Deauville closed tommorrow (sunday) morning?

[jayemm]

I just called Deauville to plan my (first ever) flight there for tommorrow. The tower told me that "the tower will not be open until 1400 local, so if you want to come in the morning you must use Paris, who only speak French".

Since I do not speak French, I'm ruled out until 1400 local.

Has anyone experienced this before? Is it normal?

Finally, is it possible to get from the airfield into Deaville and back out again within a couple of hours? It makes what I thought would be a straightforward day trip pretty impracticable.

[bluskis]

You can get a taxi into Deauville which is a pretty quick journey, but be warned, they will try to convince you to go to Honfleur, which will take 45 minutes and cost a fortune. Insist on Deauville,or Trouville which is its nearer but interesting neighbour seperated by only a small river, and try to orientate so you know where the taxi is supposed to be heading.

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

Sorry I cannot answer your questions, but please report back on how your day-out goes.

I am plannning the same trip for later this year, also probably on a Sunday.

Cheers,

Tall_Guy.

[welkyboy]

This is quite normal for the winter. Deauville,Cherbourg,Dinard ATC's are all closed on a Sunday morning, customs are normally in attendance(not Cherbourg) If you cant speak french, dont go as they monitor frequencies and give a bollicking to those who dont.
The local flying club is usually active and of course they speak French on RT so it is difficult to ascertain runway in use etc.. also if you land you must close your flight plan by phone to Brest ATCC
on +33298373436
Come to Jersey instead or try Le Touquet

[Keef]

Nah, just get hold of a copy of the "French ATC calls" cribsheet. Freely available from various websites. You just read out the stuff on there (the relevant approach and finals calls) at the right place and LAND. Easy.

It does help if you know enough French to work out the runway in use from the autoinformation, but if you can't suss that, call Paris Info and ask them.

Deauville is well worth the visit. Lunch at the airport ain't bad, otherwise get a taxi to Trouville and eat at one of the excellent restaurants there.

[Fly Stimulator]

Speaking of French ATC crib sheets, there's a very good one here (http://www.webvivant.com/aero-andaines/french.html) and another one
here (http://www.higher.flyer.co.uk/html/franglais.html)

Aussie Andy has produced a very neat little sheet too, but I've lost the url for that. Andy - are you on frequency?

[jayemm]

I got the french crib sheet and went. What a fantastic day!

The crib sheet was invaluable, and not that difficult. I did hear a few Brits repreatedly call Deauville and they got pretty frustrated with no response (basically, no one takes any notice unless you speak french), and must have diverted. It's very similar to the US Unicom system, but en Francais.

Great lunch at Honfleur (taxi a little steep at 30 euros each way), and a very good GA trip overall. Recommended!

[Aussie Andy]

Jayemm - glad you had a good trip! If anyone else is looking for my crib sheet its here: Andy's French ATC cribsheet (PDF) (http://web.onetel.net.uk/~andy_hardy/France/fr_circuit.pdf)

Andy

[skua]

I came back from LFRG two sunday mornings ago. Absence of ATC enabled a slightly quicker departure. It was CAVOK; the main problems I would imagine would come from an arrival when conditions were more marginal (happens quite often at LFRG). Their radar surveillance is then quite welcome. But thankfully most of the locals do not fly in c***p weather, so the problems are reduced. Paris Info do speak English, and opened my flt plan for me.

[Thrifty van Rental]

But thankfully most of the locals do not fly in c***p weather, so the problems are reduced.

Hey does that mean that you Brits fly abroad in bad weather where the locals fear to go!

Shame on you! You'll be starting to prove the rumours true :D

[Flying Boat]

I have regularly found that the ATCs are closed on many occasions.

January 12th even Brest info was not operating I had to radio EGJJ to inform them.

This is the norm I am afraid, out of season (or lunch).

You will find most of the info about all open & closing times on the Notams (from a MARS machine). Paris does speak English, but they don't really care, so long as you don't prang the kite.

Rouen, La Rochelle, Dinard, Deauville, St Breuic and Le Havre are the ones I know of, off the top of my head.



Welkyboy I may see you around the Rally, 23rd-25th May, trying to get there to help out.



Happy Landings.
FB;)