VFR Flight Plans and Eurocontrol...

[Finals19]

Quick question regarding a VFR flight plan if anyone could help out?

Planning a trip from Fairoaks to just outside Dijon, possible customs stop at Troyes. As I understand it, VFR flightplan for FIR crossing must be filed with LATCC by fax. Does the flight plan in fact get logged with Eurocontrol as well, and if en route (be it in France or in the UK) we request a service (FIS/RIS and French equivalents) does the controlling service know we are on a FP and have our details (or a way of retrieving them from the Eurocontrol system) ??

I've obviously only ever filed flightplans for IFR flights, mainly in CAS and occassionally in open FIR, but even in open FIR with on a flight plan, most agencies handed us off with a pre-note.

Many thanks.

[Spitoon]

It's a long time since I had dealings with FPLs so I may be out of date here but you can file a plan with any ATC unit. In my day a VFR plan only went to a very limited number of addresses and these did not include facilities along the route, only the destination. Although some people added addresses of units they planned to talk to there was a distinct possibility that the computer systems that process the messages would filter out those which did not meet the rules.

Apart from airways IFR flights, I don't think Eurocontrol has much interest or involvement.

As you mention, you'll often get handed off from one unit to the next but this does not require a FPL (although it may require the controller to be in a good mood!) and is just done by telephone as you progress along your route.

Essentially, for a VFR flight the only thing you really are guaranteed is that alerting action will be taken, i.e. people will start looking for you, if you do not arrive at you destination.

[criss]

Eurocontrol should not be concerned. The fpl will be propagated via AFTN and the interested units should be able to retrieve it.

[bookworm]

Planning a trip from Fairoaks to just outside Dijon, possible customs stop at Troyes. As I understand it, VFR flightplan for FIR crossing must be filed with LATCC by fax. Does the flight plan in fact get logged with Eurocontrol as well, and if en route (be it in France or in the UK) we request a service (FIS/RIS and French equivalents) does the controlling service know we are on a FP and have our details (or a way of retrieving them from the Eurocontrol system) ??

You can file with whoever will take it. Does Fairoaks not have AFTN? If not, Heathrow FBU will take care of it for you, tel/fax numbers in the AIP. Or you could find someone with a snazzy new AFPEx terminal. ;-) Whoever files it should take care of the addressing.

If it's pure VFR, Eurocontrol will reject it.

ROUTE: FLIGHT NOT APPLICABLE TO IFPS -- FICHEZ LE CAMP!

If it's Y or Z, the filer still needs to take care of the VFR bit but Eurocontrol's readdressing will help with that.

[kme]

Previous posters are correct - the Eurocontrol IFPS (1 or 2) is only concerned with IFR flights

VFR flights are handled by each country themselfes - in this case I would file it as you file a normal VFR plan in the UK (apparently with fax in this case) and they should then pass it on to the french.

Personally this is as well how I would file I,Z or Y plans - the difference would be that the IFR part is then sent on to the IFPS which then distributes the rest. Could be some national differences for this though.

Just remember to put the estimate for the FIR boundary under field 18 example with 30 min flying time to the boundary: ETE LF.. FIR 0030

With this done I would expect the FIS on the route to have details for the flight at least after looking for it - Just remember that it is not guaranteed or likely that any controllers for parts of controlled airspace you will pass knows about you. (Which anyway makes sense as long as you call them in time)
In my experience - nordic countries + Benelux and Germany - details for VFR flights are only passed to the FIS and the controllers of origin and destination.


Note that I dont have any particular experience with either UK or France, this is just my own more or less standardised way of dealing with it.

Have fun

[PPRuNe Radar]

Use Olivia if the flight originates or lands in France.

Nice and easy to use and you can do it online.

OLIVIA (English) (http://olivia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/index.php?lang=en&ref=sia)


NATS are also introducing an online system but you need to register and then be given access. It is taking a while for that access process to happen (in my experience at least).

[Dannyboyblue]

Fairoaks can file it for you,

Send the flight plan with the customs form to 01276 856898. Everything will be done for you. You do not need to worry about finding out the adressees as Fairoaks take care off it:ok:

Regards

DBB

[BeT]

Its all a little academic as VFR plans in the Eurocontrol 'airspace' are not permitted - ppr only and I cant remember the last time I saw one!

[Lon More]

VFR plans in the Eurocontrol 'airspace' are not permitted

tell that to the military :O

[kme]

The question was not for flying through maastrichts airspace but more about filing flightplans. Which is done through the eurocontrol IFPS systems when flying IFR in any of the membership states.

Happy landings