Originally Posted by
Rocky7719
I have talked to someone at Coleman, but it will be about 2 hours from where I'm at. I guess I just don't know what to expect over there. All I can find talks about the user fees and how expensive it is to fly in Europe. I saw that you have to have an observer at the field in order to land so it sounded like most fields close at night. I am curious if there will be any us registered aircraft near Spangdahlem AFB and how much it will cost to rent or if I will be able to flight instruct in them.
Where do you fly out of?
2 hours to Coleman is probably the best you're going to get unless you want to convert your licenses to German ones (not recommended, IMHO).
Coleman is probably the sweetest little secret in Germany...although I'd say there are plenty of people who know about it, coming from someone who is on a wait list for auxiliary membership (I don't have SOFA status, so I would have to be an adjunct member in order to rent their planes).
If you want to look for German flight schools flying German reg planes:
http://www.landings.com/evird.acgi$pass*99357476!_h-www.landings.com/_landings/pages/fbo/fbo-germany.html
there are some broken links, but scroll down and there are a few places. You'll be reamed by user fees, taxes, and fuel, which is why I said it's cheaper to go with Coleman!!!
What do you do at Spangdahlem? No way to beg for a transfer to Mannheim/H-berg area?