French airports kept in business by UK traffic

Jujupilote wrote:

IFR traffic count more than VFR

Really? So I have a reason to feel good about flying IFR, other than pure laziness? I usually rather feel slightly guilty that I “occupy” the approach area for a longer time, and disrupt the organisation of VFR traffic.

There is a lot of UK FTO IR training traffic going there.

Partly due to this (Lydd EGMD no ILS)

C1006/22
ILS RWY 21 U/S.
FROM: 25 FEB 2022 18:08 TO: 28 MAR 2022 16:00

and partly because it costs much less to fly a load of approaches at LFAT.

I also think the French are much more pragmatic. The FTOs tend to book the approach for an hour at a time. I’d call that super-greedy, not least because a lot of the time they don’t turn up, and more than 50% of the time they turn up late. I know that from doing the Lydd ILS without booking it, and seeing when it works and when not. And even when they are late, some of their instructors still sometimes get abusive on the radio, to me, when I completely legitimately call up on the off chance The difference is that while Lydd blocks off the whole hour to anyone trying to book the approach, Le Touquet (Lille) doesn’t block it; they fit everyone in. And they should; that is what ATCOs do for a living…

It’s mostly IFR approach training, there is no single airport in UK SE with LPV+ILS (don’t ask me how I know, I was used to fly to Jersey, Cardiff, LeTouquet when Lydd is not available), also, IR skill-test for EASA ATO has to be done in EASA airspace…

Lydd is the only GA IFR airport with RNP+ILS near London (if anyone managed to book Southampton & Cambridge & Cranfield & Glocs, I would be very impressed)

Thanks UK GA for keeping Le Touquet and Lille controllers current and probably LFAT TWR open

Do remember little Calais LFAC down the road which is even cheaper . . .
As well as having a RNP & NDB Approach, your usage not only keeps the airfield open there but also the nice brassiere Au Vol au Vent, which has struggled to survive Covid, as well.

Wait, how can IFR training traffic keep those airports in business, if instrument approaches in France are free?

Lots of Brits landing there for lunch

The FR24 IFR traffic is mostly training though.

Went to LFAT last week, and a sole Brit registered aircraft on the apron. Probably nil IFR since it was a PA-18-something, root aircraft with root pilot

Lots of Brits landing there for lunch 

Does LFAT airport budget depends on the airport restaurant?

I know it’s the case in Fenland & Headcorn (maybe Shoreham?) but I highly doubt eating in l’Escale pays a single penny to maintain an IFR runway or provide ATS service…

The number of mouvements is always good to have but you don’t need to eat in the airport, most Brit visitors don’t eat there anyway, the city offer plenty of choices

Went to LFAT last week, and a sole Brit registered aircraft on the apron. Probably nil IFR since it was a PA-18-something, root aircraft with root pilot

Most of the UK group that used to do fly-ins in the UK and France has packed up, some bought boats, some just dropped it all. And most still think they need PCR tests because they can’t be bothered to google for the latest requirements Look at some travel type forums and you see the same. It will take ages for things to get back.

Still, on a nice weekend day, you should see 5-10 G-regs.

Does LFAT airport budget depends on the airport restaurant?

Obviously not; I don’t know anybody who goes to the airport restaurant. Is it still there? I recall it from c. 2002. I don’t know anybody who goes there. No; people walk into town.

The airport gets €36, plus maybe bike rental.

The “24hr PN” places like Caen and Cherbourg are of course dead.