Was just enjoying this video here:
Peter wrote:
Another little video. Mali Losinj to Shoreham, diversion to Lydd.
And it dawned on me that though I have made many cross-border flights when flying “on holiday” and have diverted several times during these trips, I have never actually had to divert to a different airport on a flight-plan cross border flight, and certainly not on a flight where Customs/Immigration requirements were in place at the destination. “Common Sense” suggests that you would call up the relevant authorities and tell them what happened and follow instructions etc. However these days finding someone to answer a phone isnt always possible and the rules and regs with such things arent always in line with “common sense”… Then there are the practical aspects of weather improving or aeroplane fixed, and needing to get on your way rather that wait around all day.
There have been several “scare stories” reported 3rd hand etc, but what happens practically? Legally? Especially if the aerodrome you divert to isnt one you have nominated as a diversion aerodrome?
Regards, SD..
The one that comes up in most French exams is Geneva as an emergency diversion.
The answer to the question is that you must carry your passport. Its strange because if you are flying around that area of France ,near the Swiss border, you are probably not expecting to cross the border so why would you carry your passport. So my thinking is, that this is just your typical exam type question.
In France if you divert from your customs/immigration port of entry for technical or weather reasons, they usually take a pragmatic approach and ATC might ring customs and immigration for you, as you divert or more usually a simple telephone call on landing does the trick. (I say might, because I am not aware of a regulation that covers this and therefore it is probably dependent on the individual customs/immigration unit concerned.)
I should add do not worry about it in the air, the safety of you and your aircraft is of prime importance.(That is in some regulation or other)
First of all: In proper flight preparation one has obviously made a plan for an alternate where one can land legally when arriving from an international flight.
However, life (especially in aviation) does not always go as planned and therefore it might well happen that even this intended alternate is unlandable. In that case, one obviously can land wherever suitable and deal with the paperwork later. In such a case I would always try to land at an international airport (which is not a huge restriction as in case the weather is too bad for both destination and planned alternate it is quite likely that I need an instrument approach anyways).
Still, we sometimes make mistakes – and luckily for me in Germany we have the infamous “Flugleiter” that could act as an additional safety net.
Practical example: I’ve been flying back from Lugano with a friend and had a flighplan Lugano to EDFE (which is a port of entry and customs airfield). All set. When we were just abeam of Zurich my friend asked: “How about dropping me off at EDFV on the way as I want to visit friends there anyways?”. Totally ignoring is actually Switzerland and not Italy, I agreed, told ATC, etc…
When I was just about to turn final in EDFV, the Flugleiter radioed me “Just out of curiosity: You are aware that we are not a port of entry?!?” Uuups.
We diverted from there to EDFM (which is an international airport), presented ourselves at customs and went on to EDFV.
Malibuflyer wrote:
made a plan for an alternate where one can land legally
This approach is not consistent with requirements for non-Schengen international flights to give X hours advance notice of arrival to customs and/or immigration, a la nearly everywhere in France. Giving the X hours notice to your intended destination is not rationally going to be accompanied by giving the same notice to your alternate, in case you have to divert. So a diversion is very likely going to entail landing at some airport where doing so is a breach of their advance notice requirements.
The one that comes up in most French exams is Geneva as an emergency diversion.
The answer to the question is that you must carry your passport. Its strange because if you are flying around that area of France ,near the Swiss border, you are probably not expecting to cross the border so why would you carry your passport.
Not quite. Geneva has dual French – Swiss customs status. You can fly from Geneva to anywhere in France and viceversa as a domestic flight.
You still need a passport according to the answer on the IR oral in France. The question comes up nearly every time.
Correction, I forgot, I did it before Schengen.
Geneva is H24 with permanent Swiss & French customs, I doubt you will get in any “smuggling” troubles if you divert there with no PNR?
The bill will be 300CHF though…
You may need an ID card & PPL to get though security but I doubt you would need a passport for immigration if you inbound from France and exiting French side?
Come on chaps… everybody knows Geneva is an international airport, with H24 police! It’s all the cases below that…
You still need a passport according to the answer on the IR oral in France
One would assume that anybody going anywhere near a border will be carrying a passport anyway, plus an N-reg pilot is required to carry a passport (in the UK for sure) on all flights because of the FAA specification for a State issued ID when outside the US.
Giving the X hours notice to your intended destination is not rationally going to be accompanied by giving the same notice to your alternate, in case you have to divert. So a diversion is very likely going to entail landing at some airport where doing so is a breach of their advance notice requirements.
Exactly. I normally plan flights so a diversion will go to an international airport (Mali Losinj will do perfectly 
) but it doesn’t always work out, and once I stopped for fuel (after a particularly difficult flight with headwind and icing and having to fly at max power due to very warm air) the guy behind the desk suggested we depart silently before anybody notices. Luckily I had a local-language speaker with me who phoned the police and checked they weren’t bothered. But they could have detained us for the PNR period… I started carrying a tent for the flights here and have not bothered to remove it from the plane 
I don’t think this question will ever be solved. The best thing, as with so much in GA, is a long range plane…
Bluebeard wrote:
So a diversion is very likely going to entail landing at some airport where doing so is a breach of their advance notice requirements.
Don’t know about the French situation. In Germany there is no such notice requirement at international airports.
Don’t know about the French situation. In Germany there is no such notice requirement at international airports.
No PNR requirement for H24 airports in France
Come on chaps… everybody knows Geneva is an international airport, with H24 police!
Probably the case for any country? in any case you can always divert to H24 airports without C&I PNR, that is what they are for
Except countries that specifically run tailored notification system for unscheduled GA: UK, US, Belgium…where one may have to file something to go there as destination?
