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Catavento

Visiting Portugal

Where to find out how flying works in Portugal, who helps visiting pilots on the ground, and who runs tours here. The sources hold the details, so it's worth checking with them before you fly.

Sites on the map

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Sites in Portugal on a map

Before you fly

National body: Federação Portuguesa de Voo Livre (FPVL) (opens in a new tab)

  • Portuguese law requires free-flight pilots to hold third-party liability insurance.
  • FPVL treats valid licences from FAI-member national bodies as equal to its local-flight licence without thermal flying; higher levels need more.

A short summary, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the current requirements with Federação Portuguesa de Voo Livre (FPVL) before you fly. Summary checked 13 Oct 2026.

Federação Portuguesa de Voo Livre (FPVL): current rules for visiting pilots (opens in a new tab)

Checked 13 Oct 2026. Sources: source 1 (opens in a new tab) · source 2 (opens in a new tab) · source 3 (opens in a new tab) · source 4 (opens in a new tab) · source 5 (opens in a new tab) · source 6 (opens in a new tab) · source 7 (opens in a new tab)

Europe

  • Rules for visiting pilots are set by each country, so licence and insurance requirements differ from one country to the next.
  • Many countries let visitors fly with an IPPI card plus a current national licence. The IPPI card gives no insurance cover.

A short summary, not legal advice. Rules change, so check the current requirements with the national body of the country you're visiting. Summary checked 13 Oct 2026.

Current rules for visiting pilots (opens in a new tab)

Checked 13 Oct 2026. Sources: source 1 (opens in a new tab) · source 2 (opens in a new tab) · source 3 (opens in a new tab) · source 4 (opens in a new tab) · source 5 (opens in a new tab) · source 6 (opens in a new tab)

Help on the ground

Businesses whose own websites say they help visiting pilots. It's worth contacting them before you go. These lists are indicative, not complete. We add more as we find them, so there are likely others not listed here.

On offer here: Site briefings (1) · Guiding (2) · Lifts and shuttles (1) · Tandem flights (2) · Courses (1)

Flying tours here

Organised trips for qualified pilots, as each operator describes them. These lists are indicative, not complete. We add more as we find them, so there are likely others not listed here.

Sites and contacts

Information only. Forecast direction is compared with each site's published wind range; speeds are shown but not judged. Always check the official site guide, the administering club and conditions on the day. You are responsible for your decision to fly.