Flying to France

[snapper41]

Sorry for my ignorance here, but I wonder if anyone can help? I've been flying for around 3 years, and own a share in an Icarus C42 microlight. I'd like to take it over to France for a weekend, but have no idea about paperwork, customs, procedures ets etc; where do I start?

[BackPacker]

In no particular order, you need to think about:

- Paperwork for yourself and the airplane, like POH, W&B, CofA, Radio Certificate, Passport, PPL. If your microlight flies on a permit instead of a CofA (don't know how this works) you need a one-time permit from the French.
- Route planning: How far do you want to fly over water, Navaids to use, frequencies.
- To enter/leave mainland Europe (the Schengen area) you need to fly via a customs airport. Verify that customs is available (might not be H24). Consult a flight guide for France.
- Read the "general" area of the French AIP, or the introduction in a flight guide. Some rules are different. In particular, check the equivalent of "rule 5".
- To enter/leave the UK you may want to fly via a customs airport, but you can also use another airport provided that customs/police/special branch are informed through the General Aviation Declaration. Easiest is to fill this in and fax it to the airfield concerned. They'll know what authorities need to be informed.
- ICAO Flightplan will be required and you need to close it yourselves unless you fly to a controlled airport (with a tower).
- Safety aids required and/or a good idea: Life vests? ELT?
- Might want to find out how to get excise duty back on fuel uplifted for the flight. Contact HM Customs & Excise.
- French pilots flying in France, in French designed and built aircraft (eg. Robins) do not see the need to communicate in English, strangely enough. Make a crib sheet of the most important circuit calls in French. Also some airfields have nobody on the ground, so you might need to talk to "traffic".
- Circuit joins may be different.

[snapper41]

Thanks for the advice - I think you just put me off! Oh well, plenty of airfields to visit at home...

[DaveW]

Try this link (http://www.atsx91.dsl.pipex.com/Going_Foreign.htm), particularly the aide memoire.

This article I wrote gives an overview: "Send Four Faxes, Wait an Hour and Fly to France (http://www.atsx91.dsl.pipex.com/Documents/Why_Not_Fly_to_France.doc)"

The short version: It's far easier than it may appear - don't be put off!

[snapper41]

DaveW - perfect; I've changed my mind back again! Thanks for that.

Snapper

[FrancoisH]

- French pilots flying in France, in French designed and built aircraft (eg. Robins) do not see the need to communicate in English, strangely enough. Make a crib sheet of the most important circuit calls in French. Also some airfields have nobody on the ground, so you might need to talk to "traffic".

Maybe because France is one of the few countries in the world where you can "officially" use your own language on frequency, as long french is an ICAO language. English is only required for emergency procedures and Civilian French Rules say that a controller can't speak in english to a pilot if the first contact was made in french...

I'm french myself, trying to obtain my PPL (but this is more presently the lack of money wich make some delays) and fly a lot virtually on IVAO network. I'm a bit aware of what's going on in France.

To answer the first question, I should say you can find any of our charts, in english, either through Eurocontrol (but no VAC chart) or on our french civilian administration directly : http://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/default_uk.htm

Note you can in AIP section get all VAC, IAC, ARR/DEP and information plates of any french airport.

There's some usefull information here as well (but in french only) from french army (but documents are in two languages) : http://www.dircam.air.defense.gouv.fr/dia/

Hope this will help you.

[CapCon]

Have a look at this website, helped me a lot when I flew over the water for the first time.

http://flyinfrance.free.fr/

Cheers,

CapCon

[gcolyer]

It's simple


1) Fax your local special branch with crew and pax details, aircraft details, departure aerodrome, destination aerodrome and times.

2) Submit ICAO flight plan

3) Get PPR if the airfield requires it

4) Get in plane and go to France

It can all be done within an hour (except flying time).

[Whirlybird]

You don't need to contact Special Branch to fly to France. You only contact them if you're going to Ireland, the Channel Islands, and I think the Isle of Man (not sure about that one).

If you want to keep it really simple for your first trip, and you're only going for a weekend, go to Le Touquet. They are used to British visitors; they get loads and loads of them. They speak English well, on the radio and on the ground, and will help you out, even find you a place to stay if necessary. And it's a nice town.

If you want to go further, stick to large airports, and you won't have to bother with aviation French. Deauville is easy, and you can go to Honfleur; it's a rather touristy fishing village, but lovely. Or fly along the Normandy beaches and then go to Dinard, also a nice place.

Save the small airfields and French cribsheets etc for your next trip. I'm a great believer in taking things slowly; after all, this is supposed to be fun. :ok:

Don't be afraid to ask anyone and everyone for help. I can't remember how many people at how many airfields have helped me fill out a flight plan form correctly. I do it once a year, and I never remember how to by the following year.

Flying to France is not that difficult, but it's not that easy either. Don't try to do too much, and you'll have a great time.

[S-Works]

Snapper, its the easiest thing on earth and don't be put off by those doing the typical English thing and making a mountain out of a mole hill.

If I were you flying from Norfolk. I would fly to Lydd, easy in one hop in a C42. Refuel with tax free fuel, file a flight plan and then head for Le Touquet. You can do all of the customs stuff you need in Lydd in 5 minutes and the trip across the channel is a breeze.

It's a mecca for Brits especially those doing the channel for the first time. You get excellent service and a 10 minute cycle from the rented bikes gets you into town for a range of great restaurants. I love seafood and the choice is wide.

I have been to Le Touquet twice in the last week, once on diversion and once on 30 minutes notice for a nice lunch.

[IO540]

Agreed, but I wouldn't do le Touquet on a nice Sunday, unless arriving before 10am. The place fills up with Brits, some of them unable to fly never mind make radio calls, and it can get a bit scary for someone new. Weekdays are completely different and highly recommended.

Special Branch is for CI, Ireland (N&S) and the IOM, only. 12hrs advance notification, preferably by fax.

There is no need to speak any French if going to/from an international airport, which one has to do anyway unless flying within France.

[LateFinals]

(Warning - Thread Drift !)

Not strictly true, Special Branch now need 24 hours for olying to the Channel Islands as I have found out to my cost. No experience of I Of M

Agree with I05450, LFAT at weekends can be a bit offputting for the uninitiated, and initiated with heavy traffic.

LF

[DaveW]

LateFinals, do you have a reference for the 24 hours thing?

Not doubting what you've been told at all - different Forces have been known to interpret the requirement differently - it's just that the GAR Form (http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/downloadFile?contentID=HMCE_PROD_009149) still clearly refers to 12 hours and the web submission form (http://www.wiltshire.police.uk/portsunit/garform.asp) for my local force does likewise.

The quote from the GAR Form is:
AT A GAA AIRFIELD YOU CAN FLY TO AND FROM ANYWHERE, BUT THERE ARE DIFFERING PERIODS OF PRIOR NOTIFICATION REQUIRED DEPENDING ON YOUR
DESTINATION/DEPARTURE POINT.
OUTWARDS – TO ANOTHER EU COUNTRY THERE IS NO OBLIGATION TO ADVISE
CUSTOMS OF YOUR DEPARTURE.
OUTWARDS – TO A NON EU COUNTRY (INC CHANNEL ISLANDS*) YOU MUST NOTIFY
CUSTOMS AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.
INWARDS – FROM ANOTHER EU COUNTRY – 4 HOURS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL
INWARDS – FROM A NON EU COUNTRY – 24 HOURS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL
*CHANNEL ISLANDS – NOTIFICATION PERIOD IS 12 HOURS.

[LH2]

Snapper, its the easiest thing on earth and don't be put off by those doing the typical English thing and making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Yep! :ok:

Most of my flights seem to involve crossing between the Marseille and the Barcelona FIRs. As they're both Schengen I do not need to fly to/from an international airport so I have more choice, but other than that it's just a normal flight.

French on the radio is only required when flying to small, uncontrolled aerodromes (A/A, RDO). The VACs in the French AIP indicate when this is the case. Elsewhere, French ATC speak excellent English, if a bit accented sometimes.

Note to self: need to go easier on the acronyms

[LateFinals]

Dave W

Don't have a reference, but local procedures in Elstree mean Special Branch (Herts) can be very sticky unless 24 hours notice given.

I tried faxing centrally late one night a few weeks ago at the absolute minimum 12 hours notice, Elstree wouldn't authorize me to depart as they hadn't received SB approval. Local rules can be very quirky !!

LF

[Whirlybird]

its the easiest thing on earth

I beg to disagree. I understand what you're saying, and certainly once you've been to France once, it's pretty easy to do it again. But like everything else in aviation, the first time can seem a bit complicated. It isn't difficult, but there's quite a lot of new stuff to do and take in, when you're doing it for the first time.

I only mention this because no-one should feel that there's something odd about them if they find a first flying trip to France a bit daunting. It can be. I suspect some of the experienced globetrotting pilots in our midst have forgotten.

Actually, the most daunting thing is not the paperwork - it's coasting out on a hazy day when the sky meets the sea and you feel like you're heading off into complete nothingness. Follow a couple of ships to help with the visual references; it makes a lot of difference. :ok:

[BackPacker]

It doesn't even have to be a hazy day. My first crossing was KOK-DVR at FL45 in CAVOK conditions. Even with 10k viz, the horizon at FL45 is more than 10k away. So the blue-grey from the sea melts into the grey-blue from the sky. It takes a very conscious effort to look sideways, underneath or even behind you for a coastline, shipping and other things and using that as a reference instead of the horizon.

Without an IMC or IR rating, I don't know what the best tactic is in such a situation. Flying lower will give you a more clearly defined horizon but increases the time you're out of gliding distance for land. Relying solely on the artificial horizon without the benefit of IMC/IR training carries a few risks as well. Me, I was very happy that I took a plane with an autopilot and I knew how that worked.

Don't worry too much about this though. Obviously the route you're going to pick, and the altitude, is going to take this into account. If the weather is not optimal, choose the shortest crossing available.

[IO540]

Elstree wouldn't authorize me to depart as they hadn't received SB approval

Is this a police state we live in? :ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh::ugh:

Firstly, Elstree have no business getting "approval" from anybody.

Secondly, the cops have no business issuing an "approval" because there is no law which supports this. The word is NOTIFICATION.

I know that the coppers like to phone you in the middle of the night with a "permission number" but that is a job creation scheme which has no support in the legislation.

A 12hr notification is what is required, and then you can go.

They can arrest you of course; a copper can arrest anybody without an explanation, but short of that they can't stop you flying if you have given the 12hr notification and can prove you did it (e.g. with a fax receipt).

[DaveW]

What IO540 said.

I'm disappointed that Elstree apparently colluded with this misapplication of the clearly stated requirement.

[Tim Dawson]

On the subject of flying to France, what is the current state of play with regards to ELTs? I remember there was a fuss about new CAA legislation but then they issued some kind of exemption, but I remember being somewhat confused at the time as to how exactly it pertained to light aircraft.

Obviously one takes life jackets, that's a legal requirement and common sense. But is the ELT necessary?

[snapper41]

Sage advice from all - thanks Bose-X et al.
So, it seems the sensible plan is to go on a weekday, Norfolk - Lydd (refuel and loo stop!), Lydd - Gris Nez (short crossing - I have no artificial horizon), Gris Nez - Le Touquet, lunch, paperwork, home via reverse route.
Fingers crossed...!

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

But is the ELT necessary?

The exemption allows for a PLB (i.e. hand-held jobby) to be carried in lieu of an approved ELT when flying more than 10 minutes from land.

[bookworm]

But is the ELT necessary?
No. The exemption (http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=33&pagetype=65&appid=11&mode=detail&id=2771) lifts any requirement to carry any sort of ELT

[snapper41]

Thanks to the good advice received on here, I've just ordered 2 lifejackets, and hope to impress Mrs Snapper with a casual 'fancy lunch in France, dear?' in the near future!

[hobbit1983]

Thanks for the advice/links everybody - I'm off to Le Touquet this Friday, weather permitting, and had planned to trawl through the Internet...only to find this thread! Perfect timing :ok:

[Fuji Abound]

I'm off to Le Touquet this Friday, weather permitting,

Ah, did anyone mention as a L2K special you are meant to email them in accordance with the NOTAM before your arrival (unless it has changed very recently).

Thats the flying bit, but if you have not been before you might find the following useful:

1. You can rent a bike at the airport. It is good fun and a really easy cycle into town. I'd recommend it,

2. You can now walk to the Supermarche. The trick is out the main gate and cross the old runway (through the hole in the fence) then second turn on the left the other side. Takes about 10 minutes. Take a trolley with you from the airport and bring back your wine!

3. Best resteraunt in the town is the fish resteraunt half way down the high street, turning on the left with the fresh fish stand out the front. Cant remember what it is called but head and shoulders above the others.

When you done that head for Lille next time.

It looks like a big scary airport but the folks there are great. the landing fee is less than L2K, it is only another 30 minutes or so, bus every 15 minutes inot and back from the City and loads of good resteraunts, food shops and a few things to see. I'd recommend you give it a try. Only hassle is allow a bit more time for security than at L2K.

[Tim Dawson]

Thanks bookworm. So it looks like it isn't even necessary (legally) to carry a PLB either.

[coodem]

Snapper41, no artificial horizon. Make sure you have at least a turn co ordinator, and are happy in IMC'ish conditions, even on a good day.

I have done that trip around 8 times now, and only once was it proper VFR all the way accross the pond

[BackPacker]

If you coast out, can't see a horizon straight in front of you and do not feel comfortable getting your reference from other things that you can see outside your (side) windows (or an artificial horizon if you have one), TURN BACK before the horizon behind you disappears as well.

If you want to try crossing at a lower level than intended, turn back first, descend over land, then try again. At a lower level, the horizon will be closer and it might be easier to see the sea/air separation. But if it's foggy, going lower will not help.

If you do not have an artificial horizon and are not comfortable with taking your reference from the sight out of the windows, don't turn it into an unprepared and unsupervised IMC partial panel lesson by flying with sole reference to the turn coordinator. L2K has been there for many years and will surely be there another day.

hobbit, snapper, don't let this put you off though. If you, like anything in flying, are aware of this perfect-VMC-is-almost-IMC phenomenon, know your aircraft and your own limitations, and do not suffer from get-there-itis or a lack of decision-making skills, you should be fine.

[Whirlybird]

Backpacker is spot-on with this. I would say, if you're inexperienced and/or short of instruments such as an AI, make sure you do the shortest crossing unless conditions are perfect. That is, go from Lydd up the coast to Dover before you coast out, and head for Cap Gris Nez. That way you will have the greatest number of ships in sight (they really, really help) and the shortest crossing without sight of land. But do turn back if you find you're getting disorientated, and sooner rather than later. There's a nice hotel near Manston for lunch if you have to!

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

The actual exemption quoted by Bookworm differs from the press release (http://www.caa.co.uk/application.aspx?catid=14&pagetype=65&appid=7&newstype=n&mode=detail&nid=1457) issued by the CAA three days earlier, which stated:
... a general exemption will be issued permitting a Personal Locator Beacon to be carried, in lieu of an Emergency Locator Transmitter, whilst a further review is undertaken.


I suppose the requirement for a PLB is implied, rather than stated.

[bookworm]

I suppose the requirement for a PLB is implied, rather than stated.

I have to say I can't see any such implication, just a glaring inconsistency between the press release and the legal document.

Didn't stop me from buying a PLB thought!

[SteveR]

Don't have a reference, but local procedures in Elstree mean Special Branch (Herts) can be very sticky unless 24 hours notice given.
I tried faxing centrally late one night a few weeks ago at the absolute minimum 12 hours notice, Elstree wouldn't authorize me to depart as they hadn't received SB approval. Local rules can be very quirky !!
Strewth!!
I think I'd file the flight plan over the net, with the departure marked as going from somewhere like Rochester, Headcorn, or Lydd. Then just tell Elstree you're off on a flight to Rochester, Headcorn, or Lydd. Land, top off the tanks (to maximise the drawback), put the life jackets on, and away you go.

[Irv]

Question ('cos I haven't been there this year): Do Le T now insist on mode C transponders? (They got Class D last year, and initially said in an email to me that they would not want Mode C transponders until they got radar, expected later last year, then after that they would insist on them).

Question: Don't you now need liferaft as well as lifejackets now? (the locator exemption was to not need locators at all, but I thought the liferaft and lifejackets exemption was that you still needed them both, but they did not need to be approved)

Question: Why doesn't everyone from Elstree heading for the Channel isles simply go via Cherbourg. 4 flight plans (60 minutes notice), 1 Customs return notification for later faxed as you set off, no SB notificiation. It costs a very cheap landing fee at Cherbourg but turn around time is very fast - or you can take lunch at Luc's.

[XL319]

I'm off to Alderney on Friday.....Elstree to Southampton then across the channel to Alderney maybe land at Cherbourg. Will i need to contact Plymouth Mil as it states on the map? or Southampton Radar then France? Any need for SB in S'hampton?

[Irv]

Southampton PPR, remember, as notam'd.
Plymouth Mil LARS not around this week, as notam'd.
a) do you need to include Southampton? If you do, that would mean you comply with all the special branch stuff, but it's an expensive landing fee and PPR. If you then departed direct line Alderney it would be fairly normal to either stay with Southampton, or use Bournemouth LARs, or London FIS til about 10 minutes from 50N, and you'd have to remain below FL035 under that R41 airway.Ten minutes from 50N, you call Jersey Zone. Don't stray down Bournemouth sea front, there's a RA(T) for Red Arrows on Friday.
b) if you don't include Southampton you could either give SB notice to depart Elstree, or go to any customs field enroute OR use Cherbourg enroute. If you go to cherbourg, or use the shorter IOW-MP VFR crossing you can check the status of danger areas mid channel via the NATS operational website or London Info will tell you - I think they are usually active 'office hours'. If you go via France whether you land at Cherbourg or not, you have to be slightly careful that you thread between the ZITs on the Cherbourg peninsula west coast, as an SVFR entry for Jersey Zone from France is likely to be not above 1500'

[LateFinals]

I've done EGTR - EGJA many times. Very straightforward, only stickypoint is getting zone transit through Southampton zone. Give them a call just past Compton. In my experience if you have good RT they let you transit 90% of the time.

Be prepared to be asked to go to VRP's which are worth programming into your GPS to save hasstle. If they sound very busy you might save time and route east around the Isle of Wight

Asyou coast out you will be handed over to Bournemouth, Jersey Zone, Guernsey Approach and finally Alderney Tower respectively.

Sometimes, even with great weather it can be really, really hazy (64 miles of water to cover) so be comfortable with instrument flying.

ALderney is a fantastic little island to visit, don't tell too many people ! Enjoy !

LF

[Fuji Abound]

and you'd have to remain below FL035 under that R41 airway.

Everyone says so, but you will nearly always find Jersey zone ask you to route towards Cap del la Hargue rather than via ORTAC if VFR so if you draw a line between St Catherine's Point (use to be CP) and the Cap you can route between the airway and D036 up to FL195. Of course you might also find D036 is cold.

Close to the CAP they will turn you west direct to Alderney.

If you have not done it before also expect to be taken through the zone at low level - not above 1,5000 or even 1,000 feet. It may seem a bit disconcerting being that low over the sea if you have not done it before. Why they do it I have never been entirely sure, and if you ask for higher you almost always get it.

All much simpler IFR but unfortunately you need an IR to use the airway and the zone (other than outside published hours).

[LateFinals]

Fuji Abound,

I have never been asked by Jersey to route to Cap de la Harge, I always specify SAM - ORTAC- EGJA in my flight plan which might be why, it saves a bit of time.

When I was in Alderney last week, I hear a french pilot stupidly encroached the danger area of the nuclear power station at the Cap recently and got himself a 10,000 Euro fine, avery expensive mistake as it is so well NOTAMed.

(BTW High pressure can easily push you into the R41 airway inadvertently if you're not paying attention, not that we've had a lot of that recently !)

LF

[IO540]

Does anyone have a reference to the Euro 10,000 (or aircraft confiscation) fines being actually imposed, and the circumstances?

In a totally perverse way, having such fines here would be a good thing because so many people (a few hundred a year) would bust the permanent RAs it would force an immediate overhaul of the decrepit WW1 navigation syllabus in the PPL.

Of course, we all know that the French don't teach the PPL all that differently. They have VMC on top privileges so presumably they do teach proper VOR navigation, but the answer must be either that there is hardly any GA activity on France (other than very local flights) or these ridiculous fines are never actually imposed. I honestly don't know which applies.

I do know the DGAC pursues people vigorously; I had a narrow escape a few years ago. Whether the fines are levied is what I don't know.

[Fuji Abound]

I have never been asked by Jersey to route to Cap de la Harge, I always specify SAM - ORTAC- EGJA in my flight plan which might be why, it saves a bit of time.

The problem with ORTAC is it can only put you beneath the airway. If Jersey zone know you are to the east of the airway the obvious routing is towards the Cap. If you are remotely VMC you cant miss the Cap, and moreover you will be receiving a radar service from Jersey zone so there is very little chance of infringing the danager area.

Of course if you prefer to route beneath the airway that is fine, I usually prefer to get as high as I can or go IFR.

I do know the DGAC pursues people vigorously; I had a narrow escape a few years ago. Whether the fines are levied is what I don't know.

I too have never know anyone to be actually fined. Is it just hearsay? A friend of mine in his Bambi got a letter via the CAA. The nice people at the CAA suggested he apologise and that seemed to be the end of the matter.

[bookworm]

(BTW High pressure can easily push you into the R41 airway inadvertently if you're not paying attention, not that we've had a lot of that recently !)

High pressure?

[hobbit1983]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Fuij - just spoke to the nice lady who assures me that no form of PPR, provided a flight plan is filed, is required. Can't find any NOTAM regarding that either - do you still have the details or the NOTAM?

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

The PPR NOTAM no longer applies because the French AIP data has been updated.

The LFAT chart states 2 hr PPR required for Customs and gives an email address.

Available from the offical source here (http://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/aip/enligne/fr/VACProduitPartieframeset.htm).

[Fuji Abound]

Correct - now in the AIP

For ease of reference:

9 - Douanes, police / Customs, police : HOR ATS. PPR 2 HR avant / before ETA par / by :
- Email : [email protected] ou / or [email protected]
- FAX : 03 21 05 59 34
La demande de douanes doit comporter les renseignements suivants :
- Immatriculation de l’ACFT,
- Nom du CDB,
- Nom des PAX avec numéros de passeport ou carte d’identité.
The customs request must include the following informations :
- ACFT registration,
- Captain’s name,
- PAX names with passport number or identity card number.

Someone said before the characters in the email address were to stopping spaming. Obviously the French know we are all email literate.

(Edited to say the email addresses will not copy and paste readily either so it must work - but they are there in the AIP if you need them).

(Cynically edited to add - it is porbably a 100,000 E fine for failure to send the email)

[Tim Dawson]

Since the base of the airway is a flight level, it would be low pressure that could lower the entire airway down onto you, if you were flying on QNH at, say, a couple hundred feet below where you thought the base was.

[LateFinals]

Tim,

You'e quite right, my mistake.

LF

[IO540]

One should have a second altimeter, which can be set to 1013, and then one doesn't have to worry about doing these calculations and getting them wrong.

Also, a modern Mode C transponder will display the flight level continuously. Not an "approved" source perhaps, but the value it displays is what ATC see on their SSR.

[BackPacker]

Since the base of the airway is a flight level, it would be low pressure that could lower the entire airway down onto you, if you were flying on QNH at, say, a couple hundred feet below where you thought the base was.

I am intrigued by this. The base of the airway is a (low) flight level, so in low pressure conditions this level may be *below* the transition altitude. But in that case, that flight level simply does not exist. At least, nobody should be flying at that flight level precisely because it is below the transition altitude.

I can't find anything in my Air Law book that relates to this, but logic tells me that, in these situations, the base of the airway should be the transition level, instead of FL35, if FL35 is below the transition altitude. After all, FL35 does not exist under these circumstances. And nobody would be flying at FL35 anyway.

Anybody with a better Air Law book than mine can confirm or deny this?

[snapper41]

Backpacker;
Sorry, I can't confirm, but I can confirm a case of thread creep! :E

[dublinpilot]

BP,

I would think that FL35 does exist. It is simply a level in the sky. The fact that people fly with reference to altitudes below the transition altitude (or level depending on climb vs desent) doesn't mean the FL35 doesn't exist.

However I do agree. It would be better to define such a lowel level airway by reference to an altitude, or do as is done for many other airways, and define a minimum altitude for the airway, irrespective of the pressure setting. eg. Base FL35 (Minimum altitude 3000ftAMSL). If it did nothing else, it make wake a pilot up and remind them that the airway could be as low as 3000ft amsl.




dp

[BackPacker]

Thread creep confirmed. New thread started here: http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?p=3481120#post3481120

[Fly Stimulator]

Returning to matters of real importance:

3. Best resteraunt in the town is the fish resteraunt half way down the high street, turning on the left with the fresh fish stand out the front. Cant remember what it is called but head and shoulders above the others.

That will be Pérard - www.restaurantperard.com (http://www.restaurantperard.com)

If it's a nice day try to get a table in the courtyard at the back.

[Kolibear]

Don't forget to claim Fuel Drawback - get HM Customs & Excise to pay for some of the fuel.

Its really very easy, you fill in the HO60 form, send it off and six weeks later - a nice little cheque arrives courtesy of HM Treasury.

I'm waiting for about £130, which is two L2K trips.

PM me for details, worked examples, instructions etc.

[hobbit1983]

Thanks for the information everyone - flew across yesterday, went very well indeed - and passengers very much enjoyed and impressed :ok:

Although my vacuum pump decided to quit mid-channel however! Fortunately vis was such that there was a clearly defined horizon courtesy of the English coast, so a flight back without it was no problem.

Kolibear - PM sent, many thanks. Tall Guy & Fuij, thanks for your responses, email sent in time :).