I’m planning on flying from Dijon to Marseilles, low level southwards, then via the low-level VFR routes that are marked along the coast. However, I notice that these sit inside not one, but two, restricted areas, both from SFC upwards, active every day. So how does that work? Does one request clearance stating an intention to follow the low-level VFR routes only? What if that’s refused? It seems there is literally no other way to get there from the West (without a pressurised cabin) as Marseilles is pretty much ring-fenced. Any ideas?
I’ve never been refused transit via the VFR routes. Which is good because as you say, there’s no alternative.
denopa wrote:
I’ve never been refused transit via the VFR routes. Which is good because as you say, there’s no alternative.
Ok, well that’s good to know 
It seems strange that there are designated VFR routes within a permanent restricted area, from SFC upwards, or is this common?
What restricted area are you referring to?
A restricted area means there are restrictions. It does not mean it cannot be penetrated. For example LF-R-108:
GAT VFR: entry with clearance from CAMARGUE Control 127.925 MHz.
Aviathor wrote:
What restricted area are you referring to?
There are actually four interconnecting areas:
LFR217/1
LFR217/1.1
LFR108AF1
LFR108F2
- all from SFC upwards right along the published VFR routes.
I understand that restricted means ‘with restrictions’, but there’s no mention of an exception for VFR clearance along these routes. I’m relying on SD for information but it’s usually very reliable for this sort of thing, and if there are official VFR exceptions, would one not expect them to be published?
None of those are permanent. They may be activated at any time of day, which does not mean they are alway active. But they are not permanent. If SD does not provide an adequate description of those areas, refer to the AIP.
Chances are you will not even need to follow the published VFR routes, especially on weekends.
I have pulled my hair out in the past trying to route through southern and south-eastern France. There are so many restricted areas so find in clear route is actually impossible for some VFR planned flights. My friends who fly in France more than me keep on explaining that the restrictions are rarely active, and that there are in fact airfields situated in some of the restricted areas so then what is the point? Why not remote the restrictive areas on the charts / AIP and instead introduce restricted areas by NOTAM on those rare occasions when they apply? Does anyone know?
Howard wrote:
Why not remote the restrictive areas on the charts / AIP and instead introduce restricted areas by NOTAM on those rare occasions when they apply? Does anyone know?
IMHO, you cannot (should not?) activate by NOTAM a restricted area that is not documented in the AIP. To do it purely by NOTAM, you’d have to give the latlon coordinates of the shape of the area, and that’s not friendly to the pilots: people would have to draw it on their paper maps themselves, it wouldn’t be on navigation software, … Slightly better would be to publish in a Sup AIP the modified map of the area, but:
FWIW weekends they are almost never active, if ever (and weekdays they are often not active).
VFR routes are a strange thing. There is a fair number of them about, e.g. the ADRIA one down the Adriatic (Croatian airspace), but in most cases you don’t need to fly them. They are just recommended routes for those who wish to fly at a low level (which probably most GA VFR pilots do) for sightseeing, or due to tradition, and where they take you through CAS they do it on a route known to ATC and at a low level to avoid conflict with large planes operating there.
However the south east corner of France is dominated by the extremely tight ATC policies of Nice airport. I’ve had some bizzare experiences there. One can get a transit at FL150 but last time I flew there, at FL130 or so from a departure from Bastia, they would strangely not let me climb to FL150 so I could get a more direct route… So that VFR route may be the only way to do it. Something similar was found here and again it was a very low level transit, 500-1000ft above the sea.
