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(Insets) There is so much to see and do in France. A particularly memorable trip was a flight from Alès (LFMS) to overfly the 2,000 year old Pont du Gard Roman aqueduct, then on to see the incredible Millau viaduct before landing at Rodez (LFCR). We

then took a taxi to a delightful little village in a deep ravine and had a simple lunch beside the river – magic. Now get across that Channel and make your own memories!

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“I’d like to fly abroad but it's much too difficult, there's way too much complicated paperwork and planning to deal with.” How many times have you heard

such comments, but more importantly, have you believed them and shied away from that first trip across the Channel as a result? Well, it's not true. Flying in mainland Europe is not only one of life’s pleasures, it’s also very easy; the additional ‘paperwork’ required will take only moments to complete once you know the ropes.

This article is going to concentrate on the delights of France, our nearest neighbour and typically the tyro’s first foray to foreign shores. Almost three times the size of the United Kingdom yet with about the same population, France has a great deal to offer the aerial tourist, from the flatlands of the north to the mountains of the south and east. Beautiful scenery, unspoilt towns and villages, generally more reliable weather as you head south, fine food and wine and warm, friendly people. To have never flown in France is to have missed out on a huge slice of incredible flying experience.

We will also only be dealing with day VFR flying; let’s face it, if you are IR rated you won't need a ‘how to’ article like this anyway. So, before we share some of the delights that await you across the Channel, let’s get going on answering some of the more basic concerns that pilots have about venturing outside of their comfort zone.

Do I neeD permIssIon to fly a permIt aIrcraft In france?Short answer for 99% of us – no. There is a blanket permission for LAA Permit to Fly aircraft to operate in France, whether the aircraft be a homebuilt or a factory built ‘orphan’. There are some restrictions for warbirds and owners of such aircraft will need to contact the DGAC (French CAA).

can I speak englIsh on the raDIo?

Generally yes. English is the language of aviation across the world and certainly for en route services and at most airfields that have a controller, English is spoken. You may well hear them speaking in French to local pilots, but on contact in English they will use English to respond. Certainly for a first trip where you might plan to go to Calais or Le Touquet, Lille Information and either airfield will respond in clear, readily-understood English. Venture farther afield and the same generally holds true for airfields that have ATC.

There are also a lot of airfields in France that use the club frequencies. These frequencies – the most popular of which is 123.500 – are similar to our Safetycom in that they are used to inform other traffic of your position and intentions. The standard technique is to prefix each call with the airfield name, followed by your intention e.g. Abbeville G-XXXX inbound and will be overhead at 2,000ft in five minutes. If you can speak French by all means do so, if not use English. Club airfields are a good

place to practice your French arrival and circuit phraseology as nobody is going to be responding. A useful website with French translations of aviation phrases is www.blueplane.co.uk/lefthander/frenchrt.pdf – be wary though of using French at airfields with an ATC facility if you aren’t reasonably fluent, the controller might come back to you in French with instructions you do not understand!

There are also a relatively small number of airfields with controllers that expect you to speak only French (the airfield plate will state that French only is spoken on ATC) – Amiens in northern France is one that springs to mind. If I wanted to visit such an airfield and couldn’t speak French I’d give them a ring and ask if they’d make an exception. Incidentally, there is no ATC at Amiens on weekends and the flying club operates the field. They use the ATC frequency as if it were a club frequency and I know that English-speaking pilots go in on a regular basis, though I have no knowledge of whether this is legal or not. Finally, be aware that there are also a number of airfields that appear on the charts and in the flight guides which are open only to home-based aircraft. Again, if you would like to fly-in it’s worth giving them a ring to see if they’ll make an exception.

We’re part of the eU, so Is cUstoms an IssUe?Another short answer – yes. This isn’t the time or place to get into politics but the UK decided not to sign the Schengen Agreement way back in 1985 that led to the abolition of controls at member states’ common borders. As a result, UK (and Irish) residents must clear border controls into and out of mainland Europe, and then they can then travel freely between states. This requirement is generally referred to as ‘Customs’ but really has more to do with immigration. This all became slightly more problematic a couple of years ago when, as a cost-saving measure, the French government decided to greatly reduce the number of airfields that could offer Customs facilities but it quickly settled down and we still have what were always the most popular clearance airfields of Calais, Le Touquet and Abbeville available. Sadly Dieppe, a very pleasant day trip destination, was a victim of the cuts and can no longer offer Customs. Please note that you cannot always just turn up and expect Customs to be in attendance; more often than not you will have to give prior notice of your requirement for Customs – see ‘Flight Guides’ farther on.

so, let’s plan a trIp to france!OK, we’ve dealt with the fundamental worries a beginner might have, let’s now take a look at what you have to do to plan your first

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Coasting in at Cap Gris Nez and looking back across the Channel. You don’t get too many days when the channel is this clear!

flyIng ABROADJohn Dean and Brian Hope offer some advice on taking that first tentative step to

European touring – a trip to nearby France

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moules et frites soiree. You may be surprised to learn that there are really only two steps that differ from a typical cross country that starts and ends in the UK – filing a flight plan and informing UK Border Force that you will be coming back into the UK. This planning stage requires the use of a number of websites so this article will be put onto the LAA website and the links activated so that readers can easily access and copy the links. It will be on the magazine page for February 2014.

flIght plansAs far as VFR flight plans are concerned, it helps if you remember that it is only a message to various people telling them about your flight. Whilst it is satisfying to get it absolutely correct, you would be surprised how many flight plans are completed incorrectly and cause no problems with the flight. There is a good CAA Safety Sense Information Leaflet (20c) on how to complete the flight plan at www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/20130121SSL20.pdf.

There are a number of ways you can deal with the flight plan and if you have not done one before perhaps the best is to get a knowledgeable friend to file it for you. If you are a member of a Strut, or there are more experienced pilots at your local airfield, there will almost certainly be someone who can help. Some UK airfields are happy to file your outbound flight plan and even help with a pro-forma for the inbound flight. However, the most efficient way is to file it yourself using the online system known as AFPEx (the Aeronautical Flight Planning Exchange). You have to register to use AFPEx at www.flightplanningonline.co.uk but it's free. If you have heard horror stories about using this system please don’t be concerned, it has improved enormously since it was first introduced and for a trip to a nearby French

airfield is very simple to use. A specimen flight plan is shown and you can use this to amend to your own details. You can if you wish, use AFPEx for your return flight to the UK but French airfields are still happy to accept a hand written paper one. One rather unfortunate aspect of the AFPEx system is that you cannot access it by iPad or Android tablets, it runs on Java which requires a PC or Mac.

It's also possible to file a flight plan to and from France using France’s own electronic system known as Olivia, olivia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr. Again you have to register but it is free and easy to do. Although it is not as powerful as AFPEx, many people find it easier to file a flight plan with this system.

There are also a number of commercial programs which will file plans for you at a cost – Sky Demon (www.skydemon.aero) and Rocket Route (www.rocketroute.com) for example.

BorDer force general DeclaratIonAs mentioned, the other extra you have to do is inform Border Force of your inbound flight, note that you do NOT have to inform them of your outbound flight. If you are going on a day trip, it's probably easier to do this before you set off; and even if you are going for longer but know when you will be coming back, doing it before you go is often the best bet. If weather or other matters change your planned return, you can always amend your original instructions. You must, however, give a minimum of four hours’ notice of your return.

A form called a General Aviation Report (GAR), sometimes referred to as a General Declaration (Gen Dec) must be completed and can either be emailed to the Border Force at ncu@hmrc.gsi.gov.uk or many UK airfields will send it for you. Google ‘GAR

aviation’ or ‘General Declaration aviation’ and you’ll readily find a printable form.

However, Border Force is now very keen to encourage the use of their new online system and in many ways this is even easier than sending email attachments, especially if you need to change your expected arrival time in the UK whilst in France.

There are a number of ways of accessing the system, either by downloading the program at ucollectit.org/goav8/Gar6TestPage.html to your computer, using the web access at www.aopa.co.uk/Gar6/, or downloading an App for your Android phone or tablet from Google Play Store (search for UK Border Force GAR) or for your iPhone or iPad from the Apple Store (again, search for UK Border Force GAR).

Naturally, if you intend using a web-based system for filing a flight plan or a GAR, get to know the system in advance of your trip. Though not difficult to master, they do tend to take a little practice to get used to.

accessIng plannIng InformatIonAs per any flight you will need charts and airfield data, weather and Notam information. Below are some useful tips and website links.

charts anD flIght gUIDesFrance is divided into four official ICAO half mil charts, NE, NW, SE and SW. The ones you are likely to buy in the UK are paper; laminated ones are available at extra cost. They are replaced as a set each year around March. There are differences to UK charts but they are not difficult to understand. The Jeppesen VFR/GPS charts for France are no longer available. I’m not sure what the current legal situation is re. relying solely on electronic charts as provided by the Sky Demon and other available planning and navigation software, the CAA simply says

1 If your airstrip/airfield does not have an ICAO locator code then put ZZZZ in the appropriate box and in box 18 put DEP/YourAirstrip or DEST/YourAirstrip. (I don't need to say 'YourAirstrip' should be the name of your airstrip, do I?).2 Aircraft ID is just the letters – no hyphen.3 If you don't know your aircraft type designation, right click in box then 'Search aircraft type'.4 Speed is four digits preceded by N for knots. K is for km/hr.5 Departure time is in UTC (HHMM).6 EET (Estimated Elapsed Time) is the duration of the flight, again as HHMM, to the FIR boundary preceded by LFFF. The UK boundary coming back is EGTT. DOF/ is the date of the flight and AFPEx will automatically insert today's date. Don't forget to change it if you are filing it the evening before the flight. Date has to be in the format YYMMDD.7 The Addressees field will be completed automatically.8 Equipment field has V for radio, O for VOR and after the "/" is C for a mode C transponder, A for Mode A, S for Mode S and N for no transponder. Don't forget that a transponder is needed for French Class D airspace but certainly for Le Touquet an exception is made for the vast majority of occasions and they’ll let you in without.

FILING A FLIGHT PLAN ONLINE WITH AFPEx

A completed AFPEx online Flight Plan ready to send.

Paris is only a two hour flight from the SE at 90kt. Lognes (LFPL) on the eastern side is a good base for Disney and the city. On the western side try St Cyr l’Ecole (LFPZ) where the circuit goes over the grounds of the Palace of Versailles. Both have easy hotel and rail access though sadly neither now offer Customs so a preliminary stop (suggest Abbeville) will be necessary.

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that you must carry a current chart. Personally I wouldn’t be without a paper chart – paper still works when the electronics play up!

Fortunately the coastal airfields of Calais (LFAC), Le Touquet (LFAT) and Abbeville (LFOI), which we are considering for this first trip, are included on the Southern England half mil but the CAA does not guarantee the veracity of the air data beyond the UK boundary, so officially you will need the NE French chart.

flIght gUIDesProbably the most popular Flight Guide is French language-only Delage, which is available from some of the UK Pilot’s supply companies but it does now cost over £60. For a simple first trip, most UK flight guides contain the popular nearby French airfields, and if what you want isn’t included you can access airfield plates from the internet.

Go to the French SIA site at www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/default_uk.htm and click on AIP-Charts on the left hand side. It is then self-explanatory to get to the airfield information. This not only provides an aerodrome chart but also information as to whether it is able to accept flights from abroad and if so whether notice for Customs is needed (and usefully it has an English translation).

In the case of the ever popular Le Touquet, no notice is needed if ATS is operational, and the airfield information gives the ATS times. Note that on a Wednesday there is no ATS all day. In the case of Abbeville, four hours’ notice is required, and for Calais two hours. Old hands may tell you that X or Y is happy with just a flight plan Customs notification, but don’t trust to luck – if the AIP says two hours, give them at least two hours. Whilst it is true the French can appear quite laissez-faire on bureaucracy they do occasionally decide to get all serious about it and woe betide anybody who hasn’t toed the line.

Typically you will need to let the airfield know the aircraft registration, departure airfield, expected local time of arrival (don’t forget France is an hour ahead of UK local and two hours ahead of UTC during the BST period), and names, passport numbers and dates of birth of all on board.

safetyThis article is mainly about planning so we’ll keep safety issues down to the absolute basics. Plan for all on board to wear lifejackets, don’t just have them handy, as in a genuine emergency you won’t have time to put them on; and you must have either an ELT or a PLB on the aircraft. If the latter then attach it to your lifejacket as it’s not a lot of good to you if it goes down with the aircraft. Most important, try not to get too twitchy about flying across the Channel, it is typically only 15 minutes from Dover to Cap Gris Nez at 90kt.

WeatherSome weather information can be obtained from the UK Met Office website which gives the Tafs and Metars for Le Touquet and a number of other French airfields. However, although the weather 22 miles across the water may often appear no different to that on the English coast, you should be prepared for the unexpected and be willing and able to return if conditions are not as forecast (just as you would for an internal UK flight). It is certainly true that Le Touquet can be fogged in when Calais is CAVOK and vice versa. You may also get low level fog covering the water with both sides of the channel in good weather. The most common weather phenomena likely to be a problem is heat haze. If you can’t get above it, I find it best to stay lower, say 1,500ft, so you can see the surface of the water but don’t push your luck; if you don’t fancy the weather, don’t go. Wait for a better day.

Weather information for your return trip is available at most airfields in nearby France with many having internet access to enable you to access your usual weather channels.

notamIt’s as important to check Notam in France as it is in the UK. If you use the UK AIS site www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/fwf-natsuk/public/user/account/login.faces to obtain your Notam in the UK there is no reason why you can't use it for routes in and around France. Notam are also available on the French Olivia site mentioned earlier.

I find metutil.appspot.com/static/maps/NotamMap_EGTT_EGPX_2DAY_WR.htm useful for the UK and metutil.appspot.com/static/maps/NotamMap_LFXX_2DAY_WR.htm for France.

restrIcteD zonesOnce you start spreading your wings in France, you will need to know about the Restricted, Danger and Prohibited (LF-R, LF-D and LF-P) zones that can sometimes seem to dominate the charts. A 1,000,000 DAY VFR chart is available that gives details of operational hours and/or who to phone or contact on the radio about the status of these zones – available in the UK from Transair and other suppliers. Website www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/asp/frameset_fr.asp?m=39 gives a useful daily update

of the status of the AZBA (very low altitude military area network).

Also note that since 9/11 nuclear power stations have had prohibited airspace around them, typically three to four thousand feet above the surface on a radius of three NM. Stay well clear, as penalties for infringement will make more than your eyes water.

Notwithstanding all of the above, another good website for flying in France is flyinfrance.free.fr/ which is in English and has a lot of very useful information.

passport anD DocUmentsYou will need to take your passport, your pilot’s licence, medical and the aircraft documents – registration, Permit etc. (but not the log books). Copies are not deemed acceptable so take photocopies to leave at home should some mishap occur to the originals on your travels.

skyDemon, etcMost of the above suggestions for Notam, weather, planning et al are available at little or no cost but if you subscribe to one of the commercial flight planning programs then life becomes very easy indeed. Taking the popular SkyDemon as an example (sorry, but it’s the one I have personal experience of), it can not only help you plan your route and provide charts, airfield plates, weather information and Notams etc., but for a small additional fee it will even produce and file your Flight plan. And, if rumours are correct, it will also shortly be able to deal with sending your GAR to Border Force.

anD fInally…We hope this article inspires you to give foreign touring a go, even if it’s just a day or weekend trip this coming summer. Le Touquet is a particularly good first time destination as it is an easy stroll (you can also hire a bicycle at the airport) into a very pleasant seaside town with a magnificent beach and some good restaurants. Only downside is that there is now only a single runway – 32/14 hard so be aware of your crosswind limits. Calais as one of your alternates has 24/06 hard and supposedly grass though they don’t always keep the grass very well cut. Abbeville as another alternate has hard and grass 20/02 and a grass cross runway 31/13 (only 570m long though). When you only want to clear Customs and have a coffee before heading deeper into France or return home, Abbeville is a good choice as the landing fee is only about €8, the restaurant is very good and there is a motel on site should you get weather-bound.

Once you’ve made that first trip to nearby France, the world will be your oyster having realised that it’s not as complicated as some would have you believe. Bon vol!

anD fInally, fInally!We are both in the Kent Strut and several years ago we ran some ‘learning the ropes’ days (usually a Saturday) where pilots flew into Rochester and we would guide them through the procedures and send them on their way to France for the day or weekend. If there is sufficient interest from members, the Strut would be happy to organise a similar event for this summer. Please drop Brian an email if you’d be interested. brian.hope@laa.uk.com ■

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