Yes doing a non-radio circuit might be OK if you get it right, but a potential catastrophe if done wrong! But even one radio call in bad French will at least warn the natives of your presence and probable intentions.
An endearing French characteristic is a disregard for authority and love of tradition. So for instance when driving you can still find people insisting on “priorite a’ droite” when emerging from a side street.
Similarly there are some peculiar French circuit joining methods involving 45-degree approaches to the middle of the downwind leg from the outside.
The DGAC banned this practice in 1992, but it is still done, so beware.
The relevant order is as follows:
DGAC Order of 17th July 1992.
“Joining the circuit at a non-controlled airfield is to be effected:
At the start of the downwind leg. At the circuit height of the airfield.
And assuring visual separation from other aircraft using the circuit, and giving them priority.
This order assumes that before it is complied with, the pilot in command has determined the landing direction in use at the airfield.”
“The pilot is not obliged to make an overhead examination of the airfield if by exploitation of the messages of other pilots in the circuit (on the “auto-information 123.5 frequency) he has connaissance of the runway in use, the wind, and other relevant parameters of the airfield.”
“Joining from long final, base leg, or the middle of downwind is forbidden, but this order has been ignored by some pilots.”
As for the French causing problems for us. January“Aviation & Pilote” mag reports an incident in Jersey where a French pilot with no English was vectored away from the airport and told not to come back unless he learned English. The controller was quite correct but could have avoided humiliating the poor guy.
MG