Flying in Europe for the first time!

I looked many times at flying between Cannes and Toulouse, when I had a plane to do it in – though I never got round to doing it. For that you have two choices: low (800feet) and out to sea south of Marseilles, or a slight detour to the north via Avignon to avoid all the red stuff around Salon and Istres. Salon MIGHT let you through, but you can’t count on it and it will likely be pretty low. You could also do it IFR at 8000 feet or so, but I never looked at that in much detail.

If you don’t worry about getting wet, you could fly more or less in a straight line to Beziers and then over water for 200 nm or so to Corsica. I wouldn’t. Otherwise, head for St Tropez either inland or south of Marseilles, then head out over the sea.

Cannes is problematic on multiple fronts. I could not even get fuel. The self service pump was French only. Stuck for 3hrs. Crappy grass parking. There are much better airports in s. France.

I was based there, making it kind of an obvious choice, and also a lot easier.

Incidentally the airspace in the triangle Marseille/Nimes/Avignon is about the best example there is of “nightmare” airspace. I challenge anyone, using just the published chart (without the 3-dimensional help of say SDVFR) to figure out a way through it that is sure to work.

During many flights in France, I found “talking to the ground” extremely useful, because they can and often do, clear you rather casually through most restricted/military/C/D whatever airspaces in your way. While I mostly familiarize myself with the complex airspaces on my route (outside weekends), I found it hardly necessary to zigzag across the country. Even long distances where straight lines with occasional requests to give way. YMMV.
Just did montepellier – arcachon – reims in May and only the last miles to Montpellier was pushed onto a VFR rout at 1000ft. The rest all nice straight lines at convenient FLs (60-80)

ch.ess wrote:

During many flights in France, I found “talking to the ground” extremely useful, because they can and often do, clear you rather casually through most restricted/military/C/D whatever airspaces in your way.

I think flying is best when those issues don’t present themselves and where asking permission isn’t necessary. Of course all of us have to transition Class D and up airspace occasionally when VFR and otherwise mostly in (let’s say) Class E, but I can’t say I do it more than a handful of times a year in the US because I can fly over the airspace instead, without radio contact. Usually for me its an issue when my destination is directly on the other side of another ATC controlled airport and I’m choosing to approach low instead of circling down overhead.

The other time is when my climb angle isn’t steep enough to avoid some adjacent airports Class D when climbing out. Makes one wish for a 200 HP RV with 2000 fpm climb versus my paltry 800 fpm.

Restricted military airspace is mostly hot in my area, most of the time, and I don’t want to be anywhere near it.

I moved from the US to NL several years ago and went through the transition to flying both VFR and IFR in Europe. I’ve flown all over Europe now, from Romania to Norway to Switzerland to Lithuania and all points in between—13 countries in total at this point. I wrote a detailed post on my transition here.

Flying in Europe is definitely different in a lot of ways, and most of the important differences apply when VFR due to differences in airspace configuration and procedures. I detailed what I noticed in the post linked above. IFR is a lot more standard, because obviously it must be, and as a result you will find flying IFR much more familiar. The main difference is that you first use the Autorouter to get as close to a reasonable routing as you can, then paste that into Foreflight. You can also use FF’s routing, but for some reason the routes are always crazy. In any case it doesn’t matter much, because for the most part this is just a game you play to get your route accepted by Eurocontrol. Once you get in the air you will usually get routed point to point, very often on a generally direct path. Whenever I get directed somewhere too far off route I always just ask for something more direct, and 9/10 times I get it.

A couple other IFR differences… 1) in most places you’re expected to file STARs and SIDs, and surprisingly often are expected to actually fly them. 2) the whole IFR OCAS (Outside Controlled Airspace) thing is weird for a US pilot (and also many European pilots depending on country). Some countries, like the UK, Poland, Denmark, etc., have large areas of uncontrolled airspace (class G) up to pretty high altitudes. You can fly IFR in this airspace essentially without a clearance—but also without traffic separation. Other places like NL or Belgium are covered in complex multi-use airspace where the very idea of uncontrolled airspace is laughable. But coming from the NY airspace region, dealing with complex airspace won’t be a big hurdle I think. 3) Instrument approaches aren’t as prevalent at smaller fields, so there’s a balance of finding a field with an IAP + avgas that sometimes takes some planning if you think you’ll need an approach. But often you can also shoot an approach at a nearby larger field and go special VFR to the smaller one.

Aside from the above and the points mentioned in my linked post, I will say flying in Europe is really great. More expensive? Yes. Requires more planning? Definitely. But I’ve flown where I wanted and cancelled only a small number of flights, and I’ve been to so many interesting places I never would have seen otherwise. I would be more than happy to help you through planning your first couple flights if you want. After that I’m sure you’d have no issue.

Ping if you need any help around Paris, I regularly fly VFR & IFR or day & night, also if you need help planning Corsica or Spain, I can help with these as well

It’s beautiful even when that ugly SR22 wing hides some of it

There are few restrictions here and there, like you can’t fly Versailles bellow 3kft without mayor permissiom, but hey it’s well visible from pattern at StCyr and ATC will approve your request for vector to fly above it at 4kft, just a big of planning on some of the electronic tools and you are good to go !

Most of that route is likely to be VMC in August, so in theory you could probably do the whole thing VFR. But I always file IFR or Z/YFR just because it’s easier.

Not sure if you’ve been to Corsica, but it’s a big island. You absolutely must fly to Corte (middle of the island) and do a guided canyoning tour. That’s one of my top lifetime experiences, and a definite must-do on the island!

I am too eager to know how the PPR story for Figari pans out. Beginning of August is right in the main French holiday season where half of the Toussus fleet is in Corsica every year and GA parking is quite limited at Figari. I somehow can‘t imagine that someone, unknown to the staff in Figari, asking for days parking just a few weeks before will get a positive reply. But you hope for you that you I‘ll be proven wrong.

You won‘t be able to file Y to LFKF (see NOTAM). And for I, you will need a slot, as Figari is fully coordinated in summer.

Olbia might a bit easier with PPR, because even if it will be busy as hell there, they do have a large remote GA parking there.