Hi

has anyone chartered a small plane while on a trip overseas, for sightseeing (or just to get to another part of Europe more quickly).

any tips, stories welcomed.

thanks

A jet or a light aircraft? Most people would just travel club, as virtually every major city has an airport large enough to accomodate commericial passenger planes.

What, and why in your case?

small GA planes - Cessnas and their ilk. mostly for sightseeing, although if the red tape isn't too burdensome, possibly sit left seat.

Is it the following kind of info you are looking for?
In lots of small airports where people fly for pleasure, here in Switzerland, you can rent a plane with a pilot and place for 3 to 5 passengers and fly for sightseeing. There is always someone ready to do it for you because it helps them to fly the required number of hours to keep their licence. You can have lovely flights over different parts of the Alps. It costs about 240 SFR /hour.
You should check under "aerodrome".
I think you should be able to discuss a one way destination also.

Unless you are part of scheme such as Netjets, don't bother. Take commercial flights, the hassle of chartering, not to mention cost quite simply, unless you have to meet urgent deadlines, is not reflected in its advantages.

Hi M,

the second part was really just an aside... I wouldn't fly from London to Munich on a small plane! that would be silly.

I am more interested in sightseeing locally. here, you would simply call a flight school, get the rates, and hop on board with a flight instructor or just a licensed pilot, and they'd take you where you wanted to go. I just went to Kitty Hawk with my flight instructor - I flew the plane most of the way. I'm thinking along those lines.

Say I traveled to Nice, wanted to see the Riviera from up high, or fly to Arles for the day - has anyone done this, how much red tape is it? Here in the US it's as simple as a phone call and pony up the cash.

thanks Baldrick, something like that, exactly.

Then you should try and google with the following words: "aérodrome"+"suisse" .
This should work for all french speaking european countries.

flygirl; I did a sightseeing flight over the Alps, from the small altiport in Megeve, and it was spectacular. This was in winter. I haven't heard about this in Nice, but there are definitely helicopters, since the jet-set use those to get to St Tropez. Also, there is a small airport in Cannes; this is just for private planes. You might have more luck trying there.