This thread aims at keeping track of the coming french airspace changes.
ATCOs have several unions from which one can learn a lot.
The main change to come is that Pontoise LFPT will loose its TMA (class D). Pontoise would keep its TWR and CTR (class D).
Le Bourget ATC will take charge of the area remotely with a FIS/APP service (probably class E). Exactly like Lille for LFAT.
These changes takes time (meaning years) because the new ATSU (in this case Le Bourget) must be overstaffed to train all positions before Pontoise TWR is downgraded. It is planned for 2022.
To give you an idea, Le Bourget TWR (serving LFPT APP) would get 39 ATCOs while Pontoise would keep 8 but not the same class of ATCOs.
Yes, it is complicated 
Second change, Lille and Rennes would have their FIS extended and joined on a North-South line around Caen
This is planned for 2023 (or later …). Let’s hope there will be enough sectors for such a large area :
This is part of a strategy for joined FIS all over France but it will be at least another 10 years before it is done.
Will post again when I read something new.
Is this to reduce manpower?
On Pontoise, I had the impression they lacked ATC: they were never around everytime I visited since 2019…the lack of ATC at LFPT does creates load of workload on CDG for departures & arrivals there, for instance, Pontoise has plenty of unknown traffic around and does not have SID (other than the POGO procedures), hence, the controller will need to give IFR a radar pickup with plenty of room
Before, when you call CDG delivery for startup and tower is closed you may get some funky clearances on departure & arrivals from CDG ATC, “climb FL80, direct MTD, own separation or remain visual”, same for arrival you do get “radar vectored RNP” and they keeps you bloody high, you gotta be good in buttons pressing to catch that falling knife??!!
Recently, they started managing departing traffic from Pontoise into LeBourget SID, so it seems logical to hand that portion of airspace above CTR to LeBourget SIV/ATC, maybe Echo TMA?
PS: Beauvais is already managed by LeBourget SIV/ATC when their tower is closed, this is not new it’s the case today, it’s written on their AIP & IAPs since 7 years
I think
Time will tell. We know GA weights precisely zero to the decision makers.
It seems the numbers of the list above don’t work [ they do if you don’t have blank lines between the paragraphs; it’s known as “software” :) ]
There are only 4 or is it 5? ATCCs in France already. There are 4 or is it 5? FIRs. If its 4 ATCCs, it is 5 FIRs or vice versa.
The future is PBN, and getting rid of airways so that there is more open area especially for IFR traffic. This free airspace, I think that’s the translation, is already there in some countries and France is piloting (no pun intended) it at upper levels.
France has long been using FPLs as part of the IFR clearance from A to B. You only get “cleared”(I use this word deliberately here) to take off and land. The rest is subject to you following your FPL so that ATS all the way along your route know where you should be at a specific time and therefore when to expect you. (This does not curtail freedom OCAS or changes due to traffic management because the basis of where you are going to be when are still there and the ATS service handling you knows what your intentions are and when changes need to be made downstream.)
VFR traffic is encouraged as much as possible to use the SIVs. It is not mandatory but encouraged by the service they provide. Much nearer to USAs flight following.
As French pilots especially VFR pilots (they still make up most of the traffic in France, French club pilots doing nearly 600,000 hours last year) get more and more used to speaking on the radio, it has been shown where weak points as far as ATS are concerned and where greater efficiencies can be made.
This is I understand it from the FFAs regional safety person who covers our area.
Whether it will mean less ATSOs I don’t know.
It might depend who pays them. AFISOs for instance are paid locally and the budget is created locally. FISOs and ATCCOs and possibly ATCOs are paid out of National taxes.
gallois wrote:
This free airspace, I think that’s the translation, is already there in some countries and France is piloting (no pun intended) it at upper levels.
Let’s hope France actually implements it! :)
At the moment if you try to plot a course in FRA it makes you go through the certain points anyway…
AIP SUP 092/2022 establishes a new FIS around Montpellier
From May 10, you will have joint FIS from Montpellier Info from Mende to the spanish border, split in several sectors.
Kudos to DGAC !
Recently had various Paris/Seine info frequencies given to hand over to with no response, turn out that they are “auto-reponder” ie nobody there and no FIS… going back to the other frequency or the next one has the response “you are not in my area, I repeat squawk 7000, au revoir”… If this is the future DGAC model Im not impressed. I really do hope the excellent French FIS isnt going to turn into the UK model…
Regards, SD..
IFR south-east of Paris started to look like south-east of London indeed, especially, without Seine SIV and Melun ATC, as Paris ATC don’t give FIS OCAS for IFR outside Class Alpha, you tend to fly “without service” bellow 4kft
The only difference, no one will peel off your skin with regards to “remain outside airspace”….
I just read the proposal for re-organisation, the Seine SIV used to do FIS to VFR and ATC to IFR on same frequency
The new proposal means VFR & IFR operating in same Echo airspace above Melun will be on two different frequencies, it does not sound very healthy to me? I am afraid this will become like UK with same place of Golf airspace having about 12 possible frequencies
