France, FPL, border crossing and interception by air force

130.0 is for valley flying, I doubt blind calls on this one are useful to announce that you cross border? or activate flight plan? or close flight plan? you should hear other traffic above you (not necessarily airlines on Marseille FIS) who are on SIV frequency, worst case blind call on 121.5, someone should be able to reply, including Rafales

That’s not how it’s done in there. You just monitor info if you receive it, then switch to 130.0 and self report in the valley.
Now you have to have a FPL, but i’ve never heard of a low flying SEP asking for a relay with airliners, anyways they are not on the same frequency on this place.

Coolhand wrote:

In my experience is impossible to have radio contact with Marseille Info due to topography

It could be the case when one is flying very low but then no secondary radar echo and no FR24 traces, and everybody is happy the assumption for low VFR between terrain with no radio contact is that you have to speak to someone (another FIS, AFIS or airlines above) who will rely your ident and report your messages

I recall asking airlines and other traffic to speak to Seville on my behalf while I was on VFR flight plan flying a ridiculous low altitude

I’ve flown this same area, with FPL, several times crossing from LFNA to LIPV. In my experience is impossible to have radio contact with Marseille Info due to topography.

This occurrence must have some other reason

Training and pouring taxpayer money

Never heard of that. In other words: It’s a pretty common practice to penetrate Italian airspace around the Matterhorn and also around Mont-Blanc without an FPL.

See post cited by Peter, it seems radio contact (with or without flight plan) is required, at least in eyes of police and court

Here

Sure, maybe Geneva triggers an abbreviated FPL in background or give Milano Radar a call. Who knows. But at least it worked out perfectly fine.

Likely the case but apparently it’s radio contact that matters not having flight plan in the system (even without transponder, I did load of these in Gliders without flight plans as I did not know how to file and rarely cared but we were told to making radio calls to FIS is required, after all that is what “FIR FIS” do? identify who goes here and there? they don’t have another job…)

Ibra wrote:

In that corner there are lot of restricted and military areas on both sides, plus it seems not filing flight plan gets one a jail sentence in Italy (being intercepted by Air Force is better in the big scheme of things)

Well, if that is the case, I think half of all Swiss pilots doing the famous Matterhorn circumnavigation should be in jail by now, or at least have been intercepted by the air force once. Never heard of that. In other words: It’s a pretty common practice to penetrate Italian airspace around the Matterhorn and also around Mont-Blanc without an FPL.

And yes, I’ve done it too. I was in contact with FIC (in my case Geneva) and asked politely if it was OK to do a spontaneous Mont-Blanc – Matterhorn Tour outside of Swiss airspace. They answered with a “no worries sir, squawk xxxx, and next report Mont-Blanc”. Sure, maybe Geneva triggers an abbreviated FPL in background or give Milano Radar a call. Who knows. But at least it worked out perfectly fine.

This occurrence must have some other reason.

Yes likely he was on Mountain frequency or not on any frequency

Geneva? This happened far south of Geneva

Marseille, not sure why I said Geneva

The real question was he talking to anyone providing flight information Geneva, Milano? or he flew NORDO 7000?

In that corner there are lot of restricted and military areas on both sides, plus it seems not filing flight plan gets one a jail sentence in Italy (being intercepted by Air Force is better in the big scheme of things)

I nipped borders without flight plan while talking to SIV, I don’t recall it’s an issue…

Possibly the response is related to this.