Advice for weekend trip to Le Touquet

[mrjamesgroves]

I know that this has been discussed in the past, so I'd be really grateful if anyone could let me have the link to the topic.

If not, just wondering what paperwork I need to fill in (flight plan, customs), what the french ATC is like, when I should switch over to Lille, will they hand me over to LFAT, what kind of clearance I can expect, what kind of procedures there are on the ground, do I need a call to start up?

Finally I have heard the fuel is cheap there and you can claim back tax or something; can anyone shed any light on that?

[Fly Stimulator]

Mr Groves,

Here (http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=128785) is such a link.

Give the search function a try as well - it will find numerous others for you.

[Aim Far]

GAR forms on that link.

As far as ATC is concerned, expect to be told by London or whoever you're working to report mid channel. When you do, you'll be told to change to Le Touquet. Give the same calls you'd give here (in English) and expect more or less the same responses you'd get here. They probably won't bother with such a formal clearance the way you get at some class D's here. Its more like the states - usually just "continue inbound and report field in sight". When you report, you'll get joining instructions. You'll be told which line to park on.

You need clearance for start up - really they just use that to get time to find your flight plan. You'll get a departure clearance, again fairly informal.

Just get in the plane and do it.

[Fly Stimulator]

Further to that...

Le Touquet have an ATIS on 129.12. Tune into that when you leave the UK frequency and before you dial up 118.45 so that you know the runway in use, QNH/QFE etc., and report that you have it on first contact. Note that while the French usually spell out 'QNH' as we do, they tend to use the radio alphabet for 'QFE', so expect to hear 'Quebec Fox Echo'.

Listen to the ATIS before your first call on departure too. You will thus distinguish yourself from almost everybody else there and come home with a bag full of brownie points!

Another important tip is that Perard's excellent fish soup is available at the airport so you don't have to lug it all the way from town.

If you need to call for a taxi (though there are usually some outside the terminal), here are some numbers:

+33 6 07 72 04 04
+33 6 80 70 98 62
+33 6 08 01 57 09
+33 6 09 38 45 75