spotting in Puglia Italy

[mazzel]

I'm planning a family holiday in southern Italy. I may try my luck at some airfields there. I don't see or read much about experiences outside the fence at the following bases:

Goia del Colle
Lecce-Galatina
Grottaglie

Can anyone provide some info as to good locations, attitudes towards spotters from law enforcement etc.?

Much appreciated!

[spottervito]

Hi,
I`ve been to all three bases in 2014:
please send me your e-mail via PM I could send you a word document with info how to get there.
Generally spoken: Lecce is easy, Grottaglie is not much activity and you have no comfortable place to stay longer and Goia is somehow in between.

I spent some hours at Lecce without any trouble by Police etc, but I tried to keep some distance to the fence. If you are a bit more brave-harted you could also position yourself along the fence direct beside the taxiway but I did not dare to do so. (But I guess it could be possible also without troubles).
The other two bases I made just short stops to catch some serials but at least at Gioa it should be possible to spent some time and also take some pictures of approaching aircraft.

Regards,
Alex

[Richard de Florennes]

Hi Alex, thanks for this great information.

[Richard de Florennes]

what about spotting at Ghedi, Istrana and Aviano? Heard that they do not like spotters at Ghedi due to the "nukes"? Aviano seems to be great according to many pictures with mountain backgrounds. But what about Istrana? And how many AMX might be expected flying per day?

[68-0037UH]

Ghedi is okay as long as you stay away from the fence

[Ranger]

Ghedi is okay as long as you stay away from the fence

Same applies for Istrana.

Cheers,
Ranger

[Trabanti]

Just phone the Gruppo and go on base, you get to enjoy proper coffee and some shade as well!

[Basman]

I visited Gioia around 5 years ago I think. Views were quite good from the outside and I was not harassed by police or carabinieri. Activity was quite good but that was also thanks to the RAF that had some Tiffies and Tornados stationed there for the war on Libya. Normally I guess you should see around 6 EF2000's. If I recall correctly, the northern end of the base is quite open from the west, but the southern end is like a maze, surrounded by bushes and a railway track in a deep trench.
I planned to visit Lecce during that same holiday but I skipped it due to a heatwave of over 40 degrees that lasted the whole week. And once you have seen the beaches near Gallipoli you don't want to leave them anymore...

I had a base visit at Grottaglie around 10yrs ago but my contact there (who had left the MM to go civil anyway) sadly passed away in a highway accident.

Best regards,

Bas

[grappa]

In Istrana no problem with police. Typically you could find 4 to 6 AMX flying, but some unlucky days everything shuts up.
Also a detachment of 2 Typhoons in QRA (rotating from 4th, 36th and 37th Wings) is active since last January.

[zerofive]

eyes open in Puglia ...

[F17_114PM]

In what regard? Planes or Police?

[zerofive]

a bit of everything

[F17_114PM]

Good answer

[mazzel]

Thanks for the info. Had a look at Grottaglie but little activity here and I found no quiet secluded spots to wait for it. Great flying at Lecce, log here http://forum.scramble.nl/viewtopic.php?f=45&t=131763