Nice is bizzarely aggressive IME.
I wrote about this some time ago. A shortcut was denied below FL150. I asked for a climb FL150. It was denied and the ATCO made it “clear” that she denied it because she knew perfectly well I would then ask for the shortcut 
The result was a long detour of some 30-45 mins in a useless direction. Whereas if I had arrived in their area already at FL150 I would have prob99 got it.
This kind of stuff is rare in Europe but when you get it you notice it
Some days, it’s just sensible to go VFR and make it up along the way.
No restrictions on where you go or route.
Yes sometimes the planning/execution takes a little more work, but it shouldn’t be forgotten as an option.
pilotrobbie wrote:
I presume I can file FL150 for the route, then just let ATC know unable higher due to strong winds.
I’m not sure that is a great idea. Sometimes it may work, but we all know that the routings get quite different above FL100 and they may well not be able to accommodate a “stop climb” simply due to a wind that existed at the planning stage.
Surely the objective is to plan and file at the level which gives the shortest flight time and fuel burn. Some days especially in an SEP this is going to be lower down even if the track miles are further.
If you don’t want to fly high and you don’t want fly low I think I would look for a different route or change my return times. It would be wrong to expect ATC to sort you out and give you a middle altitude. They might well do so but they might not be able to. You will not be the only one trying to avoid strong headwinds.
Peter wrote:
Is this a serious post? DA40…
There’s an hours difference between FL100 and FL160 on Monday flying from Bologna to Montpellier. It’s a joke…
Peter wrote:
That is either a joke, or masochism. Have you checked the Signature fees?
It was a joke, simply that the headwinds on Monday are epically annoying.
then just let ATC know unable higher due to strong winds.
Is this a serious post? DA40…
Stansted
That is either a joke, or masochism. Have you checked the Signature fees?
Strangely was just looking at the return. The problem for me on Monday is the strong winds forecast at the higher FLs.
I presume I can file FL150 for the route, then just let ATC know unable higher due to strong winds. Otherwise, I am looking at 4hrs to LFMT on Monday then 5.5 to London. That will eat at my day and if I get a slot, I am gonna be diverting Stansted….
Fresh off FR24, here is a PA46 (F-HGFL) that just flew Aix – Verona Boscomantico (QIO / LIPN), I’d guess IFR, at FL120. Just happened to see it. It seems to be based at LIPN, judging from the flight history.
Not just Nice but Marseille and Toulon plus sometimes there is a lot of military activity.
What they are basically saying is “file a validated route and you will be able to fly it, but if we can we will give you shortcuts”. I don’t have a problem with that and IMO its better than being blocked from flying from A to B.
Doesn’t need local knowledge, just planning.
In this particular case, I would agree, as there is no huge restricted area or similar there that might make a more direct routing impossible. The fact that there are no low-levels airways in that area (and no way to file direct) seems more for the convenience of the airports loacated along the coast, Nice in particular.
But it requires some “local” knowledge to assess these things. Under the same assumption, one might think that the huge detours that successfully filed routes show around the Paris area can be negotiated (=shortcut) in flight… oh wonder, they cannot!
