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VFR on airways in France?

Hi, bit of a basic question: I've done a fair bit of VFR flying through France but have always remained clear of controlled airspace en-route. I have always been aware that it is permitted to fly VFR in airways at lower levels in France but have never done so. My questions on the procedures: Within class E airspace (which I guess is very large areas above FL65) is it mandatory to plan, obtain clearance and route via defined airways at an appropriate level or is it legal (VFR) to simply blast through in a straight line at any level without talking to anyone? (Obviously avoiding any class A or other nasties!) Apart from any legal aspects from the above question, what is the recommended protocol for routing long distance through French class E? Do people "fly the airways" or simply "fly direct" without clearance as if the airways don't exist (subject to maintaining the relevant VMC appropriate to class E)? Cheers!

If anyone can tell us more then I'm also keen to learn more about the French low-level class E system. I'm planning a flight about 2/3 of the way down France next summer, and my only experience flying in France so far is little channel hops for lunch.

EGLM & EGTN

You don't need to talk to anyone, but French ATC generally provides an excellent service so it's in your own interest to do so. They will almost invariably co-ordinate transit of any controlled airspace, without prompting, although they sometimes leave it a bit late for my comfort so I poke them by requesting the onward frequency or just asking them whether they can co-ordinate the transit or I need to do so myself. This usually causes them to sound mightily offended, because they were probably doing it anyway, but I like to know where I stand :)

Just remember to fly at an appropriate altitude/FL according to the semicircular rule, they're very strict on that. Personally, I wouldn't detour to use an E airway when VFR, but if it's on your route then why not?

EGBJ / Gloucestershire

Class E is (I am told) classed as Controlled Airspace but for VFR you can fly there non-radio and without any ATC clearance, so it is effectively like Class G.

French Class E is generally FL065 to FL115, above which France is generally Class D to FL195 which should also be OK for VFR. It appears very difficult to get a VFR clearance above FL115, however, and I have seen a general Notam saying it's not allowed.

One thing to realise is that IFR traffic flying on Eurocontrol flight plans in France can be flying anywhere from FL070 to FL190 on the routes (which UK PPLs often call "airways") which you can see published on the 1:1M SIA chart e.g. R10 below

(i.e. the general Class E layer merges with the general Class D layer, if you have an IR) and ATC cannot provide it with separation from non-participating VFR traffic, so it's a good idea to always be talking to ATC when flying VFR in France at above FL065.

French ATC is excellent and normally very laid back, which spooks UK pilots who are expecting the strict "AK47" ATC dialogue for transiting each piece of Class D, etc. All enroute controllers have radar there - even the FIS ones like e.g. Brest Info.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Thank you for the replies - much appreciated. All sounds very friendly and usable! I think that in the UK most of us are so used to "keeping underneath the airways" we tend not to think outside the framework that we are used to thus restricting ourselves unneccessarily. Cheers!

I think the UK PPL training system has suffered from the word "airways" (usually uttered with NO GO OR BIG TROUBLE) when what actually matters is the airspace class and (if Class D,C,B) any private policy with which the ATC unit operates it.

The vast majority of Europe does not use Class A to any degree. The UK and Italy are the two that stick out. This is why VFR flight is generally a lot smoother once outside the UK - provided you meet the requirements (e.g. Mode S), sound like you know what you are doing re navigation, and are willing to fly a lot higher than is the norm in the UK.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I cannot comment on French airspace but from a US perspective the delineation between controlled airspace and uncontrolled airspace (away from airport traffic areas) almost doesn't exist... Because of Class E airspace. I spend most of my time in Class E airspace and all it means to me is that (if I could find the frequency, which mostly I can't be bothered to do) I could call en-route ATC and get in the 'system' with some controller knowing who I am on radar, when either VFR or IFR. For VFR flying we typically do it in very busy, unfamiliar airspace but otherwise under VFR don't give a lot of thought to whether the airspace is "controlled".

The phrase 'flying airways'' is an interesting anachronism that I hear used in Europe. in the US, the word 'airway' is nearing obsolescence. Yes, I understand they are used for reading and reading back initial IFR clearances etc, but in the real world the concept doesn't go much further than that. For VFR in the US, airways are meaningless today, you have no need to know where they are. In Class E airspace, traffic is either VFR or IFR but it doesn't make much difference in good weather because 'see and avoid' is in play for both.

As Peter says, using these Class E 'airways' makes transiting France, VFR extremely easy. I did my first trip down through France, Spain and into Portugal last summer and by far the easiest part was operating these routes in France. You will also find that most of them will conveniently avoid restricted and danger areas, which makes flight planning so much easier.

EGBP, United Kingdom

As Peter says, using these Class E 'airways' makes transiting France, VFR extremely easy. I did my first trip down through France, Spain and into Portugal last summer and by far the easiest part was operating these routes in France. You will also find that most of them will conveniently avoid restricted and danger areas, which makes flight planning so much easier.

Peter and I differ on this. I've never found any advantage following these airways, and prefer to plan direct to my destination. I find these airways can take me well off a direct track, and I gain so little by doing so. Perhaps the difference is that I tend to be landing in France, while he tends to be passing through.

But crossing airspace in France is so easy. I've never been denied a crossing that I've asked for. Never been made to adjust my route to get the crossing. As others have said the enroute info service often negociates the clearance for you and asks you to remain on their frequency, so you don't have anything to do at all!

The only airspaces that you'll not be able to cross are the low level ones for which no frequency is published. But these don't usually go very high anyway, so not a problem.

dp

EIWT Weston, Ireland

dublinpilot - I guess it is all a matter of preference and the route you are flying. Your post got me thinking, so I just quickly did a route I intend to fly through France in a couple of months.

With the wind today, an "airways" routing would take 2hr 21mins. A direct routing would be 2hr 15mins but crosses through 7 restricted areas even at FL65, which would require some amount of rerouting which may take more or less than 6 minutes. A low level routing if required due to IMC, and avoiding the restricted areas comes out at 2hr 30mins.

Therefore my preference would be to follow the "airways", knowing that I would I have less crossings or re-routing to arrange in the air for a very small time/distance penalty. There is also the advantage of cutting down on radio time, since telling ATC your are following Rx makes it very clear what you are doing and even in the absence of radio they probably have a good idea of what you are about to do if they see your 'blip' moving down a published route.

Of course there are probably an infinite number of other trips for where a 'direct' would work out better. The part of the chart Peter shows is a good example of where the airways work out well. In that part of France, crossing into Spain, if you are not able to route down the coast, route R10 is a nice easy way to avoid the virtually unpenetrable raft of restricted areas just north of the Pyrenees.

Horses for courses I guess.

EGBP, United Kingdom
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