Greek holiday

[tonypower]

Hi all, any recommendations for villas/apartments/hotels, with good viewing. Cheers.

[graham]

Hi Tony, I've holidayed on loads of Greek islands over the years, whereabouts are you heading for?

[tonypower]

Hi Graham, we have an open mind, I have been to Kethellonia several times, and fancy some were else.

[graham]

Hi Tony

For sheer volume and variety you can't beat Crete, we've been several times in the past 15 years and I always make a load. The main airport is Kazantzakis International in the capital town Heraklion, during the summer months it becomes Greece's busiest airport. We stay in either Anissaras or Analipsi, two small coastal villages both of which are bang beneath the final approach with inbounds going over at around 3500ft. Both resorts are east of the airport, as are these, Hersonissos, Malia, and Stalis. The wind almost always blows from the west or northwest meaning the stuff always comes in over these resorts. Everything coming down from mainland Europe, the Baltic states and the old Russian Federation countries tends to fly over the top of Santorini, then starts a gradual bank to starboard, picks up the north Crete coast around Malia, and follows the coast to the airport.

There's also a load of OTTs that come up from Egypt, Israel and Middle East, these tend to cross the island heading NW and most go straight over the top of Agios Nikolaos, which is about 30 kms east of the resorts I've mentioned. Once you know where to look, you can usually pick them out with bins as stuff doesn't often trail.

Apart from this, there's the international airport at Chania in the far west, and a smaller one in the far east at Siteia.

Plenty of direct flights/package deals to Crete via easyJet, RyanAir and several others.

Nowhere else in Greece gives you so much variety or numbers, Rhodes is quite busy but nothing like Crete, neither are Kos, Lesvos, Corfu or any of the other islands.

[rh226]

Hi Tony,

Chania is also a Hellenic AF base (also known as Souda Bay) with a Wing of F-16C/Ds based there. It is also used quite extensively by the US armed forces as a staging post and as a base for (at least partially) covert operations, with RC-135S/U/V/W, EP-3E and (civil) RO-6A - N8200L is currently en route - on detachment there. The sole runway is 11/29. On Google Maps, the whole airport and base have been well pixelated - which gives a very strong hint as to how the place is viewed.

If you wish to take photographs, I would very strongly suggest that you do not go anywhere near the airport/base, but position yourself some way out under the approach.  Use telescope/binoculars with extreme caution.  The Greeks have taken a very dim view of aircraft enthusiasts at Chania in the past and I am uncertain as to what their position is now.

Bob

[graham]

Should have mentioned too Tony that FR24, Planefinder and ADS-B Exchange all provide top notch coverage all around Crete. Unfortunately Plane Plotter has nowhere near the coverage. As Bob has said, photography, binoculars, scanners, etc are exceptionally frowned upon and you are most likely to be whisked away and questioned should anyone in authority see you. But taking shots from your accommodation is fine. Theres a beach right on the eastern threshold of the main runway where inbound go across very, very low. If you're at the airport itself and want to note reggie then use the notepad facility on your mobile. Greeks are mobile crazy and no one will take any notice at all if you're fiddling with your phone.

[tonypower]

Hi Graham, thanks for your meticulous reply, much appreciated,if you have any other thoughts. Cheers 🛩

[graham]

Well, the other major islands as far as air traffic is concerned are Rhodes, Kos and Lesvos, although none receive the volume of the flights or OTTs that Crete does.Rhodes Diagoras airport is on the west coast and given the usual wind direction, inbounds normally come in from the north over the resorts of Trianda, Kremasti and Paradissi. There are a few resorts south of the airport but for me, the entire coastline in that area is ruined by the enormous power station at Soroni. If you drive up to the old fortifications at Ialyssos, just south of Rhodes Town these sit on a rocky pinnacle about 800ft above the surrounding countryside and gives good 270 degree views of arrivals and departures, plus to the left there's the old airport at Maritsa which is now used by the military and Hellenic Coast Guard.

Rhodes does get a fair bit of traffic on the main changeover days and the mix is comparable to Crete. The airport at Lesvos is tiny, the "terminal" has just about room for one departure's worth of passengers, you usually check in and are then asked to vavate the bilding and walk down to a taverna to await your flight. Kos Hippocrates is a bit busier but as the airport is smack bang in the centre of the island, it's difficult to see the comings and goings from either coast.