Aircraft intercepted near CNA last night 25/11/2011

[5milesbaby]

LSM - think you may be getting confused between quadrantle rule and semicircular there, FL275 is a strange level if the aircraft was civil.

Semicircular rule is odd FL's for eastbound, even one for westbound.

[Lord Spandex Masher]

5miles, not in France if you are VFR.

[Gulfstreamaviator]

IFR above 145 in france.......??????????????

[Navigator33]

Was wondering as well. Callsign was BBTxxx
Turns out it's Air Bashkortostan. A quick search turns out they're flying 757's for VIM Airlines.
I don't have the tables at hand but what is the nearest metric cruize level to FL275?
Last heard Madrid call for them on 121.5.

[Teddy Robinson]

FL275 IFR ..... that's a new one on me ! I have obviously been flying in the wrong part of Europe for the past decade or so ...

is it only this part of the world ... but posting sequence on pprune seems to be all over the place ... this was posted at 14.43 !!

[Max Angle]

I suspect the Mirage had forgotten to set 1013, airliner was probably at FL270 or FL280.


Posted at 18:00z.

[Mrs-rodge-bless-her]

We where flying back through the south of France last night, South of CNA.

Only to hear on 121.5, "aircraft on a heading of 240degrees, squawking 3711, FL275, identify yourself, you have been intercepted by 2 French Airforce, Mirage 2000"

This was repeated by both Mirage's as I could hear a different voice each time.

Went on for like 10-15 min.

Anyone else got any other info or hear it?

[jeff64]

FL275 seems to be a military used level. Maybe a training.

[CaptainSandL]

Maybe it was you ;)

Seriously though FL275 is an unusual FL to maintain, all sounds a bit non-standard.

[Lord Spandex Masher]

Not really. Have you heard of the semicircular rule?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Semi-circular rule would call for, for example, eastbound FL 210, 230, 250, 270; westbound FL 200, 220, 240, 260, etc. I've never heard of off 500 ft increments being used in controlled airspace.

[Lord Spandex Masher]

HD, in France VFR semicircular levels are +500.

[Hotel Tango]

Yes LSM but HD doesn't know that there is an ATC world outside the UK and that they may actually be bold enough to have different procedures to the infallible UK. :}

[Mrs-rodge-bless-her]

For some reason the posting sequence is all over the place....

Anyway can I just point out. I asked if anyone else heard it or if anyone knew what happened NOT does anyone want to start a discussion on the semicircular cruising levels.... Jeeeze. :-(

[Piltdown Man]

The pilots of the intercepted aircraft didn't reply because they only spoke French.