I can confirm, that EDNX is very easy to fly to and it’s closest airfield to the city. I’ve visited it twice and each time got PPR quickly. Airspace is just below CTR, but it’s not a problem, if you have a good navigation app. They have now large concrete parking area.
Thanks again. I am finalising my routing tomorrow and set off on Thursday. The people here have been very helpful and I really appreciate it.
Howard
(250 hours, having flown all around the UK, but a novice at flying outside the UK)
If you need a transport from EDNX to the city, or else, send me a message. Thursday afternoon I am here.
… and remember there is no overhead join procedure in Germany but mostly 45° downwind entries ( or direct on to base or final after coordination with FIS ).
No overhead joins because of sailplane winch launching at many VFR airports.
@Nobbi, thank you. Very helpful. Is there a diagram that you know of for a 45 degree join on downwind? (Is it always midway downwind for instance?)
What happens if the traffic circuit is busy? (In the UK one additional set of traffic could join overhead whilst the normal traffic circuit is busy)
What is the joining procedure in France? Is that also 45 degrees downwind?
@Howard – in Germany we have a lot of individual traffic patterns ( often noise abatement reasons ). You find them in the DFS visual approach charts. Unfortunately they are not free (59€ with SD) – but I think if you need a couple for a trip to a certain destination in Germany someone will offer you a copy …
Here e.g. the pattern at my homefield near Frankfurt which is only flown to the south of the aerodrome with different entries
If there is too much traffic and I can estimate a too close separation to let’s say a preceding microlight I stay outside the pattern or leave the pattern announcing doing an orbit (360°) and re-join.
The VAC visual app charts in France are free. Download them via e.g. Sky Demon and they show the entry arrows for joining the traffic pattern. Altogether no rocket science but of course it’s good to announce you position and intentions.
Below is Chalons LFLH in Burgundy
FWIW, notwithstanding the diagrams on the VAC, in France, a sort of a overhead join is mandatory when there is no active ATS AND the runway in use hasn’t yet been determined from observing other traffic.
boscomantico wrote:
FWIW, notwithstanding the diagrams on the VAC, in France, a sort of a overhead join is mandatory when there is no active ATS AND the runway in use hasn’t yet been determined from observing other traffic.
And what was written about overhead joins in German airfields with sailplane winch launches is true also in France if there is sailplane or jumping activity. It was so bad in Granville with airplanes doing overhead joins while there was parajumping activity, that they closed the airfield for a while pending the appointment of an AFIS.
Interesting.
But still, there are other airfields with no ATS AND lots of parajumping (Mimizan comes to mind). Usually, the problem
is solved by communicating properly with the para-plane, so the only time there is a problem might be when the participating aircraft are NORDO.
