Microcosm Europe - a rotary mix

Georgina Hunter-Jones

Helicopter Life looks at a German school teaching British Helicopter licences in southern Spain

The British and Germans, notorious for their travel lust and the desire to leave the cold wet of their own countries behind, have for many years congregated in Southern Spain, modifying its relaxed culture but still filling its coffers. However, until quite recently there were very few places where you could learn to fly as a civilian.

“This,” explains Hans Nerlinger, the founder and owner of Fly-In Spain, “is because Spain has no history of private flying.”

All through the Franco years flying was limited to the military, and while other European countries were building up a network of small airfields, small aircraft and private pilots, Spain had nothing even similar. Even after the death of Franco and the growth of tourism in the eighties and nineties, Spain remained a relatively poor (and hence cheap for the influx of tourists) country, with bureaucratic obstacles placed against private flying. However, these barriers are gradually wearing away...