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IFR pickups from non-IFR airports in Paris area - plan extra fuel!

I’m having no success calling SNA numbers on weekends and holidays. They don’t ring at all, or don’t answer. However, I successfully called Seine APP (I got the number from a LFQA-based pilot…) for a departure from LFQB when there was no ATIS.

I wish there were a more systematic way to find out the right number :\

ELLX

You’re right about it raining meat. I was only at LFOO for a few minutes and 3 tandem jumpers arrived and 3 more couples jumped into the plane ready to do it. There were ZRTs also marked for Royan and Soulac but I didn’t see or hear any there on this round trip. Interesting, Royan are one of the clubs in France operating an electric aircraft for training €139 an hour.
The club is twinned with the one at Soulac and part of the training takes them over the water there. Sorry off topic.

France

Thanks, I saw they have a “HALO ZRT” up to 25kft seems like it’s raining meat down there

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Les Sables d’Olonne is you might be better contacting Nantes unless you are going south.
I went in there on Thursday. Some group had set up tents, having what seemed like a party and doing parachute jumps from I guess 10,000ft from a Pilatus? He took off in front of me and I think got his clearance into CAS from La Rochelle because it sounded like the same controller I spoke to a few minutes later to get a transit to LFFK.
There’s skydiving/parachuting everywhere round here at the moment on sunny days.

France

Thanks, it will come handy around Sables Delonne LFOO

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

@Ibra La Rochelle is 05 46 00 13 80 I think.
It is the number in our contacts book but it could be the one we use to make arrangements to take students for the BIA to see the way a control tower works. As I wrote I don’t tend to use it. I can talk to La Rochelle almost immediately after take off.

France

Thanks that sounds helpful, I think I have Nantes number on my UK phone somewhere, my experience is that Villacoublay talks in French on phone or radio when Toususs has no ATS, mot sure if other ATSU do the same?

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Justb spoke to one of the instructors at LFFK he used to be an ex Whiz air and ex EasyJet captain.
He looked in the contacts list on his smartphone and gave me for Nantes ATC 024084 8045.
He didn’t have La Rochelle listed and I am not at the club at the moment.

France

I will try and look out the numbers, if possible at the club this afternoon.
As I wrote, I usually leave the parking at the EOBT on my flight plan, take off, climb and as soon as I exit the zone I contact Nantes, la Rochelle or Poitiers on the radio. I had been using the phrase “request open my flight plan, out of Fontenay Le Comte to eg Brest off block time hhmm. 2000ft QNH.xxxx Lugen hhmm or just minutes” i have been told that I now need to change the word “open” to “activate”. And yes whenever I fly IFR I use English either on the radio or telephone. It was hard work getting ELP level 6 IFR on my licence, I want to take every chance to use it. It also helps to maintain currency, much more difficult than you might think if you don’t use it for a while.
The regulations IIRC call for one to make two way radio contact ASAP after take off.

France

Can you share phone number for LaRochelle / Nantes to get flight plan “activated” or “started” or “mise en route” on the ground at LFFK? have you tried asking them by phone in English at LFFK or you used French?

Of course, when you call SIV/FIS/ATC while airborne using radio they speak English…

Last Edited by Ibra at 02 Jul 09:56
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom
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