Hi, eventually we chickened out and arrived IFR (vs VFR) with vectors to a LH base to RWY 32…where we were too high and had to do a 360 to land.
ATC was in general quite accommodating but we were given quite a few vectors through the area.
Fees 12EUR for 1.8t SEP, 6 POB.
We did not upload fuel but got confirmation t hat TOTAL is no longer serving at the airfield.
No taxis at the airfield but Les Milles is a 20 mins walk (normally OK, not so on this very hot occasion) where we could get some lunch and badly needed icecream in the +40C temp while we had the airplane serviced at SEAM.
In summary: all as told by the members, thanks!
Can anyone help me understand opening hours for LFMA?
In the AIP the ATS closing time is given as 1730Z for summer (except Sunday), but on the airport website info page, there is a mention of ATS closing time SS + 30’ (max 19h00) (I guess local time but not specified). Finally, on the same website it says the airport itself is open 8-18h and the AIP gives 0700-1700Z. An email to the airport didn’t make me any wiser – they just replied “open mon-sun 7h-18h local time” (yes 7, not 8, which got me even more confused).
Until what time can you land at LFMA in summer? ATS presence doesn’t matter to me but looks like the AD closes before ATS?
Do you require ATS ? If not, you can land at anytime (with radio in French, except at night since it’s not rated).
You may just want to call them to make sure you can handle your parking autonomously, and to check there is no closed fence to exit / reenter if there’s noone there.
An AD that has no closing hours in the AIP (or by NOTAM) is open.
That’s at least what the process was for LFNH for me (disclaimer: I did not go there yet): I called them, they said I could park and use the gas station autonomously, that there would be no closed fence, and they had video surveillance with the aircraft reg to send back the invoice directly.
Don’t forget that LFMA is very sensitive to noise. I’m not sure whether they have special instructions or not.
maxbc wrote:
An AD that has no closing hours in the AIP (or by NOTAM) is open.
Thanks, but the AD hours are exactly what confuses me (I don’t require ATS by the way). There are closing times listed for the AD, they are different in the AIP and on the website and in the email reply I got, and on top of all that the AD closing hours seem to be earlier than ATS closing time which makes no sense to me. My best guess is the AD closes 18h local?
Tango where are you finding opening and closing times on the VAC?
Maybe I’m missing them but I have had a look and can’t see any. Only ATS and RFFS.
IIUC the AD admin refers to the office being open not the airfield.
ATS is of course ATS
If you are unsure give the AD a ring.
But normally most French ADs out of ATS hours are downgraded from D or E to G.
Tango wrote:
Thanks, but the AD hours are exactly what confuses me (I don’t require ATS by the way). There are closing times listed for the AD
Yes the VAC gives hours for AD operator (Gestionnaire d’AD), not AD closing hours.
gallois wrote:
But normally most French ADs out of ATS hours are downgraded from D or E to G.
More precisely they become uncontrolled. Some fields are controlled despite being in class G, and they switch from TWR to A/A outside ATS hours. In this case only the pattern, runways and taxiways are covered by ATC and subject to clearances (there’s no controlled airspace around the field). The only thing telling you if the AD is controlled or not is the frequency type on the AIP : TWR is controlled, AFIS and A/A are uncontrolled.
I don’t recall a controlled airfield in class G.
Do you have one in mind?
I know there are plenty of fields which have AFIS when ATC go home and I know of many which go A/A. But all of those are either in class G or become Class G out of hours. Although I have to admit that when flying you have CAS or OCAS (not including VFR in Class E) whereas in the theory exams you have ABCD +E and then F and G.
With F not being used much in France and only temporarily if it is.
