The flight to/in Ukraine should be performed according to rules described in AIP Ukraine. The easiest way to find AIP Ukraine is the Eurocontrol website.
For the flight in controlled airspace the AC should be equipped with transponder (mode C or S) and radio with .25 spacing.
The radio communication could be in English or Russian but you should be aware that many GA pilots may not understand English especially at small domestic airfields with no ATC.
The first landing in Ukraine as well as departure abroad should be performed at international airport in order to pass border and customs formalities.
There are some major specific items regarding flying in Ukraine which are described in details below :
a. You should receive the BORDER CROSS PERMISSION prior to your flight
b. One hour prior to ETD you should get mandatory «flight conditions and approval» via phone
c. When flying within Ukraine you need to notify air forces prior to departure and after arrival via phone
d. While filing the flightplan yourself (not via briefing) you should manually verify AFTN addresses to make sure all authorities received your plan
a. Border cross permissionbn
In order to receive permission to cross Ukrainian border you need to send an e-mail with request including aircraft, pilot and route details. It is highly recommended to send request not later than 24 hours prior to departure. You should attach to the e-mail scan copies of aircraft registration, ARC or annual, pilot license, aircraft insurance.
You should indicate the planned route including your return flight. But don’t worry — it’s obvious that your plans could change, in that case you can send a simple change request with updated DOF and route for return flight.
In the best scenario you will receive the permission number which will look like this «DAT/11-234». Later, when performing your flight, you should indicate this number as an RMK in 18th filed of the flightplan.
In case you don’t get any answer via e-mail you may call +38 044 351 5231 or +38 044 351 5551. Well, do not expect perfect English and 5 stars attitude 😉 but at the end they will provide you with the permission number.
The e-mail addresses to send the application are following:
The application format is following :
REQUEST FOR OPERATING AN INTERNATIONAL NON-SCHEDULED FLIGHT FROM: GOTSMAN DAVID (Your last and first name) TO: C.A.A.OF UKRAINE AA: GERMANY (The country of aircraft registration) BB: EU PLANE LEASING LLC, MUNICH, STREET 1, +490 67 1111111 (Aircraft operator name, address and phone number) CC: GOTSMAN DAVID, MUNICH, STEET 2, +490 67 2222222 (Captain's name, address and phone number) DD: PIPER P-28 CHEROKEE, 975 KG, D-ABCD (ACFT type, MTOW, registration number) EE: EPRZ, 04-05-2018, 0630 (Departure airfield date/time of flight TO Ukraine) DIBED AT 0645 (The route point and time of crossing the border of Ukraine) DIBED KOKUP P26 UKLL(The entire flightplan route) CTR UKLL ENTRY SCHYRETS' AT 0700 (point and time of entering the controlled airspace of destination airdrome in Ukraine) ETA UKLL AT 0705 (ETA to Ukrainian airdrome) ETD UKLL 01-05-2019, 1230 (ETD for your return flight) DIBED AT 1255 (The route point and time of crossing the border of Ukraine for your return flight) UKLL GOLF DIBED EPRZ (the entire flightplan route for your return flight) CTR UKLL EXIT AT 1240 (time of exiting the CTR of departure airdrome) ETA EPRZ AT 1350(ETA to airport abroad) FF: PRIVATE, 3 POB, GOTSMAN DAVID, SHULMAN IVAN, OBAMA BARAK (The reason of the flight, souls on board, names) GG: NIL (NIL if you don't have any special photo and video equipment) HH: AXA VERSICHERUNG AG, #11 22 0001234, EUR 3.000.000,00; 31.07.2013 / 31.07.2020 (information about aircraft insurance) II: PHONE +490671234567 (Captain phone number)
Change request application :
CHANGE REQUEST FOR OPERATING AN INTERNATIONAL NON-SCHEDULED FLIGHT PERMISSION NUMBER DAT 01 555 (The permission number your have received before) FROM: GOTSMAN DAVID (... and then the entire updated application)
Receiving flight conditions
For any flight within Ukraine when you file the FPL you should receive the flight conditions (or in other words approval for flight). It should be obtained one hour prior to departure via phone call to the corresponding authority depending on your departure airfield. Contact details are following :
Kyiv region : +38 044 351-60-33
Odesa region : +38 048 730-50-80 и +38 048 730-50-81
Lviv region : +38 032 297-21-74
Dnipro region : +38 050 482-27-77
Vinnitsa region : +38 0432 616-631
Just make a call and tell your callsign (tail number) and that you would like to receive conditions (approval) for your flight. The officer will either provide you with conditions right away or will ask you to call back in few minutes. Be ready to write down since there might be important info about airspace restrictions on your planned route.
Informing air defense
Just prior to departure and after arrival you must inform air defense forces about your flight. This should be done via phone call to corresponding authorities depending on your departure/arrival airfield. the message should contain callsign (tail number), aircraft type, departure airdrome, destination airdrome and souls on board. Phone numbers are following :
Kyiv Air defense forces : +38 044 351-62-47
Odesa Air defense forces : +38 048 777-82-03 or +38 048 740-17-12
Vinnitsa Air defense forces :+38 0432 616-631
Lviv Air defense forces : +38 032 227-73-30 or +38 032 255-49-47
Kharkiv Air defense forces : +38 057 733-38-36
Filing the flightplan
The easiest way to file the flightplan is via one of the Briefing offices (see contact details below). But if you want to use AFTN utilities like EuroFPL make sure that following addresses will be present in recipients list :
UKKKZDZX UKKKYXYX UKKACGXX UKKKPOXX UKWWYXYD
Ukrainian briefing offices contact details
Kyiv
Phone: +38 044 351-64-12;
Dnipro
Phone: +38 056 375-81-17;
Kharkiv
Phone: +38 057 740-16-15;
Lviv
Phone/Fax: +38 0322 97-21-34;
Odesa
Phone: +38 048 730-50-34
Fly safe 😉