Trip to LFQV (France)

[OfficialGreenT]

Hello people of PPRuNe,

Next week I have a long weekend in the Belgian Ardennes planned with two friends. We'll be flyinga P28A VFR (weather permitting) into the Charleville-Mézières airport (LFQV), just across the border in France.

I've never flown to small VFR airports in France before, and I was wondering if there are any (French) pilots on here that could share some tips and pointers. I've familiarized myself with French RT (airport chart says "FR only") and can get by in French in general. Other than that, it's all a big adventure that I'm very much looking forward to!

Cheers!

[Jan Olieslagers]

I vaguely remember that the local aeroclub has a reputation for being helpful to visitors, they seem to get quite a deal of G/A transit traffic. I would certainly recommend getting in touch with them before flying.
Needless to say, perhaps, but do think of carrying vacciniation certificates.
As for the radio: yes, in French only, but it is mentioned as A/A (air to air) meaning there is no promise you will get any reply to your calls.

PS why don't you go for EBSH Saint Hubert? Don't like grass runways, perhaps?

[OfficialGreenT]

Thanks for the info, Jan! I forgot to mention in my OP that I did indeed write to them for information. Also, we'll have the vaccine QR ready.

Regarding EBSH: a combination of friends wanting to fly over the Ardennes on our way there, and the availability of car rental nearby. Also, definitely not afraid of grass strips, but with the possibility of marginal VMC, and a different environment, I do feel more comfortable with a big slab of asphalt to spot from the air. :)

[BDM]

...
Regarding EBSH: ... Also, definitely not afraid of grass strips, but with the possibility of marginal VMC, and a different environment, I do feel more comfortable with a big slab of asphalt to spot from the air. :)

😀 No worries, NATO and the Belgian Air Force have conveniently placed a rather sizeable slab of asphalt right next to EBSH, to help guide one to the beautiful hilltop grass strip that is Saint Hubert. Stunning area, good memories! Have a great trip OG!

[Roadrunner99]

Not strictly aviation related but If travelling to France, I can recommend downloading and using the Tous AntiCovid app. You can scan your NHS certificate into it, and then you can show the certificate at bars, restaurants, border control etc… in France. If you use the app at border control they may ask you if you are resident, which is what happened to both myself and my daughter. If you are not just say no. If you say yes they will then start asking about permit de sejour etc…

also there are some places in France where one must use a medical disposable mask as opposed to a fabric one.

[OfficialGreenT]

Thanks for the tip!

[FlygendeNormann]

Hello people of PPRuNe,

Next week I have a long weekend in the Belgian Ardennes planned with two friends. We'll be flyinga P28A VFR (weather permitting) into the Charleville-Mézières airport (LFQV), just across the border in France.

I've never flown to small VFR airports in France before, and I was wondering if there are any (French) pilots on here that could share some tips and pointers. I've familiarized myself with French RT (airport chart says "FR only") and can get by in French in general. Other than that, it's all a big adventure that I'm very much looking forward to!
!
LFQV is FR Only. In France, at unmanned airfields, an overhead joins is required, and you shall always join the circuit at the beginning of the downwind leg. The pattern starts 500' overhead to observe the windsock and signals prior to joining downwind at published altitude, generally 1000' AAL.

Some airfields have prescribed tracks for the circuit, but that is not the case of LFQV where the only restriction is that the pattern should be flown to the north of the AD. Generally avoid built-up areas.

Blue skies

[Sam Rutherford]

On the radio, just make best effort, you'll be fine. If in any doubt, use English.

Better than silence.

[Fl1ingfrog]

LFQV is FR Only. In France, at unmanned airfields, an overhead joins is required, and you shall always join the circuit at the beginning of the downwind leg. The pattern starts 500' overhead to observe the windsock and signals prior to joining downwind at published altitude, generally 1000' AAL.

Some clarity: 'FR Only' does not require that you are able to converse in french, only that all standard calls should be made using french. The pass overhead should be made at 1000 ft above the circuit height to observe the ground signals and windsock, and certainly not a 500 ft agl. The overhead join starting at a minimum of 500 ft above the published circuit is OK and then letting down to join at the downwind point at circuit height. The pattern whether controlled or not is the ICAO standard. Of course all this may be changed to suit local conditions as FlygendeNormann correctly points out but this will also be published.

Sam Rutherford offers good advice. The FR Only is a typically ingenious french way of dealing with the ICAO rule that all radio calls should be made in English. No one really cares that much, although the occasional Napoleonic individual believes it to be absolute and will become over exited and demand that you cannot land - ignore them. Its unlikely that french pilots will not understand standard phraseology as Sam suggests.

[OvertHawk]

I split the difference in cases like this.

I make the standard call in my best schoolboy French (having learned the basic aeronautical French terms) and then repeat in English.

My experience has always been that people appreciate you making "best effort".

Make sure that you've got all your passenger, customs , covid and aircraft documents 110% ready in advance - Prepare all the documents in a well organised and presented folder with spare copies just in case (The spare copies can help - sometimes they want to go away and copy them which can delay you - easier if you can say "just keep those ones" - saves them a job and saves you time).

Having this right at the get go makes life much easier with Les Douane and Les Gendarmes! - Don't be overly intimidated if you're greeted by a squad of armed storm-troopers - that's just the way they dress over there sometimes, I've always found them ok if you're polite.

Enjoy your trip!
OH