40 times four

Anette and Anita (co-pilot) posing on the right wing of LN-NAG on their way to Anita's 40th birthday celebration Saturday. Her spouse Knut also joined the flight.

The night before I met my school buddies from Volda, Fred (co-pilot) and Eiliv, at Pål's 40th birthday celebration. We decided to go sight seeing by air.

Myself, I still have close to 40 days to go before I leave the 30's.

Police and Military Push for Larger Restricted Area

NRK reports that representatives for police and military wants the proposed 1 NM restricted area over Oslo to be larger. The new ruling planned to be in effect starting June 1 was postponed due to the complexity of hearing results. The aviation organizations gave their blessing to a 1 NM zone, but the risk is now that the restricted area might be twice as large. No more sight seeing over Oslo...

It is ironic to note that the Hudson River Corridor in New York City is still open!

Oslo Tourist by Air

Marit, Palma (co-pilot, visiting from Stryn) and Mildri (visiting from Gjøvik) at Kjeller Airport before sight seeing with LN-NAG. The best way of being a tourist in Oslo.

Aviation Paradise in Telemark

Aircraft: LN-NAR
Route: ENKJ-ENHN-ENFY-ENLU-ENKJ
Level: 5500

Airparc Fyresdal owner Toucko Zwolsmann with Thea and Einar at ENFY. German, Belgium and Dutch private pilots are frequent visitors at this aviation paradise in Telemark, Norway. The 800 meters runway is located 2 km from the Hotel (free shuttle), and the sea plane base is in the hotel garden. Friendly hosts, good food and fantastic surroundings.

Beaching in Drammen

Einar demonstrated seamanship and jumped in the water to ensure secure beaching in Drammen with LN-UXC ;-)

Late Evening Mountain Flying

Aircraft: LN-FAG, C-172.
Route: ENOV - Stryn - Grotli - Geiranger - ENOV.
Level: FL85.
Take off: 8:40 pm LT.
Landed: 9:55 pm LT.

VFR (We Follow the Road) from Western to Eastern and back to Western Norway, testing two scenic routes used by local pilots to cross the mountains also in marginal weather.

Fotos: ERLEND KRUMSVIK

Fuelling for Geiranger

Eiliv and Mortiz at Vigra (ENAL), fuelling LN-FAG on our way from Hovden (ENOV) to sight seeing in the Geiranger fjord. Great mountain flying in the North Western part of Norway!

Five Landings in One Hour

(OSLO, Norway) Landings at different locatons are good training. Yesterday I visited five sites within an hour: BUNNEFJORDEN - HÅØYA - DRAMMENSFJORDEN - TYRIFJORDEN - KILEN.

This is possible at sea. In the Oslo area all local airports on land are unfortunately restricted to minimize visits.

Illustration made with Jeppesen FlightStar.

Going to Gothenburg? Forget GG!

(GOTHENBURG, Sweden) I got a few surprises when I came back to Landvetter (ESGG) after six years. No LL100, practically impossible to do flight planning and paperwork in the right order due to security measures, and officials not used to handle visits from small aircrafts, resulting in a lot of waiting. Next time I go for Säve (ESGP).

Atrium and Air History

(BUDAPEST, Hungary) The suspended airplane in the Sofitel hotel lobby marks the history of the Hungarian national carrier in this formerly Hyatt hotel, opened as the first atrium hotel in Europe by Malév Airline in 1982. By way of ancient Rome through modern American hotel design, the atrium arrived back in Europe with this 357-room hotel with a 10-story atrium lobby and three glass elevators.

Last Time?

Flying over Oslo on a beautiful summer evening. An experience soon to be restricted?

First Solo at Sea

I got my sea plane rating at the end of last year's season, just before leaving for Atlanta. Today I banked off some rust with CFI and LN-UXC owner Bjørn, and followed up with my first solo on floats. This is really fun!

The Ultimate Norwegian Tour

ENKJ ENRO ENMS ENRA ENNK ENDU ENAT ENNA ENKR ENVD ENSS ENBS ENBV ENMH ENHV ENHF ENHK ENSR ENTC ENAN ENSK ENSH ENLK ENRS ENBO ENST ENBN ENNM ENOL ENKB ENOV ENBM ENHD ENLI ENFY ENKJ.

Cruising Speed: N0100. Total EET (excluded landings): 22:47.

I am familiar with ENKJ, ENRO and ENOV. The rest is pure adventure.

This dream is made possible by Jeppesen FliteStar VFR, European Edition.

Toten by Air

(ENKJ-ENHA-ENKJ) Ingebjørg and Hege at Hamar after sight seeing over their family farms in Toten. Perfect flying conditions and my first LN-NAG flight after buying a share in the aircraft.

AOPA's new Project Pilot to help increase pilot population

Student pilots who have a Mentor to help them through flight training are three times more likely to earn their pilot certificates. That simple fact is the reason that AOPA is beefing up its AOPA Project Pilot program.

To accomplish that, AOPA Project Pilot provides powerful tools, centered on a new Web site, www.AOPAProjectPilot.org, which helps Mentors keep in touch with their students and track progress while providing support, tips, and encouragement.

Beautiful mountain flying


Aircraft: LN-ULF, C182.
Flight plan: ENGM-LL-SOG-STG-ENOV.
Altn. Aerodrome: ENFG, ENSG.
Level: FL80/90.

We did not make it to ENOV due to low cloud base. Attempted the normally safe bet through Dalsfjorden, but the passage was closed.
ENSG had maintenance work on the runway, so we ended up paying NOK 205 for landing at ENFG and drinking not-so-hot coffee from the self service outlet.

Superb flying, but not the lunch we hoped for (at Naustet Grill, Volda).

Fotos: KNUT HELGE DRIVENES/Nokia N80

My first airplane

Petter (1) and LN-NAG (28) at Kjeller. They are already good friends!

Friday 23 June 2006 I bought 1/9 of this aircraft, a 1978 Piper Cherokee, PA28-161.

After the 2003 collapse of the Oslo Flying Club hangar, this Piper was the only plane which could be saved and repaired. Today it is still part of the OFK fleet. It is probably the most travelled club aircraft in Norway, visiting most countries in Europe and Morocco as well.

Revisiting my solo NAV

(KRISTIANSAND, Norway) LN-DAH at Kjevik. Yesterday I revisited the solo nav route I did as a student pilot in a Tomahawk seven years ago. ENKJ-ENCN is a scenic route and a no brainer to navigate along the coast. Continuing to ENNO is more of a challenge, in a mountain landscape with few landmarks. This time I had a handheld GPS, but still had some trouble knowing my whereabouts. Nototdden is as close as you get to the western Norwegian fjords in the eastern part of the country. Elevation of 63 feet, surrounded by high mountains. But leveling out at 3500, you have free sight to Oslo on a nice day.

Mind the GAP

(ELVERUM, Norway) Last week-end I visited the GAP Starmoen fly-in. This used to be Norway's largest gathering of active private pilots, but the attendance and level of activities offered was not at the level of the golden years of this flight safety project. I left for Gardermoen in LN-AGM before sunset without any time in conventional gear, the object of my visit.

New GA Airport in the Oslo region?

(OSLO, Norway) The Norwegian Government wants to sell the nation's first airport at Kjeller. The report from architect Morten S. Haave analyzing the need for a GA solution if the Air force activity should be relocated, were mentioned on NRK Radio yesterday. The report can be downloaded here!