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Old 4th Dec 2004, 18:28
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cubflyer
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Burgess Hill, UK
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Kebab Kid,
I can also confirm that you can fly on your UK PPL at clubs in France, I did for 8 years. The local DGAC showed me the French law which permitted this when I first went down there.
I lived in Toulouse, worked for Airbus and flew from both of the local airfields, there were quite a few Brits and Germans flying down there. Unless you are going to Work for EADS Aerispatiale, then I would fly from Muret. If you work for Aerospatiale you will get a discount flying rate at the Aerospatiale flying club at Lasbordes, but not at other clubs. If you are working for Airbus and join the Airbus Aviation society, you can get discount flying at a number of clubs at Lasbordes, Muret and gliding at local fields.
THese discounts come from an excellent French law which makes large companies spend a percentage of their turnover on "Staff activities". When I was last there we had about £20 per hour rebate to our club accounts for the first 20 hours we flew during the year.
I would thoroughly recommend flying at the Aero Club Clement Ader at Muret airfield. This is a very friendly club, the President Jacques Darroles is a real flying enthusiast, speaks perfect English and really promotes his club, he is an instructor there and also an Air France Captain ( I think he is still president) Other instructors speak English, actually there is an English guy who instructs there (very part time )and can do CAA ratings. They have a good selection of aircraft. The usual 4 or 5 Robin DR400s, PA-28, Ce 182, Two Emeraudes, Jodel, Fournier RF-5 motorglider and quite often get the CAP 10 from the local aerobatic club, which rotates around various flying clubs each month allowing the club members fly it.
Muret is out to the Southwest of Toulouse about 20-25 min drive from Airbus. It benefits from few noise complaints, so no problem with circuits or aerobatics over the field. good hard and grass runway- which are the right orientation for the prevailing winds! During the week, the airfield is used by the SFACT Government flying school with TB-10, TB-20s, but they dont fly at weekends. THe two clubs on the field also fly a lot during the week and have the run of the field for the weekend. There are about 20 private aircraft also hangared on the main airfield.
There is also a parrallel ultralight airfield next to the main airfield, which have their own runway and circuit, so something else to go and do if you want to.
Lasbordes is the other GA airfield. This is to the east of Toulouse town, next to the ring road. A bit closer, but often the traffic is worse! Lasbordes has problems with noise, so a very big circuit. There are 5 or 6 flying clubs here and also about 10 private hangars with a number of aircraft in each. Only hard runway here, although there is some grass for ultralights. Unfortunately the runway direction here isnt so good for the prevailing wind particularly when it gets windy. Its a bit busier and more bureaucratic than Muret.
One thing to remember in France, is that they dont have this stupid rule at airfields where you may only fly when the airfield is officially "open" ie ATC there. In France you fly when you want- as long as you can get the aircraft from the club hangar and the clubs operate a long time outside of ATC hours, certainly at Muret.

good luck!
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