Crossing the English Channel (La Manche)

[Widger]

First of all, forgive my intrusion on this forum. Following a number of Danger Area infringements over the last year or two, the pamphlet below has been published by the MOD. Please feel free to distribute or print it off as you see fit.

Thanks

http://www.airspacesafety.com/downloads/How_to_get_across_the_English_Channel.pdf

[A and C]

Thank you! I will post a copy of this in the flying club tomorrow.

[eyeinthesky]

The bit that is missing from the pamphlet which seems to catch some people out is:

"D038/55.0" means up to 55000ft, not 5500ft! More than one pilot recently has tried to argue with London Info that he can cross the DAs at 5600ft when they are active!:O

[youarealoooser]

Should we not be pointing our guns at France and shooting at the French coming to England for a day out? This seems all wrong to me.

[PlasticPilot]

Call me an evangelist if you want, but the safest way to cross the Channel (and any other airspace) without busting a zone, is.... IFR.

[microlight AV8R]

Plastic Pilot, with respect, I beg to differ. It is perfectly safe to pop across flying VFR. It is no different to navigating anywhere else.

I did my first cross channel to L2k last november and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. On the way back we crossed the coast around Folkestone and flew down the coast inland of the danger area. Having chosen to refuel at Lydd, we made contact with them before coasting in.
We were given a straight in approach and instructed to call when at 4 miles to run. On departure I will admit to being very wary of the nuclear installation straight ahead of me, but I needn't have worried. Lydd instructed me to make an immediate right turn out on departure before I had a chance to request it.

The question that immediately comes to my mind is, are people planning with sufficient care? I was almost paranoid about the danger zones around Lydd before the flight, but relaxed once I was there as it was perfectrly easy to identify the areas concerned. I haven't read the leaflet yet, but wonder how many incursions were foreign aircraft using less detailed charts?

Or, did you mean I Follow Roads ? It works for me :cool:

Edit; Before I'm blasted, have managed to check the leaflet and it's primarily concerned with the coast from The Solent westwards. I do still maintain that VFR nav is perfectly safe if done properly.

[PlasticPilot]

I'm not saying it's unsafe to cross VFR, and I'm sorry if you think that was my point.

My opinion is that it's simpler to cross IFR, as one of the side effects is to shift area avoidance from pilot to ATC.

As an example, look at a VFR route from Geneva to London. You will see many restricted areas over France, plus the Dijon, Reims, Paris and Lille terminal areas. Crossing them VFR requires many co-ordinations, and increases pilot's workload. It's by far not impossible, but it's complex.

Flying it IFR, the route is DJL - REM - ABB - DET, and all controllers along the route know you in advance and vector your around potential restricted areas.

Once again, I don't see anything wrong in VFR, I simply have to say that IFR makes the en-route navigation much easier.

[BEXIL160]

the route is DJL - REM - ABB - DET

really?

Can you confirm this is a Airways Route? And what STAR would you pick up for your "London" Destination from DET?

Just out of interest from someone who is sometimes responsible for Airways IFR tfc in that bit of airspace......

BEX

[PlasticPilot]

Ok, the FPL route was DJL A6 ARSIL B3 DVR

but we negociated DJL - REM - ABB, then got direct DET, and the clearance to Biggin Hill was: "Leave DET on radial 300, intercept ILS, cleared for approach".

Needless to say, this was in lower airpsace (FL100 if I remind correctly).


Hope this answers your question.