"Pop Up" IFR in France

[drauk]

I want to take some non-flying friends to France. I don't want to do it as an airways trip because part of the reason for going is en-route sight seeing.

If I go VFR but am unable to remain in VMC and need to use an instrument approach at the destination (Calais, Le Touquet, wherever), am I likely to be able to get an IFR clearance on request? And if so, to whom should the request be made - presumably directly with the destination airfield?

[mm_flynn]

I think you just do it with the approach controller. You could also airfile with xxx information. Also, given you need a flightplan to go over the FIR, why not file a mixed VFR/IFR flight plan and then activate it with xxx Information. I know I have done that one in the past and not had a problem.

[Mercenary Pilot]

I've always found the French ATC to be really helpful in these type of situations.

If you have a look at your French chart, you should see that it’s divided up into "information regions" there should be a little box with a frequency in it along with the name of the region (Paris, Seine, etc.). Just call them up and ask for an IFR clearance.

Job done.

Fly safe

[S-Works]

I have done this a couple of times in the last few months heading to Rouen and La Rochelle. Just called on the radio to ask to upgrade to IFR and they gave me a climnb to an IFR cruise instead of a VFR cruise and then handed me on as normal. Very easy.

[derekf]

I've done this going into Dinard and as Bose-x says it's all very straightforward.

[bookworm]

Just don't try doing it in Germany. The one occasion I tried it, I had to file the entire flight plan again over the air (right down to "aircraft colour" and "no of dinghies") despite having filed exactly the same info on a VFR plan.