Flying Tips Portugal
Flying in Portugal
The tools you need before you fly: file your flight plan, check the VFR Manual, and know the airspace class you'll be crossing.
Submit your flight plan
NAV Portugal's briefing portal. Account required — create it a few days ahead.
Find the exact point names on the map, then write your route as DCT + point name + DCT + next point — e.g. DCT POINT1 DCT POINT2.
Read the VFR Manual
AD charts and procedures — each aerodrome's chart, joining procedures, PPR and frequencies.
Check NOTAMs & FUA areas
FUA (Flexible Use of Airspace) — this doesn't remove the need to check NOTAMs, but this tool lets you visualise the daily FUA plan over the Lisboa FIR.
Lisboa FIR airspace
Portuguese mainland airspace is Lisboa FIR. Below is roughly how it looks, simplified — a few busy zones, some military areas, and everything else largely open.
Busy zones — Lisboa, Porto, Faro i
Some restrictions apply around these airports. To keep VFR traffic clear of the approach frequency, published VFR tunnels route you around or through.
Military restricted areas — LPBJ, LPMR, LPST…
Beja, Monte Real, Sintra and similar bases are controlled, not closed. They'll ask you to contact their frequency — in practice, you tell them what you want to do and they authorize it.
The rest — mostly uncontrolled
One controller split across three regional frequencies — Norte 130.905, Centro 123.755, Sul 131.055. Whichever matches your position, in practice you're talking to the same person.