Landing in Warsaw between Two Showers

The weather is better the next day and flying home is calm and nice. On our way to Warsaw we fly around a couple of showers, but they are not very extensive, so a little divergence from the right course is sufficient. I listen to the Polish on the radio, and though I cannot speak Polish more than the phrase, "you are very pretty, Miss," I wonder at the willingness and professionalism of Polish controllers.
[27.08.2006] [ Poland ]

It is Sunday and the air space is full of VFR flights of small sport aircrafts. The controllers give all the aircrafts very accurate and quality weather information. As soon as I begin to diverge a shower, the radio recommends me a fly-round vector and tells me the extent of shower cloudiness. The controller vectors me precisely to fly around the rain cords falling from the sky.

We land in Warsaw at a grand international airport. It is necessary to report the flight to GA Babice airport 48 hours in advance and that is too much for us. We fly over the city centre and land closely followed by a strong shower.

I was prepared for very high fees. But we are in transit only, refuel avgas and fly on to Ostrava. I handed the flight plan for the second part of the route as soon as in Vilnius, so I don`t even have to go to briefing. I get to know that we are not to pay anything but the tanked avgas. I am very pleasantly surprised and the more as we get the actual weather information from the handling and a shelter from the strong rain in their microbus while waiting for the refueling. And they lend us umbrella. Just a perfect service.

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