Regarding planning an IFR flight I would appreciate your thoughts on IFR Routing EDLS → LFLP (Flown without turbo/oxygen). Autorouter and Garmin Pilot both suggest the same ‘best’ route with 16% overhead:
Route A: EDLS LUSIX DCT DIXAT DCT OBOKA DCT MANUV DCT OLGAD Q762 BADLI DCT GAGSI N850 NATOR N869 RINLI N869 BENOT N869 NEMOS Y58 GVA Y58 SALEV SALEV1A LFLP.
From my IFR experience so far and from what I have read in some threads here is that ATC can often shortcut/direct you to maximal the furthest waypoint filed within the country of the particular ATC. With this route I don’t expect a shortcut from start of the flight in direction of Basel, as this would take me through French airspace. I tried partially to manually create a route (B), which has 17% overhead. I think this one has a higher chance of getting actual the shortest distance, do others agree?
Route B: EDLS TURUX IFR DCT DUS DCT WNN DCT OGLOR DCT BITBU Z110 BETEX DCT SUTAL N852 GTQ G21 KASON B37 DJL DCT LIRKO Y55 SALEV SALEV1A LFLP.
While putting together this route, I initially got a validation error with B37 KELUK DCT LIRKO (connecting to the LFLP STAR), because it didn’t accept the DCT. However, validating DJL DCT LIRKO, this was accepted. Why would this DCT be ok and the other one not? I also noticed there are not many (low) airways around Besançon, making it difficult to find a relatively direct route North <→ South around that area. (btw I have seen the information in the LFLP – Annecy thread and the 2 trip reports)
I get something similar to route B with FF:
EDLS TURUX/N0154F080 IFR IBIKO INLAR NIVNU BITBU Z110 LIMGO N852 GTQ G21 KASON B37 DJL LIRKO Y55 SALEV.SALEV1A LFLP
You can just hope to get direct from EPL to LIRKO.
While it doesn‘t make a huge difference, I would go with B, as that makes sure that Strasbourg ATC will have your flightplan. These „kinks“ in eastern France are normal.
From the EDLS area a direct to GTQ is rather common if you have it on your routing and fly below FL100 (because of TRA205), probably pretty early after departure. What happens after GTQ I don´t know.
Check the French military areas. You need to be 100% sure the AR is not routing through one of these, because the chances of French ATC giving you that shortcut is miniscule. I fly though that area frequently so I know 
FlyingDutchman wrote:
While putting together this route, I initially got a validation error with B37 KELUK DCT LIRKO (connecting to the LFLP STAR), because it didn’t accept the DCT. However, validating DJL DCT LIRKO, this was accepted. Why would this DCT be ok and the other one not?
See https://www.nm.eurocontrol.int/RAD/index.html
Quoting the consolidated PDF for cycle 2010, the lines that forbid directs in general are on page 197, the two with “LS1” in the “ID Number” column.
To see the one permitting DJL DCT LIRKO, see on page 24 that LFLP is in CHAMBERY_GROUP. Then on page 52, see the line with ID Number LS5020. It allows DJL DCT LIRKO, and the reason is given in “operational goal”. In this case “To enable a link to Y55” which is exactly what you are doing!
Thank you all for the helpful replies. The idea was to have Annecy as in between stop while flying to Cannes. Because I preferred the first time flying into Annecy with more like VMC and 0700 FG VV was expected, we decided to fly direct to Cannes with route:
EDLS TURUX IFR DCT LUSIX DCT BIKMU DCT GEBSO DCT BITBU Z110 BETEX DCT SUTAL N852 GTQ G21 EPL R11 RLP G21 KASON B37 DJL A6 ROMAM B16 MTL R161 ABDIL ABDIL1V LFMD
Indeed obtaining a soon direct GTQ seems to be the standard. In France arriving close to EPL, I asked Strassbourg for a shortcut, which was not given due to military activity (as published on AZBA charts, although those seem to reach only to 3000 agl). A minute later I was handed over to Bale, asking again, and surprisingly direct Alura was approved. Later we got direct Romam, and we were hoping for direct Abdil, but minimum FL needed for that shortcut was 130, and we were at FL90. Last summer on the same trip we canceled IFR just passing Lyon going direct Cannes at FL100, but this seemed due to clouds not a great idea.
@Lionel, thanks for explaining this! Now it makes sense. I once came across that document but quickly stopped as I become a bit lost in all those pages. Now I understand that these ID numbers correspond to the REF:ID errors in AR.
Here some images:
AR track:
The AZBA chart:
Passing Düsseldorf looking at the Rhine:
Enroute:
Breaking off LOC-A approach to the right to LUXUS for the VPT 17:
FlyingDutchman wrote:
Now I understand that these ID numbers correspond to the REF:ID errors in AR.
Indeed. The reference in the Eurocontrol IFPS error message (shown by AutoRouter) is the ID of the RAD with an extra letter added. My guess is that one line in the RAD can lead to several rules in the computer system, and that’s what the extra letter is. E.g. for ID “F552” in the RAD, the rules in the computer system (and in the error messages) are labelled F552a, F552b, F552c etc.
FlyingDutchman wrote:
In France arriving close to EPL, I asked Strassbourg for a shortcut, which was not given due to military activity (as published on AZBA charts, although those seem to reach only to 3000 agl). A minute later I was handed over to Bale, asking again, and surprisingly direct Alura was approved
To me it looks like the “Military activity” is more likely to have been in Luxeuil TMA. Possibly as it is in Bale FIC, the Bale ATCO had better knowledge of the activity. And possibly the Strasbourg ATCO was a bit short in time to find out before transferring you to Bale.
Xtophe wrote:
To me it looks like the “Military activity” is more likely to have been in Luxeuil TMA. Possibly as it is in Bale FIC, the Bale ATCO had better knowledge of the activity. And possibly the Strasbourg ATCO was a bit short in time to find out before transferring you to Bale.
Yes, Avord manages these but Bale SIV would know about their activity
Most are max 3500ft agl but that makes them 7000amsl near terrain
https://www.dircam.dsae.defense.gouv.fr/images/Stories/Doc/ERF/ERF_ZONE_R.pdf
https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/pub/media/news/file/c/a/carte_rtba_0217.pdf
