Over and over we are told that French Air Traffic Controllers only speak bad or sometimes no English at all. However, this is only a fairy tale; some of them actually speak German and even answer in German without asking. On airports with ATC you can be sure that English Radio-Telephony (R/T) is done without problems. German pilots on route in France without knowledge of English R/T should avoid these airports for their own benefit.

When the ATC of an airport doesn’t answer straight-away, no problem. He might have gone home for lunch or already closed business for the day. In this case the airport is uncontrolled and you can land using the Auto-information procedure described below. Opening hours as in Germany are unknown, the runways remains there, also at night when the airport uses an automated lighting system.

Uncontrolled airports usually have no ATC or Supervisor of Flying; this applies as well to airports with lots of traffic in the pattern. In the approach chart (e.g. Jeppesen), bears the remark AIR-AIR or Auto-Information. When a frequency is omitted always use 123.50. A request for landing information is usually unanswered, also when other are in the pattern. In these patterns it is mandatory to add the name of the airport to the transmission with each R/T call, because other airports around are using the same frequency.

The normal procedure when approaching is:
Listen to the Radio. Pilots in the pattern call in the blind, say what the intentions are or report the position. But mainly, they stick to the published pattern! Because there is no one who gives them the impression of ATC (like a German BFL!) the French stick to these procedures!

These are the usual calls in the traffic pattern:

The words in BOLD print should be remembered!

Without saying, the way to pronounce numbers in French should be known. Usually, the French don’t say the numbers one by one but as one word. They say, "la trente cinq (35)" instead of "trois-cinq". Keep in mind that the number "one" is mentioned as "unité" and not as "un".

Before reaching the airport you can already know which runway is in use. Again, keep in mind, if listening to the often used 123,5 , you should verify if you're listening to the right airport! If not fully clear then look at the traffic and enter the pattern correctly, but how? Shortly before reaching the pattern you should report as follows:

From a good distance you should enter downwind with a crosswind leg. If nobody is around, then overfly the runway at 1000 feet and look at the wind sack and decide on the runway to use. A lot of times the approach charts mention: if the wind is less then 4 knots use runway X or Y (QFU preferred). When crossing the runway make the following transmission:

Other transmission include:

D-RH pour roulage pour la trente cinq D-RH au point d´arrêt 35 pour décollage immédiat D-RH au point d´arrêt 35 , je maintiens position D-RH en courte finale, pour un touché

D-RH taxiing 35. D-RH holding 35 for immediate take-off D-RH holding position 35, holding D-RH on short final, touch and go

When a pilot knows these R/T calls, he or she should not encounter any problems.

When in doubt make positions calls in English or German but don’t continue clueless.

Other calls, unfamiliar to foreign pilots:

"Fox Echo 1015" = This means the QFE, only pronounced as "Fox Echo". On controlled airports the FE is always given next to the QNH; which, in French sounds like "Kü - N – Asch".

„QFU 35“ the QFU is the runway in use (35).

Further things to remember in France:

1) ICAO charts: 1/500.000 : Attention ! Only information up to an altitude of 5000 feet, not higher. For this reason the Restricted areas have no mentioned upper limit. Keep this in mind when flying above 5000 feet. Maybe you are entering a restricted area without knowing it!

2) Restricted airspace: France is loaded with LF-R airspaces and a lot of times is difficult to see trough them. In weekends the military are not working and the LF-R are not active. Despite this, you should check beforehand and read the available booklet. When FIS is available, get the information before you fly or when you fly. Mind, it can be so busy that you already passed the area you wanted the information about. During the week, al lot of LF-R’s are active, also military aircraft need clearance to enter. Very noteworthy are the low-flying corridors with “faster then the speed of sound” flights under IFR. Recommendable is to call the nearest military airport where the LF-R’s convene and get a clearance. If you have a transponder on board, this should not trouble you at all. In the eastern part of France, contact Phalsbourg (close to Sarrebourg), Metz, Nancy, Saint-Dizier, Luxeuil or Dyon, in the Rhone valley contact Orange. Military ATC controllers are not always fluent in English. During weekends, with automated transmission, mostly difficult to understand, you can assume the area is clear. But better safe than sorry, call in the blind and say what your intentions are.

3) ZIT : since 2004 France established so-called ZIT (Zone Interdite Temporaire, Temporarily Forbidden Zone) around nuclear plants and industrial area like refineries. These can be found in the ICAO charts from 2005, especially east of Lyon and in the Rhone valley and these are very annoying and should be avoided.

4) Airports for Clubs: Many of the smaller airports are only authorised for use by the local flying club or the surrounding clubs. This can not be found on the charts, only in the en-route manuals. When another plane lands nobody will be bothered, people will say hello in a good spirit. However, when something happens, the police will be there very fast and when a landing clearance is not available it can get nasty. It can also have impact your insurance. You only have to know!

4) TWR: When the approach chart mentions “Tower” ahead of the airport frequency this means the airport is controlled, also when a CTR is not shown on the chart. This implies the airport will have IFR traffic and the ATC controller can give directives and orders. Colmar is a perfect example.

5) Airspaces: France only has controlled airspaces class "E" and "D". CTR’s are classified as "D". When entering "E" airspace when the visibility is less then 5 kilometres you need a "special VFR" clearance before entering. Below 3000 feet QNH or 1000 feet AGL you speak altitude above surface. Above 3000 feet QNH in France you must use the semi-circular VFR flight level system. This means when flying a magnetic heading of 001 to 180 degrees you fly at an odd level plus 500 feet and between 181 and 360 degrees you fly at an even level plus 500 feet.
VFR squawk in France is 7000.

6) Flight plan: As soon as you call an INFO service, enter a TMA or call another controlling agency a flight plan is automatically assumed, even without prior filing. So do not leave the frequency without asking permission to leave. If you fail to report leaving it will not take a long time before you are reported missing. Search and rescue procedures will start assuming you have filed a flight plan.

7) Schengen flights: As in the "old" days, a flight plan is required to enter or leave France!

All information are given to the best of my knowledge; however without accepting responsibility.

Patrick Faucheron, March 2001 / Update Feb. 2006
English translation: powerglidertaifun.de