Why go on a flying Tour IN europe?

Discover New Horizons: Flying Adventures in Europe and Africa

Welcome to African Flying Adventures! While our primary focus is on exploring the breathtaking skies of Africa with you, we also recognise the incredible appeal of flying through Europe. Our founder, who lives in Europe, understands firsthand the rich variety in culture and stunning landscapes this continent has to offer. For pilots who have previously joined us in Africa, embarking on our European tour is a natural next step—an exciting opportunity to expand your flying adventures. Even if you haven't flown with us in Africa before, Europe is an excellent destination in its own right. Plus, obtaining your pilot license validation for a European (holiday) license is straightforward, making Europe an accessible and rewarding destination for pilots seeking new horizons. And it is even not that hard to convert your FAA or ICAO license to a stand-alone EASA pilot license.

Flying over the winelands in the French Elzas region

Traveling by air through Europe enables you to bypass lengthy road journeys, reducing stress and maximising your time to explore more of Europe’s diverse landscapes and cultural sites. Many scenic destinations and charming towns have their own airfields or small airports, making flying an even more convenient and efficient way to discover the continent. Whether you're heading to historic cities, the picturesque countryside, or hidden gems, air travel offers a seamless and enjoyable way to experience Europe’s rich tapestry of experiences.

If you are a pilot with an existing FAA or ICAO license, you have the option to "convert" it to a stand-alone European (EASA) license, allowing you to fly freely across Europe. Alternatively, you can obtain a 28-day EASA holiday license, providing quick access to flying in Europe, but limited to one 28-day period. If you already hold an FAA pilot license, you can acquire a stand-alone EASA pilot license without the need to take any written exams. If you have an ICAO pilot license other than an FAA license, you will have to do 2 easy theory exams on Air Law and Human Performance. You can study for them online at home before you come over. Contact us to find out all the details. In case you aim for the 28-day holiday license, you will need to have a valid class 2 medical at the time of application and beyond that until your flying tour in Europe is over. You cannot renew your medical in between that time. If you are (also) aiming at obtaining a stand-alone full EASA license, you will have to get an initial EASA class 2 medical exam done here. After the initial EASA class 2 medical done over here, there are options to get the medical done in the US as well in order to keep the medical valid or to renew it.

As we have arranged it now, the 28-day license gives you the opportunity to fly on a German registered aircraft through Europe for a maximum of 28 days. The full EASA license gives you the opportunity to fly any aircraft registered in one of the EASA countries and is not limited to 28 days.

The European Tour

The European Tour begins in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, with the pilot license validation checkride conducted near Aachen, Germany. From Germany, we fly through Luxembourg into France to explore the historic D-Day memorials along the Normandy coastline. Our journey takes us through Paris, then to Jersey Island in the Channel Islands. We continue to the Loire Valley, renowned for its châteaux, before heading to the glamorous Côte d'Azur, with accommodations near Avignon and Cannes. From there, we fly along the coast past Monaco into Italy, landing on Lido, a small island in front of Venice. At Lake Como, we visit the world's oldest seaplane base and aeroclub, and, weather permitting, we will follow the GAFOR routes through the Alps towards Annecy, situated next to Geneva. The tour then proceeds north to Colmar, famed for its wines and historic city center, before returning to Aachen to conclude the journey.

A typical itinerary can be found here.

Bonifacio on Corsica seen from the air

Flying through Europe

Throughout the entire tour, our guides will provide a pilot briefing before each day’s flying activities, covering all the specifics of flying in European airspace. It is all not that much different from flying elsewhere but there are a few specifics to watch out for. When flight plans are required, our guides will either file them on your behalf or, if you prefer, assist you in filing them yourself to ensure a smooth process and address any issues that may arise.

SkyDemon or ForeFlight

We prefer to use the SkyDemon app for VFR flying throughout the tour. Below on the left you see the CTR of Schiphol-Amsterdam and on the right the IFR chart of the same area. We do understand that ForeFlight is available for Europe as well, but for VFR flights in Europe, we prefer to work with SkyDemon. For IFR flights we generally do use ForeFlight. It is easy to get a temporary license for SkyDemon and you could run in next to ForeFlight if that is what you are used to.

Information for Pilots

Pilot license validation procedure

There are several options available to convert/validatae your foreign ICAO or FAA pilot license into an EASA pilot license.

(a) EASA 28 day Holiday License

One option is to obtain a temporary 28-day EASA holiday license, which is based on any valid foreign ICAO or FAA pilot license with at least a valid Class 2 medical. The Class 2 medical needs to remain valid between the date of application and the actual use of the holiday license, so you can't renew your medical just before your European trip. You have to do that before you apply for the holiday license. This license does not require taking any theory exams; instead, you'll meet with a European instructor to discuss the specifics of European airspace. The instructor will also conduct a familiarisation flight with you. Afterwards, the European aviation authorities will issue your holiday license within normally 3-4 business days, and you'll be ready to fly.

The 28-day holiday license is valid for a single period of up to 28 days once per year and is linked to one specific German registered rental aircraft. You can move the license to another German registered aircraft if needed, but this takes 1-2 business days for the authorities to process.

  • Valid for a maximum of 28 days
  • Restricted to one specific German rental aircraft
  • Requires a valid Class 2 medical certificate that cannot be renewed in between the moment of application and of actual use
  • No written exams are necessary
  • No pilot exam; instead, a familiarisation briefing session and flight with an instructor are required
(b) FAA to EASA full License Conversion

A second option available exclusively to FAA pilot license holders is to convert your FAA license into a stand-alone full EASA PPL pilot license.

Thanks to the Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement (BASA) between the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), this conversion process is streamlined and straightforward.

The main benefit of obtaining a full EASA pilot license is that it remains valid for a longer** period than the 28-day holiday license and is not restricted to a specific rental aircraft. However, you will need to obtain a Class 2 medical certificate in Europe, specifically in Germany, before your EASA PPL license can be issued and you can legally fly with it in Europe. We work together with an examiner in Germany that knows all about the specifics. The medical check is straight forward, takes about an hour and the medical will usually be provided within a working day. Beforehand you will need to get a blood test done in the US as well as an Ophthalmologists needs to do a specific eye test, which can be done ahead of time in the US as not to waste time in Europe.

There are no written theory exams required. Instead, you'll complete a formal checkride with a European flight examiner, who will also conduct an oral exam to assess your general aviation knowledge.

  • Valid for a longer duration than the 28-day license**
  • Not limited to a single specific rental aircraft
  • Requires a valid EASA Class 2 medical certificate issued in Germany
  • No written theory exams are needed
  • Complete a pilot checkride with a European flight examiner
  • Pass an oral exam covering European basic air law, human performance and air space specifics. We help you to prepare for this.***
(c) Combination of (a) and (b)

A third option is to obtain both a 28-day holiday license to begin your European tour and also to obtain a stand-alone EASA pilot license, which can be completed after gaining some experience flying in Europe at the end of your Tour. Since the process of acquiring a full EASA PPL pilot license takes longer, you can choose to complete the checkride with a European flight examiner either just before your trip starts or at the end. The 28-day license allows for a quick start and you may also choose to obtain an EASA Class 2 medical right at the beginning of your visit to Europe. After completing the tour and gaining some valuable European flying experience, you can take the EASA PPL flight exam. Once passed and issued, we will send your full license to you, enabling you to return and fly in Europe again with greater flexibility.

(d) Conversion of another ICAO pilot license than FAA to an EASA stand-alone license?

In this case, you will also need to pass two theory exams covering Air Law and Human Performance. Contact us for more detailed information.***

** Note: To continue flying with your EASA pilot license in the future, you must keep both your EASA license class rating(s) SEP and possibly MEP and your EASA medical valid. These class ratings are valid for a period of 2 years after which you have to do a flight with an EASA instructor or examiner in order to keep them valid. If the validity of the class ratings lapses, you can get them valid again, but it might involve a bit more work to restore your currency. It is a lot like doing a Flight Review in the US. Your EASA medical is usually valid for 1 to 2 years depending on your age. You will have to keep that medical valid as well or renew it when you visit Europe again for your next flying trip as well as that there are options (after the initial EASA class 2 medical done in Europe) to do the EASA class 2 medical in the US. The EASA pilot license as such does not really expire, but you might have to do a flight or two to get e.g. your SEP class rating (like the FAA SEL) current again.

*** Note: you might have to apply for a European radio license with English language proficiency, which in almost all cases is just paperwork based on your FAA or ICAO foreign (radio) license.

Multi Function Display in Cirrus Aircraft on flight to Sicily, Italy

The paperwork

Validating and/or converting your ICAO or FAA pilot license to either a 28-day holiday license and/or a full EASA pilot license involves completing a fair amount of paperwork. We collaborate closely with the German civil aviation authorities. Most of their forms are in German. They are straightforward to interpret with some assistance from Google Translate. We are here to support you through the process—helping by pre-filling the forms for you, sending them to you for signing via DocuSign, and then submitting them on your behalf to the German authorities.

Use our form to submit all your documents and to get the process started. The form can be found here.

Validation process

The German aviation authorities will directly contact your CAA or the FAA to request a validation of your license. Your CAA or FAA will just write them back that your license and medical status are all good. This process can only be done directly by the German authorities who will contact your CAA or FAA directly, and it typically takes between 2 to 3 weeks to complete.

Flying over the Alps close to the Mont Blanc.

Aircraft rental options in Europe

You can rent virtually any aircraft registered in Europe that complies with EASA regulations. In practice, we primarily utilise aircraft from The Netherlands and Germany, with call signs starting with PH- or D-. Our fleet includes a range of aircraft, from modern Cirrus SR22T models to basic Cessna 172s, 182s, a Cessna 206, Piper Archers, and a DA62. Rental prices vary depending on the aircraft and the owner leasing it to you. Most owners charge based on flight time rather than block time and typically require a minimum of two hours of rental per day during your trip.

Landing at Lido (LIPV) right in front of Venice

 Fuel prices, landing fees

AVGAS is readily available across Europe, although a few airports like Antwerp (EBAW) have recently started to ban aircraft using leaded AVGAS. The price typically ranges from €2.50 to €3.50 per liter. You can get a good estimate of fuel prices by checking the SkyDemon app when searching for a specific airfield or airport.

Most airfields charge a landing fee ranging from €15 to €45, plus a small fee for overnight parking. At larger airports like Schiphol, where handling is mandatory, combined handling and landing fees for aircraft such as a Cirrus SR22 or Cessna 182 can range from €350 to €650. In nearly all cases, you’ll find grass strips or smaller general aviation-focused airfields near the main international airports.

Rental cars are often available directly at the airport at competitive prices, making ground transportation convenient and affordable.

Handling agencies

In most airports, there is no requirement or need for a handler, except at some large airports like Schiphol in Amsterdam (EHAM). In most cases, you can handle the process yourself and navigate the procedures independently.

Satellite flight following

We actively follow all aircraft during group self-fly safari trips as well so that we can follow your aircraft on our tours with the Garmin Inreach Messenger Plus or Mini 2 satellite trackers. If you do not own one, you can rent a tracker from us.

Flying over the city centerof Amsterdam.

Backup aircraft and maintenance support

On the European group tours, our tour guides will fly along on the trip in a support aircraft. If you book an individual and custom-designed trip with us, you will most likely be flying on your own or with a safety pilot.

We offer aircraft tracking (flight following) via a satellite tracker datalink. Ideally, you would use a Garmin Messenger, which not only provides real-time tracking but also allows you to communicate with us via satellite text messages.

E-sims are available from several data providers. One option is Roamless, which may not be the cheapest, but their data packages do not expire, allowing you to reuse any remaining data on future trips elsewhere. This helps you to communicate with us while on the ground.

Table of contents

  1. Why go on a flying Tour IN europe?
    1. Discover New Horizons: Flying Adventures in Europe and Africa
    2. The European Tour
    3. Flying through Europe
    4. SkyDemon or ForeFlight
  3. Information for Pilots
    1. Pilot license validation procedure
      1. (a) EASA 28 day Holiday License
      2. (b) FAA to EASA full License Conversion
      3. (c) Combination of (a) and (b)
      4. (d) Conversion of another ICAO pilot license than FAA to an EASA stand-alone license?
      5. The paperwork
      6. Validation process
      7. Aircraft rental options in Europe
      8.  Fuel prices, landing fees
      9. Handling agencies
      10. Satellite flight following
      11. Backup aircraft and maintenance support