I finally did it – my first IFR flight in Europe. I was lucky to find an instrument instructor and a very nice IFR plane with fantastic avionics, at an aeroclub not too far away.
We’d already spent an hour or so discussing IFR flight so a lot of my concerns were already taken care of. We flew from Arcachon (LFCH) with approaches to Bergerac (LFBE) and Bordeaux Merignac (LFBD) then back VFR to Arcachon. It was all pretty straightforward, in nice VMC except for the wind.
The wind yesterday was quite something. At just 1000 feet it was 34 knots out of the south, which makes flying a more-or-less correct pattern interesting. I hand flew the LPV approach to Bergerac, going down final with the nose pointing in a totally different direction. It’s the strongest crosswind I’ve flown an approach in. I wasn’t under the good – it would probably have been easier if I had been since I wouldn’t have been distracted by flying sideways.
A lot of the flying was done with the KFC225, since one goal was to get familiar with all the avionics. It works very nicely, along with the G500 and GTN750/650 (I did say it has fantastic avionics).
The French plates take a bit of getting used to, since they separate the initial and final parts of the approach. My instructor was clear about that: “c’est de la merde, faut aller avec Jepp.” So that’s another $600 or so to disappear from my bank account.
All in all it was pretty easy, and easier than VFR since (a) you go where they tell you and don’t have to worry about the myriad military zones etc and (b) you don’t have to worry too much about the weather either – although we have some spectacular TCU around here lately.
The picture shows the panel whilst flying the intermediate part of the LPV 11 into LFBD.
Beautiful TB20 cockpit!
Good to see you back in the business 
that TB20 looks like Renault 19 on steroids
johnh wrote:
We’d already spent an hour or so discussing IFR flight so a lot of my concerns were already taken care of. We flew from Arcachon (LFCH) with approaches to Bergerac (LFBE) and Bordeaux Merignac (LFBD) then back VFR to Arcachon
I wonder if things have changed a bit as now I see you can file I-FPL on departure and arrival at LFCH, did you get an IFR startup (‘mise en route’) at Arcachon? and why you can’t land back under IFR?
While ago once could not depart or arrive India in as it was forced to be Zulu/Yankee ‘VFR airfield’ in CFMU, on departure, the ‘VFR AFIS’ was not keen on phoning to get us IFR squawk and suggested to ‘talk to Bordeaux’, I phoned the BNIA who took ages to open my Zulu flight plan by phone, I was scared to die on VMC takeoff and it was reassuring to have an open FPL and be entitled to an altering service !
Also, earlier on my arrival the previous day Bordeaux asked to cancel at BMC and asked to fly NE VRP, this was outrageous: in France, we don’t cancel IFR even if your landing in ULM airfield with no procedure, you provide overhead ETA, then you ask any tower or call by phone after landing to cancel your IFR 
we only cancel IFR when going to Courcheval or StCyr, due to obvious airspace and topography…
@Ibra – all good questions. For now I’m just doing what I’m told.
LFCH has an AFIS but not a Tower, nor any instrument procedures. The AFIS knows about the IFR flight plan. We took off VFR and flew VFR to the exit point (LFCH-E) at 1000 feet. Aquitaine Approach had been told about our takeoff and was ready for us when we called. He gave us a clearance and from then on we were IFR.
On the way back we cancelled IFR on the go-around and flew VFR at 1500 feet back to LFCH-NE.
What I’ve been told (but how would I know) is that if you land at a non-IFR field you have to cancel IFR while in the air. I specifically asked what happens if I’m IFR in perfect VMC on my way to LFCH. The answer was to request a descent to the base of controlled airspace – the LFBD class C goes down to 2000 – then cancel IFR and complete VFR once in Class G.
Lot of money in the panel. Southern France will be one of my destinations next year. Just made a dummy calculation to LFKC. 3:19 flight time
I just tested now in Auto-Router, you can file India IFR from Arcachon-Bergerac, so Arcachon is an IFR airfield as far as CFMU/IFPS are concerned
johnh wrote:
What I’ve been told (but how would I know) is that if you land at a non-IFR field you have to cancel IFR while in the air. I specifically asked what happens if I’m IFR in perfect VMC on my way to LFCH. The answer was to request a descent to the base of controlled airspace – the LFBD class C goes down to 2000 – then cancel IFR and complete VFR once in Class G
I heard that, I know it applies to Lognes, StCyr, Courcheval as they have max DCT = 0nm for IFR and no SID/STAR, I think previously this was the case for Arcachon (military zones and lot of VFR mix?) and Grenoble (maybe mountains?)
In all French airports, I am not aware of any need to cancel IFR or start IFR while airborne, this applies the same way in SafetyCom platforms/airfields like Verchoq, Auto-Info airport like Dreux, AFIS airport like LaBaule, Quiberon and even going on ILS outside ATC hours
I am not aware of ‘maintain VMC in Golf’ in IFR equipped aircraft with an IR rated pilot? even when flying from non-instrument runways? all you need is 1500m visibility to land and takeoff and you are allowed to open/close India FPL by phone…all I know, ULM have to remain VMC, PPL pilots are not allowed to fly in IMC and B747 with paying passengers can’t fly IFR in Golf without being on published IFR procedure and require AFIS on arrival or departure
There was ‘VMC IFR clearance’ but that disappeared from French law in 2009, since SERA this only applies to controlled airspace but usually in France Echo starts at FL65 (in US, you had Echo going to 700ft agl or 1200ft agl where ATC can instruct to maintain VFR in Echo until they can provide IFR separation and IFR clearance, in Golf, who knows what that means?)
I think it’s worth asking for Bordeaux tower/delivery phone numbers even when operating on Zulu (definitely one need it to operate on India in IMC)
What I’ve been told (but how would I know) is that if you land at a non-IFR field you have to cancel IFR while in the air
This is country dependent.
Also country-dependent, but mostly differently, is whether Eurocontrol allows an “I” flight plan to be filed to an airport which it has in its database as “VFR”.
B747 with paying passengers can’t fly IFR in Golf without being on published IFR procedure with an AFIS on arrival or departure
Where in Europe does this happen? I mean a 747…
I think commercial aircraft have to cancel IFR when going uncontrolled to non-IFP airfields or off-airway with non radar…I could be wrong but I heard many airlines pilot saying this
I am sure they also need an AFIS & RFFS in France to operate under CAT
My understanding CAT can’t go IFR to Arcachon, they have to go VFR !
I think that is never true – based on conversations with airline pilots over many years. Their OPS manuals totally prohibit any VFR. Imagine if Ryanair could fly VFR… no route charges!!
That in turn means that these ops absolutely require an “IFR” airport. The cheapest way to achieve that is … an NDB! Which is why there are so many NDBs around. Many jets can’t fly GPS approaches, but that’s changing. But all can fly a “synthetic ILS” overlaying the NDB approach.
In general also, passenger jet ops require a radar service. Not sure if there are exceptions somewhere…
That’s a very nice TB20 panel. Somebody spent a load of £££ on that job. 50-100k… I wonder who did it? I would have a 3.125 inch EDM700 where that CDI is on bottom left
When ARAXOS VOR was u/s in the summer, we were allowed to fly VFR. We got an VFR chart (😂😂😂) nearly unreadable on our ipad. It‘s always a matter of need.
