How do you know it wasn't working?

Just because we happen to hover over Big Brother every now and then its does not mean we are just doing it to annoy them though that is always a bonus.

With our Ec135 on average every incident costs £300-£400. Ec145 is just a 135 which had to much weetabix in the morning.:}

MAUVE AIC 51/2007 MAUVE 231 REFERS

If you've got an internet connection, you can go to the AIC website (http://www.ais.org.uk) and, under the Mauve section, download the AIC above. It'll show you the route, the sectors and the timings related to each sector.

How High ?
 

When I was a kid i could get the front wheel up on my push bike - these boys on the Tour need their own airspace - progress i suppose

Operating an N-registered a/c in France
 

Greetings, and thanks in advance for any advice.

My boss desires that his aircraft (N registered) be shipped to France for his utilization during a several week vacation. He has me running down the details...

Could someone please advise me on regulatory issues relative to the airframe and the aircrew? The helicopter will be dissassembled for transport--will it be subject to inspection/certification by French authorities following reassembly but prior to flight?

Is a FAA commercial certificate with instrument rating sufficient to operate an N registered a/c in France under day and night VFR?

What are the implications of operating in adjoining countries?

All advise is most appreciated.

Hello,

I just sent you a PM:O

No problems at all. You don't need anything on the aircrew licencing side of things. Remember that anyone flying or maintaining your aircraft will have to have FAA tickets. Other than that - away you go. The authorities may have to look at it on the customs side of things but not on the aviation side.

If you are going to be flying in Europe in general, read up on the local regs and airports before you go as they have some very specific ways of doing things (Nice airport comes to mind straight away). Nothing too huge but you have to know what you are doing. In France, if you intend on landing at HLS's other than at airports, you will need a Helisurface permit which will cover you as the pilot but does not negate the need to get approvals to use the actual HLS. :=

Spain, France, Italy, Germany & Greece do not need specific approval to operate in their airspace. Greece (for example) requires a written flight plan faxed to them for each flight and you will need ground handler assistance at the airport you are going to.

There are alot of foreign aircraft flying around France (where do you think the Poms fly to when they want to get away?)

There would be alot of people on this forum who could add to this but it is not as hard as it seems.

Have fun :ok:

Republique Francaise

Service de L'Information Aeronautique

http://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/default_uk.htm

Probably all you need to know can be found here including airfield charts for download. Look in the AIP section under VAC / VAC Helistation. All the regs are there as well.

The "Helisurface Permit" if you wish to land outside an airport as you are "etranger" will take some time to obtain yet is valid for 10 years.

Keep in mind that you may operate in the EU for only 6 months prior to someone asking you about "tax". And yes they do check!

If you intend to operate throughout Europe the easiest is to get hold of Jeppesen Bottlang Airfield manual and Jepp VFR charts. In Europe there are VFR approaches and departures for every airfield!!! See the Jepp site.

In the Bottlang manual it lists the "particularities" with each country regarding flight planning, NGT VFR etc. NO NGT VFR in Greece for example. Yes in France with conditions etc. etc.

France I find aviation friendly as they do make the odd jet transport aircraft and a few helicopters and GA is pretty big.

Paperwork checking in France
 

Hi,

has anyone had experience of being asked to prove VAT paid on a G reg helicopter in france before, or does this only apply to N reg helicopters, a few stories seem to be emerging of aircraft being impounded etc, but it is hard to find details??

Got asked for mine in Issy last week. They seem to ask about once a month. We heard all the horror stories and so carry the VAT receipts for all our machines in the aircraft docs folder (photocopies with a lawyers' signature on them)

VH

Part of me wonders if they do this to large fixed wing a/c too.... I can just see BA putting the VAT receipt in for the latest A321???

Or the captain putting the assessed VAT on his Visa card:E

VH

I was checked in Cannes not long ago - N reg aircraft so a real target, the most important document pour les douaniers - the VAT receipt!

SB

verticalhold what register is yours on? has anyone been asked in a european /jar aircraft

I've been checked twice in the last 12 months in a G reg, vat not an issue for them, very pleasant and quick, despite being in a group of three aircraft. No probs, but I did have all docs neatly in a presentation folder.

Sadly our registrations vary across the world. Some private owners who don't worry about getting some PT hours on their aircraft have them registered all over the place. Normally I'm there in a UK reg'd aircraft. Trouble is I think the owner may have upset the French tax authorities at some time:eek:

Never any trouble from the customs guys. Just a quick ask and check and then off they go leaving me free for lunch:ok:

VH

Flying in france, how?. French license??
 

Hi guys!!

I`m from Norway and do not speak more than five french words. I have a job (r22mariner) coming up flying photo outside st tropez. Heliport is close to the beach. Are they speaking english on the radio there? or FRENCH ONLY!!!!!!!??

I have a JAR-FCL CPL-H license issued in Norway. Do I need anything else to fly in france, or is it just to crank the baby up? (I am thinking about paperwork) Anybody have the website adress to the french caa?

Thanks for answers and comments, boys!!:ok:

Lars.

France
 

Hi Lars,
most of the frenchies know how to read, speak and understand English...
... but they hate to do so...
They are smarter than some of us who tend to give up their own language cause it`s more fashionable to speak with some sort of foreign accent and to wear baggy pants :yuk:
French AIP

CAA

Since France implemented the FCL2 in early 2006 and you have a JAR license, there is no problem for you to fly there.

Saint Tropez
 

1. Language : As far as the language is concerned, English is more and more common, this improved a lot during the last years. Even at small airports people will try to reply in English.

2. Off site landing : helisurface permit needed. Saint Tropez in particular steps up actions against passing quotas (legal/governement interest stepped up again in July, made local head news)

3. Heights: Watch out for minimum heights above aglomerations, and wildlife parks, fines can be hefty.

4. Lots of yachts you can land on...


Nice flying, d3

Thanks for help boys. very good:)

lars

Helos in France
 

Hello

I live full time in France and operate a G reg helicopter here.

Obtaining a permit to land anywhere is simple and quick. It is valid for ten years for the named pilot.

Please email me if you require assistance.

Chalmondleigh!

Not saying you're wrong or anything.........:bored: but my helisurface permit's just turned up, and it's valid for 10 years........ahem..........sorry....

You look like a likely candidate to help! I am involved with a superyacht in build and have had problems in the past regarding 'permits' to operate a helicopter in France. We do not own a helicopter nor a pilot but we do have a flight deck aboard and plan chartering both pilot and helicopter. Do we need to obtain a 'helisurface permit'...please help.

ASW Fighter,

Welcome to Rotorheads.

According to the post above,

...the pilot that you charter will require to have the permit in his/her name. I suggest that you make this a condition of their employment.

HTH.

Advice - Jet Ranger trip to South of France
 

Boys and Girls,

I'm going on a trip to South of France (Cannes) next week from Barton (UK) to South of France in a Jet Ranger. I'm not planning the trip or supposed to be doing much, if any of the flying, but I'll be a passenger and I don't just want to be sat in the back.

As far as I know, we'll only be flying into licensed aerodromes and I believe the plan is to fly around the mountains etc. The machine has a PLB which I know is a requirement and we'll have life vests for the cross chanel bit.

Anyone done the trip, got any hints, tips, etc etc?

Thanks in advance.

Joel:ok:

keep quiet , dont touch anything and dont ask " are we there yet ?" every 10 minutes :=
Oh yes ...and make sure you have a wee wee before you take off .

Errr, good advice. sort of
but did I mention it's actually MY Jet Ranger!

JT, that's the advice Nigel is given in his own helicopters ;)

How come your not flying it?

Its an hours building excercise for another pilot.
I'm going along for the ride (and I'll be very jealous)
I'll get some time on stick but I'm doing a similiar trip later on in the year myself

Any tips yet?

Best of luck then! Sounds great for the other pilot yeah......

Contact Biggles99 He does EU trips quite often from what I gather.

It's worth checking before you go as to whether there are any public holidays during your trip, if there are you might find it difficult to get fuel as the airports are largely state funded and run so no service, on that point also be aware that most of the smaller airfields close for lunch, 2 hrs is quite normal.( 1200 - 1400ish).
Also make sure you have enough cash to pay for fuel as not all of the fields have the smart credit card pay at the pump facility.
And watch out for the low level military routes they can be very active! (There marked on the charts).
And enjoy the wine and cheese!

France tend to keep all their public holidays for May (Mai) .....

Carry ALL paperwork for pilot(s) and aircraft esp proof of VAT payment to avoid being impounded

Take any spare specialist lubes you need as France is the home of Eurocopter and asking for Bell certified products may offend and cause you to be impounded

Don't land off field (not even a little bit) unless you have the approved permit else you can get impounded

Make sure the charts are up to date (not usually impoundable)

Avoid military zones (get shot down and they will)

Caution 206 limits at higher altitudes

Get introduced to 'Olivia' ...

File flightplanes well in advance and get the timezone right

The gendarmes at Rodez are hot on paperwork

Avoid France on strike days (usually June but can be earlier in the year)

Speak a little French (usually prefixing all radio calls "Parlez-vous en Anglaise Si Vous Plaiz") and especially on the ground.

Avoid ladies in Cannes asking for lift to Monaco by helicopter (hookers)

Don't get tetchy with ATC (impound)

Don't get tetchy with police/ gendarmes/ army/ airforce/ navy/ customs (shot)

Don't get impounded

Bring back good Bordeaux et le fromage pur moi. Merci, a bientot. HR

Make sure your documents are up to date and neatly presented in a folder, all 3 times I have been over my docs have been checked. Presenting them in this way makes a nice impression and gets the task done in a couple of minutes.

How's your French? A lot of the smaller airfields self annouce in French only, so it helps to know the aviation basics, heights, circuit positions, take off, numbers. A Few of these are in the front of Delage (French Pooleys)

Wylie's point about fuel is spot on, unless you have a French Total Card, you will generally have to pay cash all the way. Plus you really need to watch the lunch thing, can easily take 3 hours to get fuelled at the wrong time of day.

Other than that if you are putting into a airport, chooses one with a big river, a big bend and a few hills and it'll generally be quite pretty too, e.g Besancon.

It's generally a doddle, very quite, v good atc, lots of the medium size airports have nice restaurants, so at least you wont starve while you wait for food.

One other thing, stay miles away from nuclear facilities and restricted areas generally, they'll shoot you down and ask questions later.

N joy

Just about all French airfields have visual reporting points and ATC expect vistors to use them. I used to use the french 'carte d'approche a vue' which has maps of them plus the procedures to be followed. Vital!

You can check on French Notams etc here.....

SIA - La référence en information aéronautique


Have a great trip,

Joe.

dead jealous Joel! sounds like a great trip to test out your new comms - park the 695 in the back with you!!!

catch up soon re: battery etc

JP

JTobias,

Did this trip a couple of times and last time went from liverpool to Lydd. then lydd to Troyes LFQB then to Valence LFLU then on to cannes. Very helpful in all airfields and both troyes and valence have self service re-fuel where you just insert a credit card.Hope this may be of help.

Agree with the above posts about documentation - both aircraft and pilot. They are very thorough and strict.

Another route is over to LFPN (Toussus les Nobles) or even Issy Heliport (not as expensive as Battersea and much easier to get into from the West) then down the centre of the country to LFLY Lyon Bron, very efficient and cheapish, then on to Cannes.

For Cannes, if you do not flight plan then you must do an 'Intention de vol', as Cannes is one of 7 airfields which require this (part of the military requirements - phone the local CDC - see AIC 69/03 on the French AIP website). As with the other airfields, make sure you have the VRPs along with required altitudes. At Cannes, they could send you out over the water to join from the SE.

Apart from that, take a comfy cushion.

HO

Once at Cannes, make sure you don't wander around airside, they have recently clamped down on the security and will lock you up if you do not have the correct passes.

Have done this trip many times and have not once been asked for documents (8 times in total). So maybe I am just lucky.

That being said, my trip takes in Le Havre (LFOH), Nevers (LFQG) and then Marseille. Le Havre does not have much to see but it has customs, fuel and crap weather. Fog can hang around for days. Nevers is a great little airstrip but the tower is not manned during lunch (12-2) nor on weekends which means no fuel avbl. Also, French only on the radio outside of tower hours.

I use the Jepp VFR charts and they have all the VFR reporting points on them.

Alot of military airspace and restricted areas. Nuclear sites are marked on the chart and you normally have to be a minimum of 1-2 miles clear of them.

I don't know what your plans are but one trip that I can highly recommend is down the west coast via Nantes, Bordeaux, Biarritz then across the Pyrennes (spelling?).

I like the French ATC and I hope you find the same.

Have fun.