Cyprus to Luxor, Egypt
Back
30 September 2007



Pilot Section

General
 
Hal and I arrived back in Cyprus Limassol airport from Singapore via Athens on the afternoon of Friday 28th September. At Limassol we met up with Spyros Vlachos the engineer who had replaced the nosewheel fairing, checked the torque, and inspected the engine. Spyros signed the aircraft log for the work he had carried out, then we hired a car from Avis and drove down the coast to Paphos.
 
For the last two months N238JG has been on the ground at Paphos airport in Cyprus in the capable hands of Marios Olympios / MSO Avionics. We checked in at a Hotel in Paphos town and then headed straight out to the airport to check on N238JG. She was exactly where we had left her two months ago. The new nosewheel fairing had been fitted, but she looked badly in need of a wash! I started up the avionics and updated the navigation data, including the software Cirrus had forwarded me. As well as the basic navigation data and Cmax electronic approach plates being up to date, I now had the geographical terrain data showing on the MFD again – the first time this had worked since I passed Iceland! Hal and I resolved to come back in the morning to give N238JG a proper wash, file our paperwork for departure, pay our (considerable) bills, and take N238JG for a short local test flight before refuelling for departure on Sunday. We had thought this would take a couple of hours, and then we would have the afternoon to enjoy a bit of sightseeing in Cyprus, but we hadn’t allowed for the inefficiency of Paphos airport! It took us virtually the whole day on Saturday to do these few simple things (Comments on Paphos Airport in the pilot section below).
 
After the hassles of Saturday, I was expecting similar hassle on departure today and had allowed time accordingly. However, Cyprus Airlines had it all under control and we were ready for departure in plenty of time. It was a beautiful clear morning and we took off as planned at 1000 and climbed out to the South over the open Mediterranean Sea to FL090 (9000ft), pleased to be back into the trip, making progress on our journey again, and not at all sorry to be leaving Paphos Airport in our slipstream.
 


After an hour and a half flying over the open sea we crossed the coast of North Africa. The Nile delta area below looked very green and fertile but as we progressed South towards Cairo the green gave way to brown desert. Our routing took us directly over the top of Cairo International Airport and then south away from the Nile and out over barren desert country.
 

As we approached Luxor and commenced our descent, the green band of the Nile came into view again, cutting through the sand of the desert. Our approach took us to the West of Luxor, over the mountain range that contains the Valley of the Kings, and then round the south back over the river Nile to make our approach to Luxor airport from the South. This gave us some great views of the city and the river Nile on our way in.
 

Paul Portnoi at Overflight had arranged AN Aviation to carry out the handling, which is compulsory at Luxor, and they were very efficient. Once on the ground we were directed to our parking stand, shut down and met by Mohammed Abdou from AN Aviation. A fuel truck arrived within minutes and while we were refuellingg Mohammed gave us the immigration forms to fill in. Very quickly we were finished at the aircraft and driven in a huge bus to the large modern terminal building. Immigration and visa processing was done by Mohammed’s men while we waited in the hall, and then they drove us down town to our Hotel where we arrived only 45 minutes after landing! I had heard bad stories about Luxor airport, and having had a number of previous experiences in Egypt myself in the past I was pleasantly surprised by the smooth and efficient arrival processing.
 
Now Hallin and I were ready for what we expected to be one of the highlight visits of the trip, exploring the wonders of ancient Egypt.

 
Pilot Section
 
Here are the details of today’s flight for other pilots and people interested in the details:
 
Departure Airport:        Paphos, Cyprus (LCPH)
Aircraft Storage:          Marios Olympios / MSO Avionics did exactly what I had asked him to do looking after my aircraft, and his charges were very reasonable. As well as looking after the aircraft and starting the engine every week he had organised Spyros Vlachos to carry out the engine inspection, replacement of the nosewheel fairing and checking of the nosewheel torque. Plus he arranged for a box of engine oil to be waiting for me when I arrived back. Marios also lined me up with Cyprus Airways Operations who acted as our handling agent when this became unavoidable (See below). I would certainly recommend Marios to anyone calling in at Paphos and wanting maintenance work carried out:
e-mail: mso@">cs.com
Tel:       +357 99636393 (Marios Olympios)
Departure & Handling: Paphos airport is a nightmare! A very nice facility with lots of potential – but it is empty. Virtually no commercial or GA traffic, and as soon as you start dealing with the airport authorities you see why. Paphos is the most difficult airport we have met to date on the whole trip. “Hermes” run the airport and charge extortionate fees for providing next to no service other than a hard standing half a mile from any building or shelter! The Cyprus CAA control access to the airport, and for control, read obstruct. Although it was not apparent before arrival that we needed a Handling Agent, we ended up using Cyprus Airways by default because of Marios association with them. Cyprus Airways were efficient and charges reasonable given the amount of unnecessary hassle and beauracracy they have to negotiate at Paphos airport. However, bear in mind their charges are in addition to the extortionate fees applied by Hermes and together that makes the costs for using this airfield a total rip off. Overall, my advice to anyone else following this route is that Cyprus is a place best flown over / around.  Cyprus is a lovely place, but the hassle and costs of using Paphos airfield are not worth it.
Charges by “Hermes”:
Landing Fee:                                       Cyprus ₤29.21              (US$71.27)
Personnel Transfer Fee:                      Cyprus ₤121.72            (US$297.00)
Parking Fees:                                      Cyprus ₤48.60 / Day      (US$118.58)
Handling Charges by Cyprus Airways: Cyprus ₤94.00               (US$229.36)
Avgas Price (BP Air):   Cyprus ₤1.32 / Litre (inc 15% VAT)          (US$12.20 / US Gallon)
Detailed Route:            Filed: LCPH – PHA – APLON – RASDA – BLT – CVO – LXR – VOR DME APPROACH RUNWAY 02 HELX Cleared: Direct RASDA then as filed.
En Route Altitude:        Filed FL100 (Given FL090 until South of Cairo and then FL110)
Arrival Airport:             Luxor, Egypt (HELX)
Arrival & Handling:      AN Aviation
 
 



Kids Section

Kids Section
 
Did you Know : Luxor lies on the River Nile 270 miles south of Cairo, the capital of Egypt. It is close to the Valley of the Kings where many of the ancient Pharoes are buried in their hidden tombs.
 
Fun Fact:  The whole of Egypt depends on the water from the River Nile which flows up the middle of the country and waters the fieds for farming and for the big cities of Cairo, Luxor and Alexandria. Without the Nile Egypt would all be desert like the rest of North Africa.
 
Quiz:  
Answer to yesterday’s Quiz:  Paphos is 5086 Nautical Miles from our starting point in Duluth USA, by the shortest direct route. Of course we haven’t come the shortest route, so we have flown quite a lot further than this so far during the trip.
 
Duluth is Longitude 92Degrees West, and Paphos is 32 degrees East, so we have come 120 Degrees East – or 1/3 of the way around the world…. So Far!!
Today’s Quiz Question:  How old was the Pharoe King Tutankhamun when:
a)                He was crowned Pharoe?
b)                 When he died, and was buried in the Valley of the Kings at Luxor?
(Answers on the next Daily Diary!)