Mode A only in France.......

[Seagull61]

Hi,
We are planning a VFR trip to France in the summer, but our choosen "steed" only has mode A and no mode C transponder at the moment.
Anyone know if this could be a spanner in the works??

[LH2]

The French AIP says in GEN 1.5.5.3.2:

Carriage requirements for aircraft in VFR flights
a) Requirements
All aircraft shall be equipped with a mode A + C transponder with a coding
altimeter or a mode S transponder at least level 2 with a coding altimeter.
- in airspaces of class B, C and D;
- when following routes or entering airspaces notified to users by means
of Aeronautical Information Service;
- during night flight other than local night flight.
b) Exemptions
Exemptions from provisions in paragraph a) above may be granted:
- through memorandums of agreement between the competent Director
of Civil Aviation or his representative and requesters;
- under certain conditions, by the competent ATC authority and on
request made by the concerned people.

So, you can use mode A, but then you will have to stay clear of controlled airspace. I take the last point to mean that you might be able to get away with entering D airspace with mode A only if you ask nicely enough, e.g., at the time of filing a flight plan. Try calling one of the BRIAs and see what they say. Post again if you need the numbers.

Hope this helps.
/lh2

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

My aircraft is also mode A only and I have never been declined entry into French class D, although as this amounts to only 4 or 5 times, it is not statistically valid.

I once had a protracted discussion with a French controller because she did not understand that I did not have mode C. She seemed to think I was being bloody-minded and just refused to switch it on!

Tack "negative mode Charlie" onto your initial call.

[slim_slag]

Originally Posted by Tall_guy_in_a_152

Tack "negative mode Charlie" onto your initial call.

How about /B if you have DME, /T if you don't. Tack onto the aircraft type? Would that work in France? Doesn't this info go on your flight plan?

[Ni Thomas]

Hmmmmm!
Pal of mine was flying behind us and called Beauvais (Class D) approach for entry - he was equipped with just Mode A.
Beauvais Controller - "D-???? Please squawk Mode Charlie".
D-???? - "Sorry no Mode Charlie. just Mode A"
Beauvais Controller - "But you must have Mode C for our airspace".
D-???? - "Sorry, just Mode A".
Beauvais Controller - "Report Point November".
D-???? - "Wilco - Point November".
He landed..
The police met him as he climbed out and took him into an office for castigation, inspection of his charts and put the frighteners on him ....
He didn't try entering another Class D after that.

[Seagull61]

Thanks for the comments........the last ones put me off a bit.

We were planning on heading down to the sunny south, but that may change judging by the replies i`ve heard so far. I`ll try to get the official "spoken" word, although it looks pretty clear cut in LH2`s post.

Thanks all

[Rod1]

Seagull,

You can fly around France without entering class D airspace and 99 times out of 100 you will be given permission to fly through it, if you get no, do not push it and all will be well.

Rod1 (mode a only)

[Seagull61]

Cheers Rod1,

Trip back on!!!

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

Originally Posted by Slim_Slag

How about /B if you have DME, /T if you don't. Tack onto the aircraft type? Would that work in France? Doesn't this info go on your flight plan?

You can put it in the flight plan, but I wouldn't normally file one for flights within France. Even for the initial cross-channel flight, a VFR plan is unlikely to be distributed to en-route ATS units. It may have helped in the Beauvais example above, assuming the destination was Beauvais itself.
Also I flew Shoreham to Cannes last year and the only Class D I entered was the Cannes CTR itself. Subsequent flights took me through the Nice CTR and TMA with no complaints. Returning home I was cleared through the Lyon Class D. They asked for Mode C, I said I couldn't, they said no problem.

[LH2]

You can put it in the flight plan, but I wouldn't normally file one for flights within France

Why wouldn't you? What's the advantage of not filing a flight plan for every flight? Just wondering.

[Tall_guy_in_a_152]

What's the advantage of not filing a flight plan for every flight?

It takes time to do and there is virtually no benefit to anyone.

You have to remember to close them (not in the UK, because nobody cares if you turn up or not).

It is often useful to have the freedom to change routing and destination without worrying about telling anyone.

Flight plan submission terminals are frequently unserviceable and I do not have a portable fax machine.


Flights over hostile terrain are the exception. I would want someone to be expecting me and know my approximate route. A VFR FP is a good way to achieve that.

[bookworm]

How about /B if you have DME, /T if you don't. Tack onto the aircraft type? Would that work in France? Doesn't this info go on your flight plan?

No. I'm sure it's correct for the US, but ICAO FLight Plans used internationally use a completely different set of equipment codes. The code itself is x/y where x is the nav equipment and y is the transponder. It's as you might guess: /A is mode A only, /C is Mode A and C.