Could someone please tell me, preferably in the next 30 mins, what I do if I have an IFR plan from a French strip (LFEW) where there is no radio and no telephone coverage?
Can I take off and get an Airways pickup from Info?
Sorry for late notice, but I was expecting VFR until ten minutes ago.
I don’t know the answer but a quick suggestion: You have internet, so you either have phone coverage now or you can make e.g. a skype call. Open the AIP, find some ATC unit phone number and call them to ask. Even if they are not responsible, they might give you an idea or the right contact.
I would take off (have to remain OCAS obviously) and call up the FIS frequency shown on the map and ask for an IFR clearance to XYZ.
I think Timothy has no internet – he says there is no phone coverage. It’s like the UK countryside 
Peter wrote:
I think Timothy has no internet – he says there is no phone coverage
Good trick posting here and asking for help in the next 30 minutes if he has no internet 
If he has internet, the question makes no sense to me. You can fily an IFR FP and just depart, remain OCAS, pretend to be VMC, and collect the clearance from FIS as usual.
Peter wrote:
If he has internet, the question makes no sense to me.
Internet at the airport but no phone? Otherwise you are right, it doesn’t make sense.
Just take off and pick up clearance with the first AFIS agent you can reach
According to notams, Auxerre LFLA AFIS could be closed today.
If you plan to go north, try Seine FIS on 120.325 but reception is limited in the area.
To the east there is Bale FIS 135.85.
In any case, be very careful with the terrain in the area, it can be tricky and clouds are stuck to the hill tops quite.
Fly safe.
The actual situation was that I had internet at the chateau where I was staying, but there was zero coverage of anything better than intermittent GSM for miles around. The taxi was due to arrive in 30 mins, but actually came in 5, which is why I disappeared into a black hole, sorry.
The answer I was seeking was that it’s OK to get airborne in IMC without a clearance, sorry I wrote too quickly, but I was in a rush and a bit surprised to see weather completely different to forecast, so having to bang in a quick IFR plan, then thinking that I didn’t know anything about IFR from strips in France.
I called the FPL closing hotline. They have a system whereby you have to know the number of the Departement where you are. I hadn’t a clue, but luckily the taxi driver did. That could be a problem if you are sitting at a strip with no internet and no taxi driver. Anyway, they just gave a Gallic Shrug and told me not to worry, just call Seine.
As it turned out I was passed from Seine to Paris Info to Paris Control to Paris Control in very quick succession and there was a fair bit of changing clearances, but it was basically no problem.
Thank you all.
Incidentally, Saulieu Liernais is a little gem. 800m+ of excellent tarmac, plus a grass starter extension if that isn’t enough (there are trees quite close to both ends). Almost zero movements. No landing fee. Loverly. Saulieu is also a beautiful town, surrounded by fabulous chateaux.
The answer I was seeking was that it’s OK to get airborne in IMC without a clearance
Well, it wasn’t OK. For some reason, France has some quite restrictive rules concerning IFR arrivals and departures at airfields without instrument procedures.
The AIP, ENR 1.2, item 1.5.2 (“Aerodromes with no published or approved instrument departure or approach procedures”) says that:
In the absence of published or approved procedures pilots shall, on departure, maintain VMC until reaching 3000 feet MSL or 1000 feet AGL (whichever is higher). I guess it’s one of the most often disregarded rules in France, just after the silly minimum VFR flight altitudes…
