French Restricted Use Airfields

[Manker]

Does anyone know if it is possible to get permission to land at a French airfield designated for home based aircraft only? I am looking to fly an SEP taildragger to Sisteron (LFNS) in a couple of weeks time, but the AIP has it listed as restricted use. I guess I will have to go to Gap Tallard if it is not possible.

[ChampChump]

Contact them and ask?

[Jan Olieslagers]

The merest bit of web searching brought me to
//http://www.aerodrome-sisteron.com/home
which even has some English.

As I read the site, it really is a "mainly gliders" field and it will be their busy season so you might be tolerated at best.
Still, Tallard will be quite busy too, if the weather is flyable.

As the opening question was on rather general tone, a good place to begin investigating French aerodromes is http://navigeo.org

[Sam Rutherford]

ChampChump has the best, and frankly, pretty obvious advice.

Don't ask here, ask them!

[Manker]

Unfortunately my French is not good enough to ask the question. Also, the first answer you get may not be the correct one depending on who you speak to. In the old days it was a regional authority not the airfield who were able to give the permission to land. I have a French speaker on the case (not a pilot) but in the mean time I thought it a good idea to ask on this forum if anyone had experience or knowledge of gaining this permission. As usual the keyboard warriors come up with their inane comments.

[Pudnucker]

in a recent French trip I asked the president of the aero club of the previous airfield visited to call ahead (everyone v friendly). In each case he could never get through but left a message.. the local members briefed me and said they go all the time and to just blame them... never needed to.. have landed, been respectful and had nothing but a warm welcome.. recent landing in Avaranches said they wanted more visitors despite the plate saying local aircraft only..

Forgiveness is always easier to obtain than permission.. especially if courteous and careful not to overfly locals etc

[Sam Rutherford]

Not being able to speak French is not an excuse to try. At least give it a go in English, you may be presently surprised...

Your other stated reason not to ask the airfield themselves is that the first answer you get may not be correct. What were you planning to do with the first answer you received here?!

I'm just responding to the 'inane' part of your post - got no axe to grind personally. Just find it odd not to ask (any question) of the most obvious people most likely to know the answer...

I had to fly a non-transponder equipped microlight into Clermont Ferrand airport (with CTR) earlier this week. I sent them an email asking if it was okay, got a reply within the hour confirming fine and asking a little more information to pre-brief the tower...

[Manker]

Many thanks Pudnucker - just the kind of information I was looking for from someone with experience of the restriction.

[Jan Olieslagers]

I don't see the relevance of experience at another field; no two are the same.

BTW if you don't have sufficient French to ask a question on the phone or in writing, how are you going to do your R/T at Tallard or Sistéron? If you're lucky the tower operator at Tallard might have some English but the majority of pilots won't. Sistéron even gently but clearly stipulates "La procédure radio s’effectue uniquement en français à l’exclusion de toute autre langue." Don't ask me to translate

And, hoping the remark is not inane, the site I pointed out has a link to the official request document you were looking for.

[patowalker]

Here is a link to the form mentioned by Jan. http://www.acalbertville.com/wp-cont...restreint1.pdf

Have you read the permanent NOTAM? You could land to visit the propeller manufacturer on site. :-)

[Jan Olieslagers]

You could land to visit the propeller manufacturer on site.

Hehe, that's one I missed. Thanks, @PW! Something similar is sometimes applied by microlight pilots wishing to visit EBKT Kortrijk.

[Manker]

Thanks Jan/Patowalker. Sorry, you caught me on a bad day! I will get the form in on Monday and l will you know what happens. By the way, there is a big difference between being able to make radio calls in a foreign language and the ability to converse effectively - try having a conversation with one of the many Chinese pilots who fly in to Heathrow!

[Sthan]

I fly in a restricted airfield in France, and usually the restriction does not apply to the nearest airfield pilots, so if you can't contact the club try on of the club close to the field who usually are in contact with the club.

[Tankengine]

Originally Posted by Manker

Thanks Jan/Patowalker. Sorry, you caught me on a bad day! I will get the form in on Monday and l will you know what happens. By the way, there is a big difference between being able to make radio calls in a foreign language and the ability to converse effectively - try having a conversation with one of the many Chinese pilots who fly in to Heathrow!

I flew at Sisteron last year, the ladies at the gliding centre office speak English well. (I speak zero French)

[Manker]

Originally Posted by Tankengine

I flew at Sisteron last year, the ladies at the gliding centre office speak English well. (I speak zero French)

Thanks Tankengine. Were you able to use English for RT or were you non radio?

[patowalker]

Marker,

"French only" is not specified on the Sisteron VAC. Here is an exchange of emails about using English at A/A airfields:

On 13 Sep 2016, at 09:13, Sylvie MANU <[email protected]> wrote:

>

Good morning,

English can be used in Air to Air or auto-information messages if no contrary message.

Best regards

Sylvie.MANU

Mission QFP/SIA

Tél : [phone]



Le 12/09/2016 17:58, patowalker a écrit :

There is a difference between the French and English versions of GEN 75.3. While the English version makes it clear that it is ATS messages that can be transmitted in French or in English, the French version omits the word “services”.

This can cause confusion, because the French version seems to refer to all radio messages, including Air to Air or ‘auto-information’, while the English version seems to refer only to radio messages between aircraft and ATS.



3. LANGUES À UTILISER

Les messages de la circulation aérienne peuvent être

transmis en Français ou en Anglais sauf lorsque la mention

“Fr uniquement” est indiquée sur les cartes de l'aérodrome;

dans ce cas seul le Français doit être utilisé.

3. LANGUAGES TO BE USED

Air traffic services messages can be transmitted in French

or in English unless “Fr only” appears on the aerodrome charts; when it does only the French must be used.



Can English be used in Air to Air or ‘auto-information’ messages if there is no message to the contrary on the VAC?

[Manker]

Thanks patowalker for that useful information. The email address on the authority request form did not work, but a fax has gone through. Fingers crossed!

[kestrel539]

Just returned from 3 weeks at Gap Tallard gliding, flew over Sisteron quite a lot.

One suggestion, time your landing either before 1230 local, or after 1430, very busy launching gliders during that time. Gliders tend to land back from about 1730 onwards.

Sisteron is a very nice, friendly place.

Cheers

[quilmes]

Just to puzzle them some more.

If you do get to land, and to mark your trip's success , maybe
give the clubhouse staff some nice commercial tea bags plus a
stout pack of decent biscuits (possibly Booth's or your local high
end artisan undertaking if CE marked) - perhaps also a recent
Cricketer Magazine for their 'pending weather improvement'
lounge library?

[Manker]

Originally Posted by quilmes

Just to puzzle them some more.

If you do get to land, and to mark your trip's success , maybe
give the clubhouse staff some nice commercial tea bags plus a
stout pack of decent biscuits (possibly Booth's or your local high
end artisan undertaking if CE marked) - perhaps also a recent
Cricketer Magazine for their 'pending weather improvement'
lounge library?

I must say you have lost me on this suggestion! But if that's what they want that's what they will get.

After contacting them I have received the following permission:

Dear ,

Your reservation request reference 74956-47550-24808 dated 22/07/2017 for a soaring period at Sisteron is hereby accepted.

ACIS will be pleased to welcome you to the Sisteron airfield for the period from 05/08/2017 to 12/08/2017.

Remember to assemble all necessary documents and have them in your possession for registration upon your arrival. (Glider airworthiness and registration documents, insurance documents for glider and vehicles to be used on the airfield, your medical certificate, etc…)

Best soaring regards.

They obviously think that I am a glider. But hey, I can always do a glide approach!