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
I was taught (by a French instructor) this was the standard french join when I initially came to France in 2000.... When I later moved to here, I learnt the official initial downwind join.
Joining from long final, base leg, or the middle of downwind is forbidden, but this order has been ignored by some pilots.
Oh really? Forbidding a Frenchman means they are more likely to do it....and everyone I see here at our uncontrolled "unicom" aerodrome joins at the most convenient Circuit position - ie Downwind, L/R base or Long Final, and it all appears to work well, just as it does in the UK.
Regards, SD..