Best Place for Customs Clearance flying to France from SE England
 

Where is the best place to do Customs Clearance if you are flying to France from SE England ?? (Light Aircraft so minimum over-water obviously preferred once we are en-route)

I'd assumed Lydd, but some people are saying Southend

Anyone done it recently and got any preferences ??

Thanks

Arc

There is no need for Customs Clearance ex UK for a flight to France. You may file an online GAR (General Aviation Report form) if you wish but it is not mandatory for an outbound flight to the EU. The GAR or inbound customs clearance is of course required for the return to the UK.

If what you are thinking of is a refuelling stop, then Southend is probably not a good idea for the next three months due to work in progress on the airfield and a requirement for mandatory handling.

Hmmm...... am I just cynical or is this 'mandatory handling' going to remain once the work has been completed.....

Try Rochester?
 

If you want a refuelling stop on way out, Rochester has cheap landing fees and is relatively close to Channel. Fill up and reclaim duty on everything in your tanks using HO60 form. Or you could make Lydd your last stop before crossing and they can fill you up with duty free fuel as long as you are going foreign. Landing fee is a bit more but they have a hard runway and ILS if required.

When is someone going to answer the original question?

Tagron had the right answer, but to expand.....
 

The point made, was that you don't need to "clear customs" outbound. However, many people like a last stop before committing to over water, and full tanks are always good. Part of the enjoyment of going foreign is getting back £50 or so from HMRC for doing it!

So if Arclite wants recommendation, I'd definitely go for Rochester. A straight line from there to Cap Griz-Nez gives the shortest crossing of 21nm or so (then turn left or right depending where you want to go). The advantage IMHO of starting at Rochester is that you can climb to a decent height for the crossing between Rochester and Folkestone, so have a great gliding range by the time you reach the coast (not true if you take-off from Lydd unless you circle).

Whilst an outbound GAR is not mandatory, it's simple enough to do at the same time as you file your flight plan (which is). Even easier if you have Skydemon, which will help you through it. The advantage of submitting outbound and inbound as you are leaving, lets people know who is on board and presumably matches up those going out and returning.

And yes, I have used both EGTO & EGMD for "clearance" and the only advantage I can see for Lydd would be if you prefer to fill in a paper flight plan and wait for it to be submitted. If you are into online, then you can do that from anywhere (including computer in Rochester's tower). If going at very wet periods of the year, check with Rochester re runway condition - they haven't yet got permission for their hard runway. I've discounted Southend due to cost, controlled airspace, and distance from coast.

Is that a decent answer?

When I needed help with the flight plan etc, I used Lashenden (Headcorn). Helpful and experienced staff who would send the fax for you.

Now that you can do it all through Skydemon (apart from any prior notice required to Customs at the destination), anywhere with free wifi will do. I like Sywell, where you can get Mogas and a nice snack in the Pilots Mess (I have no connection).

To be absolutely and completely clear:

UK to Continent - you can depart from anywhere (your mate's garden), with no more paperwork than a flightplan. You must arrive in an airport of entry/exit in France, Belgium (or further dependent range/destination).

Continent to UK - you must depart from an airport of entry/exit (see above), but can land in your mate's garden in the UK. A flight plan is again needed, but for UK entry you also need to file a GAR - I just email mine, using a pre-filled excel template.

I find the paperwork takes me less than 3 minutes for leaving the UK (a flight plan), and less than 5 for entering (flight plan and GAR).

No stress, extremely easy - and I hope will remain so post Brexit!

Cheers, Sam.

Gent's

Thanks for your comprehensive replies.

Regards

Arc

Another thing that has been missed is that if you start the trip from your home base and land out of the UK you are burning duty free fuel for the whole of the flight, land some place on the south coast and that is were the duty free fuel starts.

Don't forget to file the HO60 form to HMRC !

Also try to clear French customs & immigration at an inland Airfield, LFAT is a great place to go but the landing fees are high for France. Le Mans, Tour & Troyes are my favourite ports of entry into France, all very efficient and inexpensive.

Good point.

Now that my favourite Abbeville is no longer an option, thanks also for the suggestions of where to clear Customs in France. I never liked Le Touquet and it seems a pity to throw away all that height by going to Calais!

PS there is a link to a list of EU (Schengen) entry/exit points in the AOPA UK website under "Flying Abroad".

Well, if nowhere in France seems suitable one could consider EBKT Kortrijk. Has immigration (aka "customs"), AvGas pump, good restaurant, what more could one want?

But I do not really get the point of : what field could one get into and NOT throw away all that height/altitude?

Been to Kortrijk once and I agree. There was also a very handy hotel nearby for an overnight stay. However, I have not been back due to the special permission required to fly a permit aircraft in Belgian airspace (and associated fee). I presume this is still in place.

As to my point about Calais, I could be pedantic and say that most airfields are higher than 12 ft AMSL. My own base at Strathaven, for example, is 847 ft AMSL.

However, I prefer to descend gradually to an airfield further inland, perhaps after having descended anyway because of weather or airspace.

Apart from finding it rather soul-less when I did visit once, Calais is also a bit off-route if you are not heading to Belgian airspace for the reasons given above!