routing

  • The routing of the upcoming rally has now been finalized. Peter Sodermans creates a google spreadsheet with the details, which is published as well on the blog (done). 
  • Mike Kornev will complete Peter’s Google spreadsheet with navigation details, to show pilots the distance betweens the legs and what the availibity of AVGAS concerns on our way to Georgia
Subscription fee: 

  • There’s a one-time 250€ subscription fee per plane for participating at the rally, independently of the number of passengers.Mike Kornev is to open bank account this week for allowing pilots to subscribe. It is agreed that only when the due amount is duly received that an inscription of a participating plane is validated. We’ll shortly publish on the website a list what is included in the subscription fee.
  • As mentioned on the blog post related to fuel, any pilot who likes to buy fuel in Georgia needs to calculate and commit in advance. A payment needs to be secured for this purpose to the account Mike is to open.
  • Mike/Artem to update the rules and terms of the rally so that it fits legally as we are a non-profit collective of individual pilots organizing this memorial

    Logding:

    • Jean Birgen has reserved the Aero Hotel at our gathering point in Hungary. 
    • Guido Peterzelka will review hotels around the airfields where we are staying overnight on our way to Natakhari, meaning aroudn Yenisehir in Turkey and Batumi in Georgia. We’ll select two hotels per location, a first class hotel and a cheaper alternative. Pilots and their passengers should make reservations and manage these themselves via a link we’ll provide (booking.com); Guido will come up with a proposal for hotels on both these places. Wifi availability is a must at any hotel
    • In Georgia, there’s a nice hotel located directly at the swimming pool. Artem to arrange that we book the whole hotel for our pilot’s team at least for the first night of arrival. We will likely have more pilots than rooms available at Natakhari, Artem to coordinate with Vanilla Sky to have alternatives in Georgia available. Further, Guido and Artem to seek alternative lodging options in Georgia.

    Flying over Tbilisi:


    • Peter to check with Georgian authorities (GCAA)whether we can get a permission to fly in a formation over the capital of Tbilisi on August 9. This would be nice and give the rally some visibility.
    Tourist part:

    • Several pilots have announced to let their family come over by regular flights in order to spent holidays in Georgia. Guido to contact the agency caucasusjourneys so that they can work out tailors made trips for individual families, as every one has their own idea what they like to visit in Georgia.
    • Peter to connect Guido with Amiran Ivanidze of the Georgian of the Georgian Tourist agency
    • Artem iwill check with Vanilla Sky’s Amiran (seems a popular name in Georgia btw) in order to get flying routes to Mestia, Telavi, Batumi etc…in advance, so pilots can fly these routes whilst their stay in Georgia.
    Maps

    • Jepessen Flite Deck does not cover Eastern Europe, only Skydemon covers this and has recently added Turkey.
    • Guido Peterzelka to contact Skydemon asking whether Georgia can be added as well prior to August as we’ll have some 30 pilots needing maps of Georgia
    • Guido to address to Skydemon that Engiz airport (north of Samsun, near the University) is not listed in their program. Turgut has provided aeral pictures. It is viewable in Google Earth, but not in Google Maps
    Website

    • Mike Kornev to further update the website

    Maps

    • Jean Birgen to ask Marco Felten to design a nice looking official map, now the routes are known
    SIM Card

    • Mike and Artem to arrange that pilots get a data sim card which can be used during the rally provided by their company MTX Connect. Details to be announced in the package details about the 250€ subscription fee.


    Customs procedure & handling cost


    • Romain Fouarge will check up the customs issue at the airports we’re attending. He’ll contact the individual airports and will check opening times, rules and regulations. It is suggested to add the obtained information to the Google online spreadsheet.
    • In advance of the start of the rally, the individual airports need to be informed by Romain that a large number of airplanes will visit their airport, in order to ensure a proper handling and to avoid bottlenecks.

      AVGAS issue in Georgia has been addressed

      Our organisation team member Artem Kirillov has been quite active in order to ensure that our group get’s access to AVGAS in Georgia. The issue here was that in Georgia, planes fly with MOGAS. Further, general aviation as such is only at the beginning in Georgia. 


      AVGAS issue in Georgia has been addressed


      The owner of the Natakhari airport and Vanilla Sky operation, AmiraManjavidze, who warmly welcome our exploration team last year is willing to help our pilots out.

      Here are the details of the agreement which Artem has made with Amiran Manjavidze of Vanilla Sky on the AVGAS delivery;

      1. Amiran of Vanilla Sky is ready to order AVGAZ 100LL in the amount of 5000 liters.
      2. Amiran will forward us the Quality and Conformity Certificates for the fuel and the validity date within couple of days.
      3. Amiran of Vanilla Sky is ready to purchase and deliver fuel to Georgia on his behalf without prepayment from us under the following conditions:
        •                – Organizing Committee issues an official Guaranty Letter that Rally with consume minimum 2000 liters.
        •                – in the actual consumption is less than 2000 liters Rally members should complete additional payment towards this minimum amount.           
        •                – Vanilla Sky will be offering fuel on per-customer basis accepting local/foreign cash and major international credit cards.
        •                – Primary re-fueling site will be Natakhtari Airfield (Vanilla Sky hangars)
        •                – Optional re-fueling can be provided at Batumi International Airport (exact amount should be communicated to Vanilla Sky reasonably in advance to give them time to negotiate Batumi Airfield Security Zone access permission and re-fueling apron)


        Further, Artem agreed with Amiran 

        Manjavidze of Vanilla Sky that


        • Airport fees in Batumi and Tbilisi International cannot be waived as these airports operated by private Turkish Company and Georgian Government has no abilities to issue a waiver.
        • Vanilla Sky will be collecting Airport duties for Mestia and Telavi airfield.
        • Vanilla Sky will provide NavAids and Pilot Briefing before departure from Batumi to Natakhari.
        • An VAnilla Sky Georgian appointed pilot with all required charts and waypoint list will arrive to Batumi and conduct the briefing.
        What remains to be done: 
          1. An official letter from Vanilla Sky that fuel in amount of 5000 liters is confirmed among with all certificates and conformity papers and retail price to be published on Georgia-2016 web site.
          2. We should define Fuel Deposit terms and conditions for Rally Members to be collected in addition to Subscription Fee already announced.
          3. We should inform all pilot to do accurate Fuel Planning and share the Georgia part of the Planning with Organizing Committee as soon as possible.
          4. Once Fuel Confirmation Letter has been granted we should official Start the Rally and continue all other negotiations regarding accommodation and leisure program.

        new routing list update May 30 now available


        The routing of the upcoming rally has now been finalized. 


        Peter Sodermans created a google spreadsheet with the details, which is published hereunder. Mike Kornev will complete Peter’s Google spreadsheet with navigation details, to show pilots the distance betweens the legs and what the availibity of AVGAS concerns on our way to Georgia. Mike is to integrate this spreadsheet when finalized on the website

        We’ve drafted a new routing list, following advanced insights. We’ve now scheduled a fuel stop in Sofia, Bulgaria and changed our overnight stay in Turkey to Bursa Yenishir airport. Turgut confirmed us that the Engiz airport nearby Samsun in Turkey is a friendly place for a fuel stop. We’ll handle customs in Turkey at Ordu Giresun (the spectacular sea airport) prior to fly into Batumi Georgia. Artem negotiated that the owners of the Georgian Natakhari airport will have some AVGAS available at Batumi. This was quite a challenge, but seems to work out now. The same for Natakhari airfield in Georgia, which is becoming our regional basis in Georgia. There’s AVGAS available (based upon pre commitment basis).

        If Georgia authorities validate this, we’ll add some scenic in country flights in Georgia as well

        Date Departure location ICAO code Destination ICAO code Comment NM Customs on destination Avgas on destination Handling cost destination Length runway Grass or concrete Maintenance
        5-Aug Anywhere Jakabszállás – HungaryLHJK LHJK Overnight stay on demand ??
        6-Aug Jakabszállás – HungaryLHJK LHJK Sofia airport (Bulgaria) LBSF Fuel Stop and customs stop yes ?? grass and concrete
        6-Aug Sofia airport (Bulgaria) LBSF Bursa Yenişehir Airport (Turkey) LTBR Overnight stay ??? less than 100€ (Turgut) – to check concrete
        7-Aug Bursa Yenişehir Airport (Turkey) LTBR Engiz airport (North of Samsun area in Turkey) ???? Fuel Stop no AVGAS AOPA 35€ other 70€ (info Turgut) concrete
        7-Aug Engiz airport (North of Samsun area in Turkey) ???? Ordu- Giresun sea airport (Turkey LTCB Custom stop yes concrete
        7-Aug Ordu- Giresun sea airport (Turkey LTCB Batumi (Georgia) UGSB Overnight stay yes AVGAS via Vanilla Sky concrete
        8-Aug Batumi (Georgia) UGSB Natakhari airfield (Georgia) UGSA Overnight stay ??? AVGAS via Vanilla Sky concrete
        9-Aug Natakhari airfield (Georgia) UGSA Tbilisi airport UGTB Georgian Gov.- to check whether landing is possible concrete
        9-Aug Tbilisi airport UGTB Natakhari airfield (Georgia) UGSA Overnight stay concrete
        Optional tours from Natakhari Natakhari airfield (Georgia) UGSA Queen Tamar airport, Mestia (Georgia) UGMS
        Optional tours from Natakhari Natakhari airfield (Georgia) UGSA Batumi airport (Georgia) UGSA
        Optional tours from Natakhari Natakhari airfield (Georgia) UGSA Telavi Erekle airport ????

        Rally to Georgia – organisation team expanded

        In order to speed up the organization of our nupcoming rally to Georgia, we’ve expanded the organisation team with three pilots: Guido Peterzelka, Romain Fouarge and Turgut Kulaçoğlu, with each of them having a different skill set which will prove to be beneficial to the success of the Hans Gutmann memorial rally.

        pilot Guido Peterzelka

        pilot Romain Fouarge

        pilot Turgut Kulaçoğlu