The Service de l’information aéronautique publishes each year a compendium for VFR pilots called guide VFR.
Since 2008 the guide was not anymore available for free download, but only for sale as a paperback.
Last year the initially published guide VFR did not take into account the then new part NCO. When they realised that, they withdrew the guide VFR from sale and eventually published a new one (édition 2), available for free download, perhaps as an apology.
https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/pub/media/news/file/g/u/guide_vfr_2017_edition_2_complet.pdf
Part of it is both in French and English. The part which is not translated is essentially an extract of part NCO, with witch you should be already familiar.
Read at least this part
[ local copy ]
Thanks for Sharing Piotr!
Interesting as well is:
LANGUAGES TO BE USED
Air traffic services messages can be transmitted in French or in English unless “FR only” appears on the aerodrome charts; when it does only the French must be used. However French pilots must use the French language except for training requirements. Note: the abbreviation “FR only” is systematically indicated when the aerodrome is open to IFR traffic when there is no traffic services organism.
Is there any other county which forbids locals the use of English?
TobiBS wrote:
French pilots must use the French language
Incidentally, who are “French pilots”? Pilots who are citizens of France? Residing in France? Holding a French license? Flying a F-reg aircraft? Or are they just those who proudly declare themselves French and are thus supposed not to speak English (or at least pretend they don’t)?
This “use of French on the radio mandatory for French pilots when in France” came up in several past threads e.g. here and here. Another fun bit is here.
I do not recall seeing anywhere a definition of what is a “French pilot” for the purpose of this law.
According to a post here by a French ATCO, the law does not appear to be enforced (in the sense of prosecuting breaches as a criminal offence). But obviously it provides a useful bit of support for those who prefer things to be that way for various reasons.
Aside from linguistic debate, thanks for posting the link. Appreciated.
Another link to the “mandatory French for French pilots” is here in the very official French government 2017 VFR Guide local copy (page 92 of the document)
But this is a slightly different statement to the previous, and any definition of a “French pilot” is missing.
But it’s always good to remind there are actually no record of it ever being enforced!
Indeed, which is why I wonder why it keeps getting re-stated in the official texts. Somebody somewhere must feel strongly about it.
l’académie française?
But it’s always good to remind there are actually no record of it ever being enforced!
Quite so. Not least because any attempt at enforcement would breach Article 21 of the Charter:
Article 21
Non-discrimination
1. Any discrimination based on any ground such as sex, race, colour, ethnic or social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability, age or sexual orientation shall be prohibited.
2. Within the scope of application of the Treaties and without prejudice to any of their specific provisions, any discrimination on grounds of nationality shall be prohibited.
Still it’s not a completely daft recommendation. Probably better for “French” pilots in France to communicate in French than in Maghreb Arabic or Breton.
