ICNF requirement - often unknown to new pilots
How I Went From 3 Rejections to Complete Mastery
THE BEGINNING:
First application: Rejected (flying near Pico do Arieiro - tight timeline)
Second attempt: Rejected (Port Captain - missing AAN permissions)
Third attempt: Rejected (AAN - coordinates crossing flight area boundaries)
40+ hours learning the Portuguese permit system
Finally: Complete approval
THE REALIZATION:
After helping a friend navigate the same system via email, I realized: everyone needs this information.
THE RESULT:
I documented EVERYTHING. Every form. Every requirement.
Every safe spot. Every lesson learned.
It became a 200-page Bible.
Special thanks to ICNF (Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas), ANAC (Autoridade Nacional da Aviação Civil), and AMN (Autoridade Marítima Nacional) for their cooperation in granting the necessary permits for filming locations featured in this guide.





