Just been through the whole threat and I miss something (or maybe is missed it): where is it stated that you have to have a proof of French language proficiency to land to FR-only airports?
I even wonder if someone can point out regulation stating how you can proof that you are proficient in French and allowed to land FR-only airports.
I know this might sound silly but does French pilots have something stating that the can speak French and thus land to FR-only airports ?
@jfw: the exact issue seems to be – or to have been, for at least one contributor – to have used French language on the radio, without carrying proof of being able to. I seem to remember nothing had been wrong if said contributor had called in English, at that particular field both were allowed.
[[edit: check #53 of this same thread, that is the example I was thinking of – excerpt below ]]
< quote = nobbi >
April 2013, LFAT Le Touquet, ramp check 80€ fine for missing LP French and doing R/T in French (no fine had he spoken English) – Police was monitoring R/T of arriving aircraft with handheld
< quote >
Just been through the whole threat and I miss something (or maybe is missed it): where is it stated that you have to have a proof of French language proficiency to land to FR-only airports?
That is exactly the point. There is none.
I even wonder if someone can point out regulation stating how you can proof that you are proficient in French and allowed to land FR-only airports.
It seems (and it would make sense) that nobody in the “regulatory sphere” has ever asked himself that question. It’s just not regulated. So, in simple terms: if you can speak French, you may speak French on the radio.*
As has been said here, the entry “FR-only” on some VACs does not come from regulatory bodies. It’s merely a request/requirement made by the airfields themselves.
‘*’ The only “issue” that there might be is a telecommunications one here. But the French don’t even have aviation telecommunication licenses anymore, so it would be difficult to tell you that you should have one!
Again, as long as you are able to do the radio in French and don’t cause any havoc in the circuit, nobody will (or will be able to) do anything about you.
Again: there are reports of fines for speaking French on the radio, whether required to or not, without written proof of one’s ability. So indeed one is not directly forbidden to fly into any field – but if radio is mandatory, and it must be in French, then one will have to apply French R/T and that seems to require written proof of proficiency.
Jan_Olieslagers wrote:
there are reports of fines for speaking French on the radio, whether required to or not, without written proof of one’s ability.
I understood that one… but I wonder on which base…Hence the question: does the French pilots have a paper stating that they can speak French ?
I would understand that should this be the case, you could get fined for not having the proof (although I am unable to find such requirement).
If the French pilots have no such a paper, I wonder on which base other pilots would get fined…..
I think I will call the DGAC and ask. I will keep you posted.
Thanks for your good intentions, but I am afraid calling them is little use… Whatever you are told on the phone will have zero value, it can be gainsaid without any ground or proof; only a written document is of interest. Perhaps some gentle soul on the phone could point you to a document on their website.
Jan_Olieslagers wrote:
< quote = nobbi >
April 2013, LFAT Le Touquet, ramp check 80€ fine for missing LP French and doing R/T in French (no fine had he spoken English) – Police was monitoring R/T of arriving aircraft with handheld
< quote >
Well, that was a troll who has been exposed here. In March 2014, he wrote about the alleged fines. In August 2014, he then came onto the forum to ask for advice for planning his first flight to France. Shortly after being exposed, he seems to have disappeared from that forum (which I only skim very occasionally, so others might be in a better position to tell this tale).
The only thing I wonder about, bearing in mind some of the past characters that have written here, if he indeed did yield to the request to come to EuroGA and we never knew about it…
BTW, a level of trolling only surpassed by the Swiss FOCA in this AIC, which states:
In principle, for all international flights for which radio contact is required, pilots must possess a valid language proficiency endorsement in the language used.
But maybe they really mean “in the language used”, not “for the language used”, i.e. your English LP must be written in French on the license if you fly to France, and in German if you fly to Germany. 
Jan_Olieslagers wrote:
Perhaps some gentle soul on the phone could point you to a document on their website
Well that’s what I hope….unless we have some facts and elements regarding if a proof is required of French proficiency and if so what proof…. this discussion makes no sense.
The DGAC will not be able to change the law, whether it be in oral or written form. They didn’t make it, they can’t change it. So it’s also pointless to contact them.
jfw wrote:
this discussion makes no sense
With this, I agree 100 %.
BTW and off-topic.
I had an argument with the police on permits for firearms. I stated that I did not need to have a specific license while to police stated that I did.
When I told him he was wrong and that the law was crystal clear on the specific exception applying to the case he answered “I am the law”. Well end of the discussion at that stage… but I managed to contact the central registration office for fire-arms who confirmed that I was correct and that they would contact the police guy to issue the permit.
The permit was sent 2 days later without any note. Just the permit in an envelope. I guess that the policeman is still remembering this. 
Anyhow it is not because someone says “it IS that way” that it is true…unless it is written in a law or a regulation… till I have not seen it I do take it for granted.
