I still feel nervous at FL120-160 IFR in Class A crossing the channel. Solo I stay a bit lower, say FL140 due hypoxia/oxygen risks. I understand the challenges of crossing VFR but how are you guys not terrified of the cold sea?
Our engines are built very poorly – please be careful out there.
PF
You’re either
A) high enough to glide to land
B) not high enough to glide to land
If B) it doesn’t matter if it’s 2000 or 3000 etc..
I crossed the channel at a narrow point in November, above FL100, with a raft.
It’s usually when you don’t have any options that you’d need them the most.
I am a little confused. Does the UK not follow the semi circular rule with 1000’s plus 500 ’ above 3000 ft in VFR ? If so, if FL 080 is the floor of class A then the highest in VFR would be FL075. With the IMC rating and on an IFR flight plan it would be FL080?
In France if an airfield is OCAS it is more likely, if it has an ATS at all, to be an AFIS and not an ATC. They are more likely to use the word approvée (approuved) rather than authorizée (cleared). Jujupilote is correct in that all authorization s/clearances should be read back (as per ICAO) whereas a slightly different, more pilot led phraseology can be used in response to approuvals again as per ICAO
@ Peter lookin at the airspace around Calais on the chart you posted, I would say that the Class E airspace goes from FL65 to FL115, below FL 65 it is OCAS and above FL115 it is Class D.
Snoopy, it matters a lot your altitude. The higher the altitude reduces your risk considerably in any crossing. I encourage cross channel flyers to consider an IFR rating as you may be able to reduce in half or more the time outside gliding distance. VFR across the channel is not a safe pursuit but rather an adventure. It depends which risk level one wishes to subscribe to.
PF
how are you guys not terrified of the cold sea?
I don’t know about others but my plan is to use the life raft. I overhaul it every 2-3 years and apparently there is a roughly 99% chance it will inflate.
Also the risk depends on the time window, relative to the rest of the flight / the rest of the engine running time to date. If I spent all my flying time over water, the risk would be high, eventually, but in practice one doesn’t usually do that. The MTBF of Lyco engines is thought to be around 50k hours, so most pilots never see an engine failure (other than via fuel exhaustion or some other external cause).
Does the UK not follow the semi circular rule with 1000’s plus 500 ’ above 3000 ft in VFR ? If so, if FL 080 is the floor of class A then the highest in VFR would be FL075. With the IMC rating and on an IFR flight plan it would be FL080?
In Class G nobody cares 
Also flying fixed levels is less safe than flying at random levels.
lookin at the airspace around Calais on the chart you posted, I would say that the Class E airspace goes from FL65 to FL115, below FL 65 it is OCAS and above FL115 it is Class D.
I wonder what this label refers to. I initially read it as 1500ft to FL065
Here it is slightly clearer
Peter wrote:
I wonder what this label refers to. I initially read it as 1500ft to FL065
Seems to me it is:
- Class G bellow 1500ft
- Class E from 1500ft to FL065 “controlled” by Lille 120.275
- Class G from FL065 and FL115
- Class D above FL115, probably Paris 125.7?
- Class A at FL195, don’t have it on maps…
I guess for a “VFR who needs oxygen”, I can just ignore and treat like OCAS for all practical purposes
Snoopy, of course it matters how high you are.
It’s about the time you have between a problem occuring and ditching. That is time to prepare, to communicate, and to give yourself the best possible chance.
My bet is that from 2,000 feet most of us wouldn’t even get a decent mayday call out.
Also which gliding distance are we talking about: the fully fledged “dead engine prop milling”, or a partial engine failure / icing condition /anything else meaning you loose altitude but not very fast? If you cannot have the first one, it still makes sense to have altitude to spare.
To answer the OP’s question, I cross between Goodwood and ETRAT (Etretat north east of Deauville) at FL140 or above, but usually at FL180 or above. I find I’m notably more stressed when I’m below FL180 and the glide range circle on my iPad only reaches the wet bits, for a few minutes. I always carry a raft and wear my life jacket – I also ask my family to wear theirs; I know they’d have plenty of time to put them on but that’s one less thing to think about.
Is my understanding correct that if I cross the channel at around 6000 agl from Dover to Calais, then I can safely glide one way or the other in PA28?
arj1 wrote:
Is my understanding correct that if I cross the channel at around 6000 agl from Dover to Calais, then I can safely glide one way or the other in PA28?
In principle yes – ignoring wind effects and the elevation of the white cliffs of Dover. :-)
