In late June/early July my wife and I will spend 2 weeks in the southwest of France. I intend to fly IFR to/from France (albeit in VMC as far as possible) and to do mostly VFR sightseeing flights from destination to destination once in the region. This will be my first really long trip since I did my IR in 2013. I have been to France as a VFR-only pilot, but not to this exact region, so I am grateful for all hints.
Routing
Planned routing is LOAN to Colmar (LFGA) for lunch and refuelling, than on to Perigueux (LFBX) where we have ordered a rental car and will stay for a few days. We have already been to this part of France by car and liked it a lot. Perhaps we’ll fly down to Domme-Sarlat (LFDS) once.
Second stop will be Ile d’Yeu (LFEY) for 2 nights, than on to Belle Ile (LFEA) for 4 nights, possibly with excursions to Quiberon (LFEQ) and Ouessant (LEFC).
On the way back, we consider staying in Saumur (LFOD) because I want to visit the riding school and my wife the biggest European tank museum – no wait, it’s the other way round 
. Tasting and buying some wine is also on the to-do-list.
Weather
I think of using meteox.com and wetteronline.de (they have a quite good app) for a general weather overview and the autorouter GRAMET for a detailed route prognosis.
Flight planning
I will use autorouter for route planning/filing/general documentation with the AIP plates as a backup to the Jeppesen approach plates on the iPad.
Remaining questions
Our destinations in France are uncontrolled and quite likely there will be no AFIS. Will the enroute controller clear us for the IAP? When do we cancel IFR and when/how do we close the flight plan under these circumstances?
Departing from an uncontrolled/unmanned field on an IFR flight, do I just call up the next approach frequency for the clearance once in the air? Is there a way of knowing the responsible frequency in advance? Are these I or Z flights? And whom do I call when conducting an IFR flight entirely outside of controlled airspace?
I have already enquired for fuel and I am confident that I speak enough French for the FR only radio requirements.
Our destinations in France are uncontrolled and quite likely there will be no AFIS. Will the enroute controller clear us for the IAP?
Certainly. AFIS is generally not required to fly an instrument approach. There are a very few isolated exceptions to this though. Mende-Brenoux for example has a note in the AIP saying that the instrument approach is not allowed in absence of the AFISO. For what reason I don’t know. Either something local or there is just no other major airport sufficiently close by to give a decent QNH.
But in most other cases no problem.
When do we cancel IFR
Well, you never cancel IFR. Not if flying the instrument appraoch but if you like, then not even if approaching visually. You just continue IFR, i.e. in accordance with the instrument flight rules, in airspace Golf. I know that’s hard to digest for german and austrian standards, but it’s standard, worldwide.
and when/how do we close the flight plan under these circumstances?
Well, that’s an intersting point. The French AIP specifically states that one may cose flight plans via radio, whilst still in the air, with the responsible ATS or FIS. However, in practice, for some reason they sometimes deny this to pilots (happened to me several times). In this case, you close the FPL after landing. Usually, they give you the number via radio, and usually, it’s not the AIS (BRIA) number directly, but the number of the ATS man you just spoke to on the radio. Otherwise, you just call 0810 437 837 (0810 IFR VFR).
Departing from an uncontrolled/unmanned field on an IFR flight, do I just call up the next approach frequency for the clearance once in the air? Is there a way of knowing the responsible frequency in advance?
Well, if the airport has an IAP, then it can be found in the AIP , on the respective approach plate. If it doesn’t, try the approach frequency of the nearest aerodrome with IAPs.
Are these I or Z flights?
You can do it both ways, as you like.
And whom do I call when conducting an IFR flight entirely outside of controlled airspace?
See above.
Did a trip to Ile d’Yeu 2 years ago and did a little trip report on it HERE
No AVGAS or any fuel on the island for that matter. Very easy to rent bikes – they will drop them off at the airfield and you can leave them back there when you leave.
Regarding destinations…
I guess you might have seen these two trip reports?
http://www.euroga.org/forums/trips-airports/2643-a-fantastic-trip-to-france-and-spain#post_41604
As mentioned, I really didn’t like Ile d’Yeu, and even less so in high summer. You have been warned.
I loved Quiberon. I wasn’t too excited by Ouessant.
The southwest (Aquitaine) has endless great places to go to, the Dordogne / Gironde /
Périgord areas are great (if it’s not too hot), as is the coast obviously.
Also, one tip: absolutely avoid being in France on the 14th of July. It’s all going crazy that day, especially the prices.
Otherwise, France is really the greatest of all flying countries in Europe. Enjoy the trip!
I also forgot twice to make the phone call The searchers seem to phone the fireman before sending out the €1000 bill
There is a story in my club from a long time ago. A member coming to the airfield one morning found that someone had broken into a hangar. They reported it to the police who said “it was us”. A pilot had forgotten to make “the call” the evening before, the aircraft went overdue, and the police was sent to the airfield to check if the aircraft was there before starting a SAR mission.
I visited the central german AIS office in Frankfurt recently and I couldn’t believe what they replied when I asked how many percent of flightplans people “forget” to close, requiring the AIS to start investigating…
About 10% of all flight plans!! On a good weekend day, say 400 flightplans, that’s 40 investigations!! A truely ashaming number for the group of GA pilots.
BTW, I wonder how many of these are by British pilots. In Germany, possibly not that many, but say in the north of France, I think the majority is by British pilots. In all other countries, it is at least superficially taught in PPL training that flightplans need to be closed, not so in UK.
When do you have to explicitly close the flight plan? Only on airports without ATC/AFIS? I made about 20 IFR flights in Switzerland and southern Germany and never closed the flight plan explicitly, it was always done by the controller. But these were all flights to airports with TWR, is this the decisive factor?
But these were all flights to airports with TWR, is this the decisive factor?
Yes AFAIK. On controlled airfields, they close them automatically. At AFIS fields, I remind them to be sure.
Thanks for the excellent input concerning my trip so far!
Yes, if it’s a controlled airport they will close an IFR flightplan. But with Y flight plans it’s often forgotten, because pilots seem to think “cancelling IFR” means FPL closed – not so! My home airport does it for me without asking, but you better not count on it.
