6-9 May 2016 EuroGA fly-in to Carcassonne LFMK

They have an ATO that, according to NOTAM has exclusive access to the fuel pump Mon-Fri. Again when you start talking to people the story is somewhat different

Edited for context.

Peter wrote:

But maybe Carcassonne has almost no GA traffic? I have no idea – never been there.

The GA area rarely has more than 2 aircraft parked in the many times I have been there at all times of the year, I guess the fuel situation doesn’t help them!

Me and Alan Simpson on the deserted apron in Nov 2012

@Peter, I hope to be in the vicinity that weekend.

If any snow below 6,000 ft in the Pyrenees has melted by then, I’ll be in a scruffy Maule, possibly with a smart Swiss C175 and SuperCub in tow. If not, I’m planning to bring an ex- French Connection CAP 10B. Then, if refused parking, I’ll ask Montaine to put a curse on them…

Some MTO tips for VFR pilots.
Because Carcassonne is between 2 mountainous areas, the Massif Central and the Pyrénées, there is a wind funnel effect called “vent d’Autan” (East wind).

When the wind is coming from the East or from South-East, it collects humidity and makes low clouds on the Mediterranean coast (Montpellier-Beziers-Narbonne-Perpignan). In this case, it is advised to join Carcassonne from the West via Toulouse. There have been many sad stories about VFR pilots being trapped either in the Corbières (between Perpignan and Carcassonne) or in the Minervois (between Nîmes and Carcassonne). In such situations, coming from Toulouse, you will see fair weather, deteriorating after Carcassonne (around Lézignan).

When the wind is coming from the West or North-West, it makes clouds over Toulouse. In this case, it is better to join Caracassonne from the East: from the Rhône valley, Nîmes-Montpellier, or Perpignan.

In both cases, the best way out is to track the motorway Narbonne – Toulouse. You can fly quite low over it and It will lead you to Carcassonne. OK there is some limit of course. Once after Beziers, even at 500’ I couldn’t see the headlamps of the car below me. I diverted to Beziers and took the train back to Toulouse. Don’t be put off by my story however. The weather is most of the time gorgeous.

Hope it helps (I did my PPL in Toulouse and flew there for about 15 years before relocating to Luxembourg).

A CAP 10B photo. A beautiful plane.

The possible curse from Montaine is explained here.

Franco-American history

@Peter,

Just a thought, and you have already written to the airport operator, but even if only half of us actually turn up do you think it would be courteous to drop a line (in French) to the Mairie? Perhaps not now, but nearer the time?

Hi,
Count us in. P32R 2 POB, dep ESTL.

BR
Patrik