VDF? Well, I am glad I didn’t get this kind of approach (this was my report). I got my IR in the FAA world and I was never taught about this (also the Q-abbreviations like QDM aren’t used in the States). I looked up the FAA Instrument Procedures Handbook to confirm that it isn’t my memory, but it really doesn’t seem to exist there as far as I can tell.
My clearance was direct ALM at 2500ft. Approximately at the airspace boundary Provence Approach told me to switch to Tower and they immediately cleared me for a straight in. Very simple. I would’ve been prepared to hold at the NDB or to join the VFR pattern. I was in for any surprises, because by now I know that European IFR has its quirks from my FAA perspective. I am glad this trip turned out to be so easy and much, much simpler than under VFR.
So, to answer OP: “LFMA was one of the places where you could happily practice VDF/Gonio approaches. Is that no longer the case?” …Personally, I have no idea! ;) But thanks for this thread, there’s always something new to learn in aviation and today that was VDF for me.
My clearance was direct ALM at 2500ft. Approximately at the airspace boundary Provence Approach told me to switch to Tower and they immediately cleared me for a straight in
Can you do that while still in clouds? and what is the required visibility outside clouds to land on the runway 5000m? 1500m? or 800m?
Do you get any go-missed instructions or you have to “dead reckon your way out in the soup” on own navigation in that Delta CTR 
I don’t think you can do that in IMC, there are mountains not far. Btw it’s a star, not an approach.
Ibra wrote:
Can you do that while still in clouds?
As you mentioned @Ibra, Marseille MVA chart allows vectors down to 2000’ in that sector (coming from the north). In this real world case, both Provence and Aix Tower certainly knew conditions were VMC so the whole discussion becomes theoretical….. which of course we all like to consider.
Lots of little quirks here…. like vectoring MVA of 2000’ in Aix CTR airspace going up to 2500’. The wondrous internal workings of ATC. 
BTW, the STAR has 3000’ minimum to ALM, while @ArcticChiller was cleared down to 2500’, so off the STAR at least from an altitude viewpoint.
Ok not in clouds if we say outside clouds with ground in sight at 2500ft what is the required visibility for an instrument straight-in in CTR? or instrument circuit in CTR?
I don’t think you can do that in IMC
You mean less than 5000m visibility & 1500ft ceiling in CTR? or clear of clouds in CTR?
If we stick to visibility there is plenty of values to chose from, I am thinking 5000m as in Delta VMC? 3000m as in LFMA SVFR minima in CTR? 1500m as in French state minima for instrument landing without procedure in Golf? 1500m as in SERA VFR in Golf? or 800m as in SERA for visual IFR approach by ATC?
Let’s leave the ceiling aside
In flight planning I considered it a standard visual approach upon reaching the hold. The hold is at 3000ft and any kind of soup-weather would’ve taken me to the alternate anyways (but NCO says 800m vis for a visual, I think). A visual approach doesn’t have a missed approach, you just do what tower tells you and most likely join the pattern for another go (I know, I’m in EASA now, but here the AIM 7-4-1 on this topic: https://www.faa.gov/air_traffic/publications/atpubs/atc_html/chap7_section_4.html).
Otherwise, if they wouldn’t allow a visual approach, but a landing seems certainly possible, cancel IFR and request special VFR.
(Lots of discussion going on while I wrote the post! Interesting to see this discussed as in blue skies this is really very theoretical. After all, there is no IFR approach, so with any bad weather I would consider it a VFR part like on my expired/superseded EIR)
No idea about minima for FAA “contact approach” & “visual approach” maybe @NCYankee knows more?
Yes NCO says 800m for visual approach but that is hardcore IMC (even LNAV needs 1500m !!) and I doubt that is ever possible without having straight-in instrument procedures published?
My understanding in France, you can have 800m for visual approach but only applicable with ATC clearance AND assuming you are already on straight-in procedure like ILS or LPV with ground in sight before DH
I think the right answer for LFMA aerodrome IFR minima with active Delta CTR is 5000m visibility & 1500ft ceiling (as published in ATIS? or judged by PIC?)
Same for IFR takeoff without departure procedure in Delta CTR, I think you will need 5000m visibility & 1500ft ceiling in France, which is way more restrictive than SVFR in CTR or VFR in Golf if it was IFR in Golf under 140kias, all you need is 1500m and clear of clouds (300ft broken ceiling is risky but still fine )
but a landing seems certainly possible, cancel IFR and request special VFR.
That is one of the puzzles I had when I used to operate IFR in Lognes with cloud-break or join near LeBourget inside CTR…
Ibra wrote:
Yes NCO says 800m for visual approach but that is hardcore IMC (even LNAV needs 1500m !!) and I doubt that is ever possible without having straight-in instrument procedures published?
I would think the situation would be with a thin fog layer where you would easily see the ground from above. In that case visually navigating to final while avoiding obstacles would not be a very difficult. Once on short final the 800 m would be enough to see the approach and runway lights.
I am studying for my FAA to EASA CPL conversion right now and stumbled upon this fun fact:
The screenshot is from ICAO Doc 8168 Volume 1. By the way, ICAO docs are now available for free if you register on their website: https://login.icao.int/my.policy
I wondered about this STAR without IAP, when I went there two years ago. Now I know! I also know that if I get there in a plane with 701 seats, I need 8 fire extinguishers. Now back to studying. lol
Edit: I wonder if this would be a cheaper solution for small airports to get access to/from the IFR system. Might be less costly, but also less useful, than a full IAP to a lower altitude.
Bad link above, it’s https://elibrary.icao.int/home
