I find the French AIP to be very poorly written, at least for me. I can’t understand what it means.
I have two sets of questions :
1) The French AIP says this about Customs at Caen:
MON-FRI : 0800-1700 PN 2HR, SAT-SUN and HOL : 0800-1100, 1300-1700 O/R the day before 1600. Request from SAS AEROPORT on AD or E-mail : [email protected]. Outside these SKED, possible extension within ATS SKED: acknowledge to see with SAS AEROPORT.
I’ll be flying in mid-week.
> What does SKED mean?
> What does O/R mean?
> How do I officially notify French Customs at Caen so as to give them the required two hours notice of my arrival? Do they mean that I should simply email [email protected] and tell them my call sign and my ETA with at least 2 hours notice.
2) and the AIP says this about ATS (Air Traffic Services)
MON-FRI : 0500-2100, SAT : 0500-1900, SUN and HOL : 0800-2100. Everyday extension until 0030, only for commercial flights except cargo, PPR PN 72 HR to LFRKYDYX or ATC manager : 02 31 26 56 81, TWR : 02 31 26 09 18 – FAX : 02 31 26 24 43.
> Does PPR PN 72 HR apply to flights like mine (day VFR, arriving between 0500-2100) or only those flights requiring an extension to 0030?
> Why does the French AIP have to be written with so many abbreviations and with sentences where so many words have been removed that each sentence is ambiguous at best, and nonsensical at worst? (Rhetorical question of course…)
Thanks in advance,
Howard
The PPR is for commercial flights requiring an extension to opening hours
O/R – on request
SKED – schedule
The way I read this is:
Mon – Fri 2hr PN
Sat – Sun O/R by 1600 (I assume local) the day before; interestingly they don’t stipulate last workday before, as some places do
How you give them the 2hrs PN isn’t clear to me, I would call the phone no provided AND send an email with your ETA.
Might have been better to post the French version also, sometimes this is clearer.
HTH
I flew into Caen from outside Schengen area last year…. Just sent an email to the Douanes a few hours before departing Kerry….as usual no one shows up…and on you go!
Many thanks everyone. Much appreciated.
I do find it frustrating that so many NOTAMs and the like are written in such abbreviated and confusing terms.
Howard
See AIP GEN 2.2 for the abbreviations:
https://www.sia.aviation-civile.gouv.fr/aip/enligne/FRANCE/AIRAC-2016-03-03/html/eAIP/FR-GEN-2.2-fr-FR.html#GEN-2.2
