Flying to France

1. Flying to France Steve Morley

2. Housekeeping • Mobile Phones – OFF PLEASE • 2 hours with coffee break • Fire Alarm and exits • Share experiences • Any questions please ask PROB90 deal with at break or end.

3. Flying in France Mythbustertrue or false? • They all speak French • The airspace is different • You can’t fly inland without infringing a restricted zone • You can’t fly above 5000ft • You will be ramp checked • Lille info don’t want to know when you fly to Le2K • You will be detained if you infringe a ZIT

4. Flying to France, Initial preparation • Documents for aircraft • Registration cert, POH, C of A and ARC, Insurance, VAT paid receipt, • Documents for Pilot • Licence, Photo ID, Passport • Other documents • Interception procedures, valid chart, PLOG • Make sure it is all current!

5. Flying to France - Air Law • EASA – responsible for regulation since 2012, national differences will apply. • Minimum equipment for VFR flight in France: • ASI, Turn and slip, altimeter for CAS, magnetic compass, VOR or GPS if the aircraft is to lose sight of the ground, watch, VFR radio (FIRs) • Flight over water, life jacket. • PLB • Mode C transponder • En Route • Flight Levels use semi circular rule, VFR, First half, odd + 5, second half, even + 5 • Transition altitude may be above 3000ft – In high areas it will be 3000ft AGL and the semi circular rule MUST be used! • When crossing boundary contact must be attempted with French ATC organisation. First FIC or approach (for Le2K) and transmit “border crossed” message – reg, dep/dest, “border crossed” pos/alt/time

6. Flight Plan and GAR form • Flight Plan for border crossing, night VFR in France or flight over water beyond glide range. • poster on wall. AFPEX for filing or Tower will assist and fax/email. • Gar, for re-entry into UK, 4 hours notice required, so fax, file it with O/G FP. • Some French Airfields require crew and passenger details (Le2K) and a copy of the Gar faxed or emailed to them is more than sufficient. • IF ATS or afis, FP opened on T/O and closed on landing. If no ATS, FP must be opened by pilot with ATS organisation ASAP after T/O and when no longer required en route with ATS organisation. If FP cannot be closed this way it must be closed as soon as possible after landing by telephoning 0810 437 837 (437 837 is iFR VFR on a telephone keypad)

7. Customs • In France • You must land at an airfield with customs. • Either published hours or advance notice as stated on a/f plate available online http://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/aip/enligne/UK/VACProduitPartie.ht • You must depart from an airfield with customs • In UK, again customs airfield. In the case of airfield with no permanent customs but part of the customs agreement, such as Blackbushe (see plate) following gar and 4 hours notice • UK airfields with published customs hours, no notice required unless published on plate.

8. Airspace • Class E • some airfields are in Class E airspace, CAS. Sep between VFR.N and IFR, FIS offered, RT not obligatory for daytime VFR so ATC clearance not required unless VFR/N. Airways are class E • Many airfields are in class D CAS • Restricted/danger/prohibited areas • P R and D the same • ZIT, temp prohibited area on charts do not infringe!, ZRT, temp restricted areas, same applies, TSA temp segregated areas, not permissible to traffic as published on chart or NOTAMs • Une petite pause pour café et questions en francais

9. Planning • IMSAFE • Documents/equipment • Charts • FP, gar • Planning route:- • Consider airspace, recommended VFR corridor, sea crossing, altitude/FL • Look carefully at restricted areas for times of operation. The majority are operational at certain times, weekdays only. • Make sure chart covers area well beyond destination and alternate in case of divert • Download, study destination/alternate plate. • Utilise Navaids if poss in potential reduced vis such as mid channel. Study VRPs at destination from plate – plan to the appropriate VRP

10. Planning – contd. • Wx/NOTAMS • AIS/Met office or OLIVIA, which will file FP too! • Pay attention to en route wx and poss sea fog/mist. Choose alternate away from coast. • Make sure you include all FIRs in NOTAM search.

11. Flying the route • FP opened on departure at EGLK • All en route stations should have details but sometimes do not. • On coasting out have your service with desired station for crossing/ passing on to French ATC. They will want an estimate for FIR boundary – Be prepared. • Vis may be reduced, no horizon, cannot see French coast. Dead reckon, increase instrument scan to maintain level flight, try to leave engine controls alone – i.e. climbing/descending, unnecessary carb heat checks. • Call mid channel if requested, sign off to French service • “Border crossed” call asking for service (FIS) • Listen out to other traffic, many speak French, keep good lookout. • Obtain ATIS at destination if poss.

12. Arriving at Destination • Contact approach as usual with position and VRP you are heading for • ATC, follow instructions if conditions allow, be aware coast is the other way round if you are used to S Coast airfields! • Le2K has ILS, be aware! • FP will be closed by ATS at Le2K • On non controlled/radio airfields join start downwind after closing FP with ATS. • Non radio airfields make traffic calls on 123.5 or 130 if altiport. Almost all are FR only – replies will not come so info calls only, crib sheet available.

13. Returning • FP can be filed on arrival or before departure at airfield 30 mins minimum! • Call for start-up at Le2K • Keep good lookout for French speaking pilots and Brit muppets

14. Flying inland in France • Lots of restricted mil zones, all have hours, none are open weekends • Study route and cross reference to complement booklet • Call appropriate FIS for transit of restricted zones if frequency published in complement (almost always the case). Most are inactive, none are active weekends. • FP not necessary for inland flights unless stated on plate • Watch out for low level mil flying corridors, up to 1500ft AGL or as published

15. French RT • Most French pilots and atc speak French to each other • French pilots are required to have English level 4 • French atc will speak English to non French pilots • Some French airfields are French only (frseulement) and will be marked on the plate as such

16. phraseology • Many words are the same • Transpondeur (they don’t say squawk) • Finale • Qnh/qfe (kooenn ash, koo eff er) • Phonetic alphabet • Traffique • route • Many more

17. phraseology • What they don’t use • All the raf nonsense • Roger (recu) • Wilco (nothing) • Ginger’s pranged the kite • Separate runway numbers (treize for runway 13) • “un” for “one”. The word is “unite” • Niner, tree, fife etc • Keep it short – they don’t!

18. phraseology • UN TOUCHER – TOUCH AND GO • LASSEZ PASSER – GIVE WAY • COMMENT RECEVEZ VOUS? – HOW DO YOU READ? • AUTORISE ATTERISAGE – CLEARED TO LAND • LA TREIZE – RUNWAY 13 • REMONTEZ PISTE – BACKTRACK THE RUNWAY • COLLATIONNEZ – READ BACK • RAPPELEZ QUITTANT LA FREQUENCE – REPORT LEAVING THE FREQUENCY (ALWAYS WAIT FOR A RESPONSE) • Examples • Piste – runway • Verticale – overhead • Decollage – take off • Aterrisage – landing • Amerisage – ditching • Maintenez position – hold position • Alignez-vous et attendez – line up and wait • Roulage – taxi • Accusez reception – acknowledge • Rappelez (finale) – report (final) • Remettez le gaz – go around

19. phraseology • French rtcribsheet circulated • Any questions?

20. Flying to France • Questions?