I did it solo the first time. Never did see the channel, though, it was cliff-to-cliff fog down there. (Yes I was flying 1' below CAS, and yes I could, at least in theory, glide to land from any point.)

Sam it is a legal requirement to carry an intercept card at all times on all flights in all airspaces so is part of a ramp check.

Yes the limit on cash is high and they can not stop you carrying it BUT it must be declared if not a 10% at least fine, it is to stop money laundering.

So Sam the point was the actual need for these is very low but the French police know every bit of paper you need to be legal and see ramp checks as a money making exercise.

Better to be prepared than having your day ruined visiting some French police station and it does happen.

For those unaware, having the Interception Procedures on board is quite simple in practice.

Either print, or download and keep on your phone/tablet, CAA Safety Sense Leaflet 11.

If I'm pretty sure it's somewhere in the Pooley's which is in the flight bag on the back seat out of my reach is that good enough? Don't/shouldn't interceptors have 121.5 anyway?

That's what I always learned, too. As long as one carries an active radio... And even if the interceptor doesn't use 121.5, calling on that frequency should somehow clear the mess, or at least initiate the clearing.

Also, I never heard of this requirement to carry an "intercept card", could this be just one more UK-only oddity? Not that it isn't a good idea, though, but there is already such a lot of paraphernalia to be carried...

It's not a UK only requirement.

Source: The Skyway Code (p140)

* First, do your “Channel Rating” with a friendly ATO
* Make sure both your HF radios are functional and you have SELCAL with Lydd Control
* If the above doesn’t work CPDLC with Maastricht will suffice
* Carry a drum of avgas on the passenger seat, for refuelling mid-Channel
* Left mag out, right mag back
* Inflate the tyres to maximum pressure with Helium, to ensure flotation
* Wear a dinner jacket under your survival gear, just in case you have to ditch near the QM2 and are invited to the captain’s table
* When you get to the other side, remember to speak slowly and loudly as their English is not as good as ours

Bon Voyage!

I'm with FullWings, only add a Kalashnikov and a few grenades.

Indeed, add a pallet of bricks and a bag of cement for extra protection on the ground if needed.

Sorry people, it's FRANCE - not Syria.


And, despite a few thousand hours flying to all the murkiest corners (both legally and otherwise) of our beautiful planet, I have neither been intercepted nor been asked for an intercept card... Flying to France: Call the airfield first to check the restaurant is open, file flight plan, go... (add GAR to this process for your return to the UK)

You could always take print-out of the French AIP ENR 1.12 instead. :-)

I would try UK to Ostende, either direct or to france and follow the coatline, much more fun nd challenging that the usual first time channel crossings. Tkat a survival knife if you carry a liferaft, in case it inflates in flight. This is an accident waiting to happen. I'm not sure where you obtain the survable sea temperatures these days, the RAF used to have tehem. But common sense would be to wear surval suits from November to May, not that many SEP pilots do. Crossing at above gliding distance is the other sensible option, wx and controlled airspace permitted.

Attended a lecture by an SAR pilot - he said they now wear survival suits if the sea temperature is less than 15C.

Average Sea surface temperature May:
Calais 11.8 C
Folkestone 11.6 C
(According to www.seatemperature.org)
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I had been flying eight years before I did my first crops-channel flight in 2016. It waited until I was in a share because I was blowed if was paying to go to Le Touquet with an instructor when I was in a club. That aside, when I did it, it was no different from any other flight. Follow the legal requirements for stuff you must carry and what you must tell the authorities and you'll be fine. I would support anchohold in suggesting Belgium. My first foreign stop (well not counting going to Donegal from Derry which is officially international) was the marvellous Kortrijk. After reading so much about prior-notice and such like with France, it was no effort at all to continue the extra (small) distance to Belgium. My post-flight report at the time said:

"Stopped here twice on a continental trip recently. A near perfect small airfield. Self-service fuel pumps next to the terminal. A quick passport check to enter Schengen then up to the tower to sign-in. The airfield takes no money on the day, you sign in, log the amount of fuel taken and wait for an invoice in the post. EBKT proved to be an excellent destination. It has border control facilities, a good size hard runway, instrument approaches for those with full IR plus both a flying club bar and an excellent high quality restaurant called Biggles. In addition to plenty of light GA, there are based business jets and I think over in one corner a small military facility (we could see a Skyvan / SD3-30 and a Gazelle). We twice ate well at the Biggles sitting in the sun on the first-floor balcony . The flying club bar and the control tower are built onto what I take to be a German wartime concrete bunker. The Bell X1 hotel is 100m from the airport buildings. It proved to be as good as it looked on its web site and had the added interest of rooms named for pilots (and in one case a RAF aircraft repair unit which was based there in 1944 / 5). The building itself is a rather interesting between the wars design. The only slight disappointment was a rather thin breakfast."

I have a vague memory that the instrument approaches have since been withdrawn.

They now an RNAV approach to one the runways and, I believe, the other end is coming soon.

I am planning to go there in the next month.

Yup, EBKT is back in business, super-friendly, just the right size - the cops always have a huge smile and are there during normal hours. Plus Biggles is a real restaurant - it would be a success if it wasn't at the airport which is not always the case with airport restos. So, go, enjoy!

Got back yesterday and ended up going to Le Touqet!

All I needed was a Flight Plan and a GAR form for UK Border Force :)

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

Well done!

How did you notify French Customs in/out of Schengen at Le Touquet?

The email address for French Customs at LFAT is found on the Le Touquet website here and in the French AIP here. It is [email protected]

Y'know, this sort of dedication to duty isn't exactly at the forefront of your average French foncs mentality....the majority of aircraft and pilots coming from the UK are regular visitors and welcomed as such.
File a flight plan, head south and enjoy the trip.

5 points to hoodie and -3 to strake.

I know you can usually get away with not notifying French Customs, particularly on the way out of Schengen.

However, why take the chance when, in the case of Le Touquet, you can notify Customs as little as two hours in advance!