France in general has what Brits misleadingly call “French airways” 
which are mostly VOR-VOR routes, base FL055/FL065, and these are Class E up to FL120 which is Class D base. France bans VFR in much of NE France above FL120.
So E is generally FL055/065 to FL119 But you easily pop into G if you ask for shortcuts especially in the middle part of France; ATC warns you of that (“you will enter uncontrolled airspace”) and you say Affirm.
Some notes on this near the end of here.
When ARAXOS VOR was u/s in the summer
Greece – why am I not surprised 
Peter wrote:
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!!
OK, I got that wrong, then I am not sure where ‘cancel IFR to/from non-IFP airport’ comes from?
johnh wrote:
But I don’t know how it works for fields that have an approach but are in Class G, like Biscarosse (LFBS) just down the road. In the US this would be E down to 700 feet or even down to the ground. But here there is nothing until you get to the default start of E, not sure where that is but above FL075 for sure.
Anyway, France allow IFR from/to non-IFP airports as long as Eurocontrol validates India (everywhere except 3 airports), no need to cancel when there is no procedure: direct overhead with ETA, switch to AFIS or Unicom, land with phone number to call
AFAIK, French ATC like GA to phone call before departure and after arrival, they tend to appreciate operating under IFR end to end on active I-FPL all the way and they beg you to take advantage of that service as it makes everyone’s life easier, in some places, you even get an email from ATC the next day after you filed India and departed on VFR/IFR on 7000/2000 without calling, they will give you their phone number to call for next time, so get transponder code, open and activate your flight plan with some instructions, especially if it’s night when AFIS is not around and SIV are sleeping
Worth checking directly by phone with Bordeaux (or someone who operate IFR in Golf locally) how you can fly IFR to/from Arcachon say when AFIS is not around
Somebody spent a load of £££ on that job. 50-100k
For sure. Until a couple of years ago the plane was in the US, so it was someone there who spent the money.
CAT into Arcachon doesn’t really have a problem because… there isn’t any. I don’t think the equivalent of Part 121 traffic operates into fields without an approach in France.
But I don’t know how it works for fields that have an approach but are in Class G, like Biscarosse (LFBS) just down the road. In the US this would be E down to 700 feet or even down to the ground. But here there is nothing until you get to the default start of E, not sure where that is but above FL075 for sure.
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.
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
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 !
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 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)
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
@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.
