I am not aware that handling is related to the parking surface. Is that a new development?
Last time I was there (2010?) I parked on the tarmac but they got really stroppy, saying the place will fill up with bizjets the next day. They eventually caved in when I gave them my mobile # and "guaranteed" I would come back (by taxi) immediately they need me moved. The bizjets did not materialise... only 1 turned up.
If I was parking on grass at La Rochelle (or Friedrichshafen, or many other places for that matter) I would absolutely not taxi onto it under power (it's rough and full of rocks) which means I would want at least one other person around to help with pushing.
Let's hope for a nice weekend 25/26 
Thanks, and I will bear that in mind on the grass. I am afraid I cant to the 25/26, otherwise I would be there for those dates. The plates mention a couple of hard parking sections "can be used after permission from handling" and "for scheduled commercial flights only", so it looks like they are quite strict about it.
parking on grass is a real disease in Europe - those 800m runway airfield commanders pretend seeing JAL 747s full of passengers arriving needing their tarmac apron - it is ridiculous but gives you muddy shoes and damaged prop blades ...
They let me park in La Rochelle on the tarmac last time as well but pointed out I was supposed to get handling.
I think the PA28 and C150/C172 community are used to be told to park on the grass away from the more upper class machinery ;-)
That said, I went to Clacton a month ago and they offered me some parking way over the other side of the airfield by the hangers because the groups was "a bit soft". I sadly declined their offer thinking that I am used to parking on soft grass, only to find out after 10 minutes of mucking around with my GPS's and the engine running, that the full brutal force of the 180HP IO360 couldn't budge the silly thing and the wheels sunk deeper into the ground :-( Luckily a bit of make shift 'shovelling' with our feet, and the heavier of the 2 pilots kindly jumping out for a minute (which was not me, I should add), we got the plane moving :-) They closed the airfield 2 minutes later...
Avoiding grass is worth a bit of a "fight" at least, because if you have an incident, the airport is guaranteed to just give you the middle finger. And as the "recipient" of a prop strike in a pothole, with a brand new plane, I am fairly familiar with that.
They may have legal liability in reality but all airports, from the smallest farm strip upwards, will fight to death to fob you off, because prop strikes are fairly common and easy settlements would open the floodgates.
Also, if it happens anywhere near your home base, and you try to pursue it, you will have some "political" problems, so you will have to make a choice between pursuing it, and perhaps getting kicked off the airport. I did not actually sue anybody but my insurers thought about it, and I had significant repercussions for best part of 10 years afterwards.
Also one can get basic hassle like getting seriously bogged down. I once got stuck in mud at Southend, on the grass outside the now defunct WillowAir, and they had to find a 4x4 truck and some rope to put around the main gear; just pulling on the nose wheel would have ripped the nose wheel (or engine frame) off.
I didn't spot a posting making a definitive decision, but is 25/26 on for La Rochelle.
Anyone interested in a cost share in an Arrow out off Sandtoft (EGCF) ?
I didn't spot a posting making a definitive decision, but is 25/26 on for La Rochelle.
Yes; that is the current plan.
I'm told by somebody who's recently been that LFBH NOTAM if the grass is usable.
Guess that would be a 'broad brush' statement that it's not water logged, but not a guarantee of safe taxi.
Service De L'Information Aeronautique (SIA) says:-
"General Aviation" Stand E (grass stand area)
Compulsory for single engine piston
SHUTDOWN ENGINE ON TAXIWAY & HAND PUSH ON GRASS.
That seems to say it all!!!!
