FLYING VFR IN PORTUGAL
ENTRY AND DEPARTURE
European Union carriers have free access to intra-European Union routes, with the exception of those in which public service obligations have been declared, which are subject to specific conditions, and flights involving the following constraints:
- Intra-community (EU, EEA and Switzerland) flights, excluding non-Schengen flights (to/from Ireland and Cyprus), inbound or outbound of aerodromes and heliports, are not subject to authorisation.
- Commercial air transport operations are not allowed at the following aerodromes/heliports: LPBR (Braga), LPIN (Espinho), LPFC (Figueira dos Cavaleiros), LPJF (Leiria), LPMI (Mirandela), LPMU (Mogadouro), LPFA (Monte da Aviôa/Ferreira do Alentejo), LPPN (Proença-a-nova), LPSC (Santa Cruz), LPSR (Santarém), LPMN (Amendoeira/Montemor-o-novo), LPLZ (Lousã), LPAF (Alfrapark) and LPHB (Herdade da Brava).
- Intra-community non-Schengen flights (to/from Ireland and Cyprus), inbound or outbound of LPVR (Vila Real), LPCH (Chaves), LPCO (Coimbra), LPEV (Évora), LPVZ (Viseu), LPPM (Portimão), LPVL (Vilar da Luz), LPCB (Castelo Branco), LPJB (Algés), LPDA (Massarelos), LPLO (Loulé), LPMB (Morgado de Apra-Loulé), LPMZ (Porto Moniz), LPSA (Salemas), LPMC (Macedo de Cavaleiros), LPFE (Fafe) and Passengers Ship Amavida are subject to authorisation from the Polícia e Segurança Pública (PSP).
- ANAC will submit the application for PSP and/or AT authorisation, as the case may be, and when in compliance with the applicable procedure issue one final authorisation, enabling the operation.
The application for permission shall be submitted to ANAC, together with evidence of the following valid documents: Private flights:
- Insurance certificate;
- Airworthiness certificate and airworthiness review certificate or
- equivalent (if applicable);
- Registration certificate;
- Noise certificate (if applicable).
Aircraft under the supervision and regulatory control of an EU Member-State, when engaged in private flights, shall be considered as complying with the above mentioned applicable requirements.
ULTRALIGHT AIRCRAFT
Usage of Ultralight runways is limited to intra-community flights (excluding EU Cyprus and Ireland) and community Schengen flights.
Ultralight aircraft departing from or flying to other non-EU countries or EU nonSchengen countries (Cyprus and Ireland) shall not use these runways, given the fact that theses are neither identified or function as a “border passage point”, and shall, as consequence, divert to or use suitably qualified aerodromes accepting aircraft operations, following the same procedure that are laid out for other categories of aircraft.
FLIGHT PLAN
The Flight Plan is mandatory when crossing country borders in accordance with ICAO Doc 4444 and also Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2016/1185 of 20 July 2016 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 923/2012 as regards the update and completion of the common rules of the air and operational provisions regarding services and procedures in air navigation (SERA Part C) and repealing Regulation (EC) No 730/2006
Portugal has establish the common rules of the air and operational provisions regarding services and procedures in air navigation that shall be applicable to general air traffic and also additional NATIONAL REGULATIONS IN FORCE.
Pilot should fill in Item18 FPL the Estimated En-route Time since departure until the Lisboa FIR/border entry point (EX: EET/Elvar XXXX).
In case of a Flight Formation of two or more aircraft, pilot must fill in FPL Item18 the registration of all aircraft (EX: REG/GXXXX, ECXXX, OHXXX).
Pilots must complete all fields / items of the Flight Plan not forgetting the Pilot´s Name and phone number, preferably mobile.
General Aviation departing in Golf Airspace airfields, squawk initially TRANSPONDER CODE 7000.
AIRSPACE
Prior entering in Portugal, pilots should check if there is any active Restricted Airspace (R) or Temporary Restricted Area (TRA).
Remember that Portugal has a Flexible Use of Airspace daily plan. Pilots should check also NOTAMs and AERIAL ACTIVITIES so that there will be no airspace violations.
You can CHECK IT HERE.
Just click on the map and you will be redirected to search for active areas, altitudes and activation times in our daily updated map
The Portuguese Golf Airspace (non-controlled airspace) ATS Providers are divided as:
• LISBOA INFORMATION providing Flight Information Service from GND/SFC up to 5,500ft AMSL, from Sunrise until Sunset;
• LISBOA CONTROL providing Flight Information Service from 5,500ft up to FL095, and all country from Sunset until Sunrise.
FREQUENCIES
All aircraft flying GOLF AIRSPACE, non-controlled Airspace, below FL095 should fly SEE AND AVOID, spite Flight Information Service is provided.
When crossing the Portuguese border flying below 5,500ft pilots shall: SQUAWK 7000 and CONTACT one of these Lisboa Information frequencies (see map below) :
- LISBOA INFORMATION (Northern sector) 130.905 MHz
- LISBOA INFORMATION (Center Sector) 123.755 MHz
- LISBOA INFORMATION (Southern sector) 131.055 MHz
- …. and state your Callsign, Position and Altitude.
Pilot will receive instructions regarding new transponder code, instructions and or suggested routes due any airspace reservation or segregated active area.
EMERGENCY
When a pilot flying VFR in Golf Airspace has an emergency situation he should report MAYDAY MAYDAY MAYDAY (when and if possible) on Lisbon Information frequencies (with radar service available) or any other ATS provider:
Lisboa Information (Northern sector) 130.905 MHz
Lisboa Information (Center sector) 123.755 MHz
Lisboa Information (Southern sector) 131.055 MHz
or 121.500 MHz and report his :
- Aircraft callsign
- Emergency type
- People on board
- Position ground (if relevant)
- Altitude (if relevant)
- Fuel (if relevant)
- If possible or suitable enter transponder code 7700.
HAVE A SAFE FLIGHT AND WELCOME TO PORTUGAL
USEFUL HYPERLINKS
General Aviation Manual – PORTUGAL AIP
Portuguese Authority ANAC – Autoridade Nacional Aviação Civil
Portuguese ATS provider – NAV PORTUGAL
Ultralight Aviation Association – APAU, Associação Portuguesa de Aviação Ultraleve
CLICK FOR TODAY’S AIRSPACE PLAN
José Rocha. Updated november 2024. This article uses hyperlinks. Just click on the images and bold words