I remember being asked for a copy of the GAR confirmation by a british handler. I just transfered the onlineGar email so all our personal data was in it 
I should just have given the GAR confirmation number.
Yes from France, GAR directly to UKBF with 4h PNR will do, it should not be an airport buisness or even worth correct or wrong entries in the AIP (but some airports think the flight needs a “special approval” or “clearance” from them some obscure or legacy designations or under their agreement, or just list a worst case 24H, Cambridge is PPR 24H though but nothing to do with GAR)
I am 100% sure flying from Germany to LaRochelle, no PPR/PNR will be a non-event !
I don’t understand this. The UK does not have a “port of entry” system. You can land at any aerodrome, subject to having filed the GAR on 4hrs PN for inbound from EU or 24hrs in/out non-EU.
And yes exactly the GAR should not go anywhere near to aerodrome. The personal data on it is not their business and in any case they should not be handling this data within the provisions of GDPR or whatever.
With Cambridge, I guess you are referring this in the AIP?
I have understood this be written thus become flights might be coming from outside the EU.
From France, the rule would be 4h (but they don‘t differentiate in the AIP entry; they merely mention the „worst case“)
Also, as you will know, airports shouldn‘t actually get involved in the GAR process at all…
Many pilots have flown there from say Germany or France after having sent the GAR way less than 24h prior. No troubles I am aware of.
The same junk in UK airports (e.g. Cambridge) where AD require 24h PNR to get a special approval for you to visit from France with all details (in addition to sending GAR) as they are not listed as “immigration” on the list while landing in a grass strip from France you only need to submit & confirm that UKBF recived your GAR and happy it it (they never told anyone NO)
Exactly.
But the point is: they DON’T require all international inner-Schengen flights to use only airports qualified as border crossing points, as clearly written in the relevant Arrete 24 octobre 2017
It’s article 9 says (translated into English):
Aerodromes that do not have the status of border crossing point are authorized to receive direct flights from or to countries belonging to the Schengen area, without any formality related to border control of persons being required, without prejudice to the provisions set out in Chapter III of this order.
However, when internal border controls are temporarily reintroduced in application of the Schengen Borders Code, border controls may be carried out at these aerodromes by the designated services in accordance with the procedures provided for in Article 3.
So, they can still check you after you arrive if they wish to do so. But the important difference is that whoever flies to airports which are border crossing points has to deal with this PPR stuff, whilst whoever flies to an airport which is not a border crossing point does not.
Found this curious… I have sent an email to ask them as there is no phone number but only an email.
Here is the received answer (my own translation):
The information requested and contained in the NOTAM concerns the immigration part of the intra-Schengen border crossing and not the customs part.
In the context of the re-establishment of internal border controls currently in force, France is re-establishing its “immigration” controls at the internal borders of the Schengen area and as such, in order to trigger or not a face-to-face check of identity documents and persons, we request the necessary information prior to the flight.
Original text:
Les informations demandées et inscrites dans le NOTAM concernent la partie “immigration” du passage frontière intra schengen et non la partie “douanière”.
Dans le cadre du Rétablissement des Contrôles aux Frontières Intérieures en vigueur actuellement, la France rétablit ses contrôles “immigration” aux frontières intérieures de l’espace Schengen et à ce titre, afin de déclencher ou non un contrôle en présentiel des pièces d’identité et des personnes, nous demandons les informations nécessaires en amont du vol
Nice story and trip. We were in La Rochelle 3 weeks ago, and at that time were the only GA aircraft on the parked overnight. Funny to see you also were aware of the extremely low AVGAS prices. Where did you get that info, from SKydemon?
And visit to La Rochelle, don’t forget to visit the Ile de Rë, preferably by bike. You pass the very nice and high bridge, which is tough but worth it!
Found this curious… I have sent an email to ask them as there is no phone number but only an email. I do not expect an answer although.
To be fully compliant without the hassle the T/G option in France is a good workaround
Peter said:
Lots of French airports require this PN stuff. A big chunk of it came in 2011 or so and then some more a bit later.
I had once the issue, just after the cancellation of the state of emergency in 2018, flying into Colmar. The text in French was updated but not the English version, that still required PN even for intra Schengen flights.
I called the border Control office, which said nothing is required, but after verification, yes maybe it should be required. The guy in the tower said nothing was required… at the end I sent the papers, got no response and no one showed up.
