Hi everyone,
In april I’ll be going for a 5/6 daytrip to France with a friend and I had some questions about this.
It will be my first time flying to France, and I’m not that proficient in French (i know the numbers, left, right, the cardinal directions and some basic conversational French)
I’ve read that at the smaller GA airports it can be quite difficult to communicate in English, would it be recommendable to at least learn some basic aviation French? what are your experiences regarding this?
Our trip for now will look a bit like this;
Day 1: T/O from EHDR (drachten, The Netherlands) via Midden Zeeland (for lunch) to Le touquet, rent a bike and stay there for the night.
Day 2: Le touquet to Caen, do some flying over the D-day beaches, Pointe du Hoc etc and land at Caen. Spend the day visiting some historical sights and a museum.
Day 3: Caen to Limoges via Le Mans, stop halfway and do a tour at the Le Mans museum (which is apparently quite close to the airfield), then continue on towards Limoges. Depending on the arrival time perhaps do a wine tour/tasting or something like that over there.
Day 4: Limoges to Reims, rent a car in Reims and visit a champagne tour/tasting.
Day 5: Reims to Midden Zeeland, back in the Netherlands and i’ve never actually visited this province (for holiday/sightseeing)
Day 6: Middenzeeland back to Drachten, maybe via Texel if we have time left.
I realize that most airfields are controlled airfields, which will probably mean higher handling, parking and refuelling fees. I am however not familiar at all with any france airfields, so if there any good alternatives close by I’d really appreciate some recommendations, the same goes for any recommondations for sightseeing when on land ;)
Thanks in advance,
Cheers,
Ruben
Without pretty fluent French, you are limited to controlled fields, and during the hours that the tower is open. Be careful with that – some of them close for lunch! (Beziers LFMU for one, though you won’t be going there).
I speak fluent, practically bilingual French. Even so it took me a long time to feel OK about doing ATC in French, and I’m still not 100% comfortable.
You won’t find much in the way of wine at Limoges. But Reims is the centre of the champagne growing region.
I think that sounds like a great trip.
I’ve been to most of them and had a lovely time.
PPPPPP. Enjoy.
All the airfields you have mentioned have ATS and can be communicated with in English. Except as @johnh has pointed out of ATS hours.
Limogés is more known for ceramics especially its decorated porcelain and silk than it is for wine. IIRC there are museums for both.
Further south you have Bergerac and this is a wine growing region although not one of the world renowned crus.
There are many interesting aerodromes in the area eg Sarlat Domme. Domme is a beautiful town with good restaurants but there is no ATS and although it is not a French only airfield it would be better to auto announce in French for things like runway in sight, vertical, downwind, base and final plus left hand and right hand.
Also most of these smaller fields do not have an IAP.
You might need a taxi to get to the museum at Le Mans. You can walk from the airfield into Arnage where mid day menus in the small bar/restaurants are very reasonable.
The main problem is that the airport is surrounded by fast ring roads and motorways coming together so other than Arnage it is a difficult walk. Distance is not the problem.
Phone Caen for advice on parking it can get awkward if they have several CAT in and the maintenance company is busy. You might also consult the aeroclub at Caen for advice on flying the D Day beaches. They will perhaps advise you on the best route to take and might also help with your parking. Fuel is a self service I’m not sure it takes all credit cards.
I haven’t been to Reims for some time now. I believe it’s got expensive.
Epernay is in the centre of the Champagne growing region and like Sarlat Domme is not French only but circuit announcements in your best French would be appreciated.
I’m someone who does fly a little bit in France even though I don’t speak much French. You don’t have to worry about much. ATC and even FIS speak perfect English. And if ever in doubt “Say again” is your friend. I had zero issues ever and the same treatment. Also expect to be handed off to the next FIS or ATC but be proactive and approaching the boundary request it yourself. For crossing CAS call them 10min before and get clearance yourself, use the proper position report phraseology and be crisp on the radio and fly true. Should be non issue. But know your proper radio calls and fly according to regs, absolutely file a flight plan if crossing CAS and make sure you put a nav aid or GPS point from that CAS in your route.
As for airports.. controlled airports are the same, non issue since you can’t land there without clearance and for that ATC must be operating. So you will always land there only when ATC is there which again speaks perfect English. For uncontrolled fields you just have to make sure they provide AFIS and make sure you have the correct operating times. Here I strongly advise you to call them up, they speak perfect English and check to make sure you have the correct operating times and it’s useful to give them a headsup you’re coming and that you don’t speak French. They might even offer you to call you a taxi while on final. Reims did that for me for example. And then when in the circuit, sure you won’t understand other pilots most of the time, but AFIS should warn you and give everyone situational awareness.
Flying in France is great! One of the best countries in Europe for flying GA for sure.
RdJ, see here for a summary about RT in France.
boscomantico wrote:
RdJ, see here for a summary about RT in France.
That link says very misleading things about transiting CAS and ATC clearances and I would caution not to follow it. It also does not at all match my personal first hand recent experience.
hazek wrote:
It also does not at all match my personal first hand recent experience.
That actually comforts me.
hazek wrote:
That link says very misleading things about transiting CAS and ATC clearances and I would caution not to follow it. It also does not at all match my personal first hand recent experience.
Are you referring to this passage? “Wie oben schon angedeutet, werden solche Freigaben häufig sehr implizit erteilt.”
That seems to agree with what Peter writes about French ATC. (I only have experience of IFR in France, so I wouldn’t know.)
I find Bosco’s writeup accurate. The words “cleared” seem to never be used, in my 23+ years of flying there. You get stuff like “radar contact”.
