Private Jet to Calvi: CLY Airport, Citadel and Balagne

Calvi-Sainte-Catherine: 2,310 m of runway, 6 km from town

The Corsican chamber of commerce, CCI de Corse, runs the airport, and the French airports union (UAF) lists it as a border crossing point. The AIP in force gives runway 18/36 a width of 45 m, while the UAF airport page and the airport's own website still say 40 m.

No landings after dark, and a tower that keeps sun hours

One rule governs every Calvi itinerary: no landing at night. The tower opens at 6.45am local time and closes half an hour after sunset, which works out, as a guide, at around 9.30pm in late June and 5.30pm in late December.

Extended hours can be announced on the tower frequency or the ATIS, and a night departure from runway 36 is possible once the airport operator has agreed in advance. So leaving after dinner in Calvi can be negotiated. Arriving after dark cannot.

Weather limits come on top. The AIP bans take-offs and landings in low-visibility conditions and closes the wet runway to crosswinds of 20 knots or more, while a circling approach to runway 36 calls for a 2,500 ft ceiling and 8 km visibility.

If weather shuts the airfield, the crew diverts to another airport on the island or on the mainland, a case we plan before departure, road transfer included.

Above 5,700 kg, Calvi needs a site-qualified captain

The AIP flags the high terrain around the airfield in plain words. For every air transport operator, the same document makes site familiarisation compulsory, or training on a simulator with an approved visual system, for the captain of any aeroplane above 5,700 kg maximum weight or with more than 10 passenger seats.

Runway 18 draws the most caution. Visual manoeuvring in the final phase of the approach lasts a long time, and the surrounding hills make a go-around delicate. Any multi-engine aircraft above 5,700 kg, or with 10 seats or more, needs prior authorisation to take off from runway 18.

That threshold splits the fleet. Textron Aviation lists the Citation CJ3 at 6,291 kg maximum take-off weight, so its captain must hold the Calvi qualification, whereas the single-engine PC-12, capped at 4,740 kg according to Pilatus, sits outside both rules.

Before we put an operator forward, our team confirms that a qualified crew is free on your dates. Without one, the best-placed aircraft stays on the ground.

Casavia, 72 hours' notice and daylight customs

Ground handling is compulsory all year for general and business aviation, and Casavia provides it from sunrise to sunset. The AIP asks general aviation flights for prior permission (PPR) 72 hours ahead, reduced to 24 hours in the IATA summer season, from late March to late October. The request goes to Casavia's general aviation desk, the contact that both the UAF and the airport give for business flights, and our team files it for every charter.

Arrivals from outside the Schengen area rely on two services. Customs attend in daylight from 1 May to 30 September, and in daylight on 6 hours' notice from October to April. Border police work from 7am to 6pm local time all year round, which means a jet out of Farnborough has to be on the ground by 6pm, even on a July evening when the tower stays open past 9pm.

BP supplies Jet A1 from 8am to noon and from 2pm to 6pm in summer, from 9am to noon and from 3pm to 6pm in winter, and on one hour's notice outside those windows.

Which aircraft for Calvi

With 2,110 m available for landing on runway 36, length is rarely what limits a light jet; a heavily loaded midsize on a wet runway goes through a performance calculation. After that, crew, arrival time and passenger numbers decide.

• Pilatus PC-12: six passengers with luggage, below 5,700 kg and therefore clear of both Calvi-specific requirements.
• Citation CJ3: a six-passenger light jet, in the category priced from €4,000 per hour.
• Phenom 300: seven seats and 4h30 of endurance, enough to fly in from London without a stop.
• Citation XLS: an eight-passenger midsize, from €4,800 per hour for the category.

Beyond midsize, the parking stand is checked together with performance: the AIP gives the business aviation apron a bearing strength (PCN) of 15, against 26 for the runway. Costs start from the hourly rates we publish for each category, with no set fare for Calvi.

Calvi and the Balagne: two Relais & Châteaux, a vineyard and the GR20

Calvi holds two of the five Relais & Châteaux hotels in Corsica. La Villa Calvi has 49 rooms, suites and villas on the heights opposite the citadel. La Signoria occupies an 18th-century Genoese estate between the mountains and the beaches.

The Corse Calvi vineyard runs between Calvi and L'Île-Rousse, one of the island's five “Villages” appellations, and the Corsican wine board reports that every estate in it is certified organic or converting.

In the Balagne hills, the village of Calenzana is where the GR20 begins, 16 stages to Conca. The Corsica regional nature park cites a municipal order that bars any start after 11am, so walkers who want to set off on arrival day need an early landing.

Calvi covers the north-west of the island; for Porto-Vecchio or Bonifacio, the arrival airport is Figari, set out on our Figari private jet page.

Chartering to or from Calvi with IBC Aviation

IBC Aviation operates no aircraft. We select the operator, and four checks stand behind every Calvi quote:

• Crew: a captain qualified for the site whenever the aircraft exceeds 5,700 kg.
• Timing: a landing before the tower closes, and before 6pm for a non-Schengen arrival.
• Paperwork: the PPR sent to Casavia 72 hours ahead, or 24 hours in the summer season.
• Fallback: a diversion and road transfer plan in case weather closes the runway.

These flights are handled by our Nice office, introduced on the Nice private jet charter page. They can depart from Nice Côte d'Azur airport. Our article on the added value of a charter broker explains what this checking changes for a passenger.

Private jet charter with IBC Aviation:

Our teams advise you on the private jet best suited to your itinerary and requirements, and organise your trip to or from your destination. Available 24/7:

• France: +33 1 41 69 88 88
• Switzerland: +41 22 880 28 88
• Dubai: +971 55 303 5161
• Bangkok: +66 92 372 4680
• Email: contact@ibc-aviation.com

Frequently asked questions

Can a private jet land at Calvi at night?

No. The French AIP bans all night landings at Calvi-Sainte-Catherine, where the tower closes 30 minutes after sunset, around 9.30pm in late June. A night departure remains possible from runway 36 if the airport operator agrees beforehand, so a late return can be arranged but a late arrival cannot.

What crew qualification does Calvi require?

On a charter flight, the captain must have completed site familiarisation or approved simulator training whenever the aircraft exceeds 5,700 kg or 10 passenger seats, according to the AIP. A Pilatus PC-12, limited to 4,740 kg, is not affected; a Citation CJ3, at 6,291 kg, is.

How much notice does a private flight to Calvi need?

Prior permission 72 hours ahead from Casavia's general aviation desk, reduced to 24 hours in the IATA summer season, from late March to late October. Ground handling is compulsory all year for business aviation, and our team prepares the request with the operator we select.

Can a jet from London clear customs at Calvi?

Yes, the airport is a border crossing point. Border police are present from 7am to 6pm all year, and customs in daylight, with 6 hours' notice from October to April. A flight from London therefore has to land before 6pm, even in midsummer when the tower stays open later.

Which Relais & Châteaux hotels are in Calvi?

Two of the five Relais & Châteaux hotels in Corsica. La Villa Calvi has 49 rooms, suites and villas facing the citadel, and La Signoria occupies an 18th-century Genoese estate. The airport lies 6 km south-east of the town, according to the AIP.