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Calais LFAC ATC withdrawn

I don’t understand how this would work practically.

Obviously, Lille Radar (the approach controller, if you are going IFR) can speak English. Well, officially they can, but on a recent trip to LFAT they were pretty marginal and quite obviously not listening to readbacks.

You won’t be speaking to Calais tower because there is nobody there

So the only reason for French calls is to announce your position, for anybody else arriving in the circuit. Is it practical to learn enough French easily to do this (I mean to be able to understand the possible calls others might make)?

And if the tower is shut, what about Customs? No Customs = no UK flights because stopping elsewhere on the N coast just to go to Calais is unattractive, to say the least…

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

the only reason for French calls is to announce your position

There is a legal aspect too: there are a few fields in France where radio is mandatory, yet only done in French. When flying to such a field, one must carry proof of French language proficiency. I do not know to what degree this rule is enforced.

As for the customs/immigration: I can’t see why they would have to go because the tower is not manned. A bit unusual perhaps, but by no means impossible.

EBZH Kiewit, Belgium

There is a legal aspect too: there are a few fields in France where radio is mandatory, yet only done in French. When flying to such a field, one must carry proof of French language proficiency.

Do you have a reference?

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

Sorry, no. Hearsay only. As said, most likely from here.
But we have a good many French pilots around, they might be able to comment.

Last Edited by at 04 Nov 11:20
EBZH Kiewit, Belgium

Would you not only need level 4 LPE?

Yes, of course.

Are the french prosecuting yet?

There have been endless discussions on internet forums over the last two years. Some say they have been prosecuted or held on the ground until a french speaking pilot was on board. Personally I have not talked to anyone who has been pestered yet.

EDDS - Stuttgart

I’ve just come across this French doc.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Peter, yes that is how it has worked when tower shut before this announcement. The French is after you leave Lille and self announce position in circuit.

EGTK Oxford

Is this because of budget cut-backs? I worry that this will start a trend of customs being pulled and airports becoming FR only.

Great Oakley, U.K. & KTKI, USA

No Customs = no UK flights

It is just border checks. We might need real Customs soon. Angela agrees on a Brexit.

United Kingdom

And if the tower is shut, what about Customs?

There’s no link between the two, other than an indirect one (Customs are commonly at larger airfields, which tend to be towered). Abbeville LFOI (about 50nm south of Calais) has no air-ground radio at all but has Customs facilities.

This may seem perverse, but the shutting of Calais tower may help it retain Customs (if not already too late). The reason is that by far the biggest number of aircraft coming from the UK, needing Customs, are microlights (and other permit types). UK microlight pilots tend to avoid towered fields, requiring them to open their mouths on the radio. I think this is why Abbeville has managed to keep its Customs – any summer weekend day it has lots of UK microlight movements.

There is a legal aspect too: there are a few fields in France where radio is mandatory, yet only done in French

It looks as though the requirement to speak French on the radio applies only to those airfields that have either ATC or AFIS (and so an ICAO requirement to be able to communicate in English). And then only when the ATC/ATIS are off duty. For example, looking at the AIP airfield plates, Le Touquet and Calais (ATC), Dieppe and Troyes (AFIS) all have the ‘French only when ATS absent’ comment. But Abbeville and St Omer LFQN, neither of which have any ‘Tower’ have no such restriction. So we can expect Calais, as an untowered airfield, to lose the French only radio requirement!

TJ
Cambridge EGSC
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