Being a newbie to IR one of the most difficult bits is accessing the weather – OK nothing new there, but how to manage It, after getting airborne.
An example, a flight from Southern UK to Troyes, the Gramet was received about two hours before the flight. I was at FL90 and just been handed over to Paris when the cloud started to build, I requested FL110 which was granted (we were on Oxygen already) and it continued to build to nearly that level and then later reduced to a CAVOK approach at Troyes. What worries me, what if it kept building, the icing level was at about 7000ft at the time. Will Paris or whoever always be able to clear me higher. What do you do, any tips?
My plane can get to FL100 in ten minutes, it’s ok until FL140 but fairly slow from there and the highest I’ve been is FL170, where it was less than 200 ft/min. I intend to do some altitude testing to get a better understanding of the actual performance.
As said in the other thread, forecasting weather in a very dynamic summer weather situation (such as these days), the weather is simply hard to predict prescisely. This of course also affects products such as Gramet. Did you consult any other WX breifing elements? Did none of them hint towards the conditions you encountered?
That said, do yourself a favour and get the ADL140 (750 Euros). Believe me, it will transform your flying and make it a much more relaxed experience.
Also, you could have always gone lower than 7000 feet. Losely speaking, France allows flying IFR down to about 3500 feet MSL/1500 feet AGL (whichever is higher).
What worries me, what if it kept building, the icing level was at about 7000ft at the time. Will Paris or whoever always be able to clear me higher. What do you do, any tips?
Sure, when on a Eurocontrol IFR flight plan you just ask for a climb to whatever level you want. If you ask for FL250 they will give it to you. I am not so sure about FL300-400 – that level is full of jet traffic. And above FL600 it is Class G so you are ok again 
This is the great thing about IFR. You can fly VMC on top in sunshine.
The Gramet often fails to show cloud – except when it does and then everybody thinks it is great The best tools, I find, are the IR image before the flight, and complement that with radar and sferics. The IR image is not accurate but it will be within a few k feet, which with a plane which can do FL170 is good enough. Convective wx is a pretty obvious no-go.
Finding a layer of cloud with tops at say FL100 is dead common, and the tops tend to rise both as you go south and as the day progresses (warms up). And, yes, most of the year you will be in icing conditions if you are inside it. That’s why getting VMC on top at the start, ASAP, and staying there, is the name of the game in IFR without comprehensive ice protection.
Some notes here.
Norman wrote:
Will Paris or whoever always be able to clear me higher. What do you do, any tips?
No. Paris and others will not always be able to clear you higher. I have been held down at FL120 almost able to see sunshine over my head, aching to get FL140 West of Zürich because of arrivals into Zürich above me and that ended up with an engine losing power. You will have the same in the Paris area. And De Gaulle does not like you to be in uncontrolled airspace so they will insist you stay within their class A.
So the only only thing you can do is tell them WHY you need higher (“due icing”).
Peter wrote:
If you ask for FL250 they will give it to you.
This does not seem to be the case everywhere. On a flight from France to Germany I got FL 210 to avoid clouds and icing conditions below as requested. After handover to Langen Radar the controller asked: “Report type of aircraft”. Me: “Cessna 182”. Controller: “Descend FL 200”. This is what I did without any discussions since the worst weather was behind. Obviously the granted altitude in Germany depends on the type of aircraft.
Norman wrote:
the Gramet was received about two hours before the flight. I was at FL90 and just been handed over to Paris when the cloud started to build, I requested FL110 which was granted (we were on Oxygen already) and it continued to build to nearly that level and then later reduced to a CAVOK approach at Troyes.
That is pretty much in line with the GRAMET image you showed.
highflyer wrote:
After handover to Langen Radar the controller asked: “Report type of aircraft”. Me: “Cessna 182”. Controller: “Descend FL 200”.
The controller wanted to know whether he should send you down or up to clear FL210. However, you can always refuse due to icing and then ATC will solve the conflict in another way.
I have never had a climb refused. They often don’t clear you immediately, which is why one needs to be pro-active about it. The phrase “to avoid” works, “icing conditions below” is even better. Avoid any nonstandard phrases. Use “unable to due xxx” if in any doubt.
Also working is: “I hear you one, transmitting blind, climbing FL200”.
A very common method once you get further south. I was boasting about my transgression with pilot friends after I had used that method for the first time and only got strange looks. After a while they told me, of course, this is what we always do. I do not recommend this in Northern Europe…
achimha wrote:
The controller wanted to know whether he should send you down or up to clear FL210.
This is an interesting interpretation to which I have not yet thought.
Next time I will request FL230.
