Hello,
I’m a relatively new microlight pilot and, after flying around the UK for a year or so, I’m looking to expand my horizons and head out into France next summer. My plan is to do the mountain flying course run out of Gap Tallard airfield. I’m just starting to look into route options and airfields to refuel and stay over night on the way there and back. I fly a skyranger microlight, usually travel at 80mph and have a range of 4-5 hours max, though I generally try to fly no more than 3-4 hour legs.
As I have a rotax 912 engine, I’d be hoping to find either airfields with UL91 available or, preferably, a petrol station close enough to the airfield to walk over with the fuel bladders I carry and fill up with regular unleaded.
I’m probably going to allow 4 days each way to give a weather buffer and so I’m not flying too much each day so any suggestions on pretty routes or good airfields where I can overnight camp or refuel would be most appreciated. As I’m in Devon I’ll probably aim to cross the channel going out from near Plymouth, then north of Alderney and ashore near Cherbourg Manche unless weather looks poor for being overwater that long in which case I’ll run along the coast to near Dover and go over there.
Any suggestions would be gratefully received. Thanks.
Many pilots will shy away from the longer water crossing you describe.
I tend not to, but may if my route really is not compromised.
For the distance you are travelling anyway, I’d be tempted to do the Dover crossing, and build that into my trip from the beginning.
Something that would also shape that decision is my instinct that in a heavy high power/performance single, an off field landing saving the airframe is not assured and the loss is likely, as much as it is guaranteed over water. However I’d like to think that I’d almost certainly save the airframe of a lowish energy microlight over land, but it’s a certain loss over water.
Other than that, the whole of France will be an easy run down.
A couple of our French friends will be along soi with some advice on potential fuel issues.
SafetyThird wrote:
As I’m in Devon I’ll probably aim to cross the channel going out from near Plymouth, then north of Alderney and ashore near Cherbourg Manche unless weather looks poor for being overwater that long in which case I’ll run along the coast to near Dover and go over there.
I concur on what have been said above on Dover being an easy crossing, you tend to see Calais from Dover, plenty of boats during the crossing and plenty of airports within reach
For Cherbourg, it’s hard to see en-route weather all the way from St Cath point, if you pick the right week it’s fine but in the middle it’s uncharted territory, clouds are always present middle of the channel and if you ever need to change your fuel tank at some point => you need a raft, if you think raft is heavy or expensive get Avgas and fly east
There is also a poor choice of alternates and logistics down that road, not even microlights surfaces in that corner, I had trouble there few twice: first one, after landing I found Total pump was U/S in Cherbourg (nothing in NOTAMS and not a single soul around), called Granville and no one replied, Dinard & Caen were on the edge of low fuel, after load of cursing, I flew to Jersey fueled and went down to Bergerac right after (I did not do a single ‘foreign paperwork’ that afternoon, I simply had enough), the second, when I could not land at Cherbourg due to fog and had to divert to Jersey
Welcome SafetyThird
Sounds like an adventure 😃 Keep us updated on the trip, and the mountain flying.
Only on my phone at the moment, but this post has links to a map of different self-service fuel types and cards. The FFPLUM website may have recommendations for mogas (I’ll check later). Worst case you’ll have to do it the old fashioned way and look up the VAC (SIA or flight planning app) and Google maps for every airfield along the route.
Looking at a route Cherbourg-Gap, Villefranche Tarare LFHV is close and has one of the best airport restaurants.
Hi @SafetyThird I will not advise on where and how to cross the channel. I tend to use a twin for that, probablybdue to old fashioned ideas. We do have someone who came over in a single seat Fournier 4. He attended one of our owners meetings and the.club president made a speech about hpw it was good of him to bring the aircraft home and how brave he was to bring it across the 120Nm stretch of water from Berry Head to Dinard. He thought nothing of it as he had spent much of his life at sea.🙂
Back to the topic. Flying a 3axis microlight/ULM in France is pretty much like flying any other light aircraft.
To that end I would suggest you invest in an SIA pack called “Documents VFR Preparation et suivi de vol” you may find it very useful. It’s about €30 if IIRC. It is useful for frequencies to request crossing of military RA’s. Do you have a transponder? That will help you too to transit military zones and CAS. With a transponder, transits are usually granted and use of English is of no problem. You can also get a lot of help and informatio in English from the various SIVs. I am not sure about the use of English in the circuit at Gap but its a long time since I’ve been there.
I am assuming you have some French as you are doing a course at Gap. If not coming back will be simpler than going with twice as many landing points to choose from, to go with the French radio phraseology you will have learnt on the course.
Either way can I suggest you take a look at the FFPULM website. You might even think its worth joining. They have a guide/list of ULM airfields with details and phone numbers. On ULM fields you may need to PPR as many are on private land but some have restaurants and accommodation.Many of the smaller CAP airfields have no towers or AFIS and are no problems for use by 3 axis ULMs but are often French only. Many with AFIS are also Fr.only.
If its still around you might find that a visit to the Nav3000 website yields a lot of useful information on all fields small and very small.
Many ULM fields are also shown on SkyDemon and SDVFR but I couldn’t swear to how much textual information they include.
You ask particularly about fuel. AIUI the Rotax 912 runs best on 95SP, and if using that you only do an oil change every 50hours whereas using Avgas 100LL you need to change oil every 25 hours. I know that the 912 using 95SP is best with motorcycle oils. I do not know if there is a difference when you use 100LL or 91UL. Sadly, although there are still many small fields which still have 100LL and even some with 91UL I don’t know of many which have 95SP on the field. When you have made your best route plan its best to check out the fuel info in the AIP and/or give the club at the field or the owner a ring to ask about distance to a fuel supply. At this time of year there will often be someone around at the airfield who will give you a lift to a garage and back or arrange a taxi or even sell you some from their stock. But you might also look on Google or google earth which might give you the nearest supermarket and distance to the field. Remember noon until 1400 local is traditionally lunch. At some airfields that can be a good thing for people being around at others means the field will be deserted. If you can buy fuel at these airfields it is more likely you will need cash or a French cheque book. Total, BP and Mastercard/Visa tend only to be acceptable at larger fields and sometimes at these you need to PPR in a ULM. Again check the VAC.
I realised that I have made it all sound quite complicated, when in fact it isn’t. ULMists here have their collapsible fuel canisters, like you.
And they do trips all over France doing exactly what you plan. The flying is easy and your trip and mountain flying course should be great. It just needs a little pre planning.
Joining FFPULM might be a thing to consider especially for the assistance and get you home service in case of breakdown or weather problems although I don’t if that extends to getting you back to the UK but probably at least to a place where you could easily get back to the UK.
I hope I have been of some help bur if you have other questions just ask.
Thank you everyone for such useful information.
I’ll reconsider my crossing and look at going over near Dover. While overwater flights involve more risk, a modern engine is pretty reliable I think. Also, I spent years working at sea and so my survival planning is informed and thorough from the training I’ve been through. However, why take the risk when you don’t need to so I’ll look at a shorter crossing.
My aircraft has a transponder, ADSB-out and pilot-aware so I’m equipped to go in and through controlled airspace. My French is moderate, I’ve not used it for several years and I wouldn’t say it was conversational but I can generally make myself understood if I’m careful. I’ll be looking at aviation phraseology and have a cheat sheet on my kneeboard, I’d hope to be able to operate in a circuit in French if needed and will practice ahead of the trip.
I run the ROTAX on regular unleaded with 100hour service intervals. I believe if you use 100ll that comes down to 50 hour intervals but I’d be aiming to only use 100ll as a last resort. I’d service before heading out so that shouldn’t be an issue but could take oil/filter/plugs for a 50 hour service if necessary.
I’ll go and join FFPULM, thanks for that suggestion, I’d not heard of them before.
I’m sure I’ll have plenty more questions over the coming months :)
No problem with english in Gap, there are some nice AFIS agent. Just be ready as there a lot of traffic usually, and UL and planes have different pattern. Be also ready to get close to the relief, don’t hesitate to watch landing there, as pilots that are flying in flat land can get reluctant to go near the mountain in a pattern. As you aim to do mountain training, I think you are ready to that, but still when it’s unusual, you can get quickly out of you confort zone and make mistakes.
Welcome to EuroGA, SafetyThird 
As you say, engines are pretty reliable but you should still cover yourself by carrying a life raft. It isn’t practically possible to get to France while remaining within glide range of land, even across the Dover Straits, unless you go way up into Class A, which needs an IR, an IFR certified plane, and there are other issues. With a raft, you can take the route of your choice.
With a transponder, if you have trouble you set 7700 and lots of radars will light up like xmas trees
UL91 is quite rare in France. (I prefer UL91 to 100LL for my Robin, not a problem in Germany but decided not to bother anymore and use 100LL while in France)
I recommend to get a Total fuel card, it’s free of charge and useful. For one, you can get fuel yourself 24/7 without having to wait for opening times of the fuel station:
https://aviation.totalenergies.com/en/fuels/avgas-ul-91
Here is a map of the Total Avgas availabilities, to help your planning:
https://aviation.totalenergies.com/fr/looking-airport/avgas-airport-search
Going to the next auto fuel station might indeed be the best choice in your case!
Hope this helps,
Etienne
Also, be very VERY careful of the French military zones, particularly if you fly during weekdays.
They are generally inactive on weekends, although do not take that for granted.
Buy the “Documents France VFR” published by the SIA. You get a 1:1 000 000 map and a book listing each zone with activation hours and who to contact (telephone and VHF) to check activation info or get a clearance.
