Trip Planning

There are those that scoff at ‘flight planning’ and those that agonise over it for ages. I like to think I am somewhere in the middle towards the ‘agonising’ bit! I DO plan carefully and thoroughly and methodically print and file the results and copies in plastic sleeves in a special ‘trip folder’. My wife laughs as do the same for our holidays – but it works and it has resolved ‘what reservation?’ type problems in the past.

In part, I enjoy the preparation as it makes it really easy on the day and I know if anything did go wrong and I had to divert (as I have had to do twice now), that I will have the appropriate VFR and IFR plates to hand. There is comfort for me in knowing that I am fully prepared.

There is a nice looking ‘fly-in’ planned on Flyer Forum for Annecy in the French alps near the Swiss border on 1-3rd June that I am planning for. On the face of it, a piece of cake. I have been this way before, on last years flight to Italy, where I stopped at Dijon. Basically, it’s a little further south, then turn left, over some hills (4000 – 5000’ max) then into Annecy. However, I still spent a couple of hours this weekend planning for it properly.

First question, is can I do it in one hop? Quick answer is no – for two reasons. Firstly, the plane could do it, but it is far longer that I have yet flown in this particular aircraft and I would feel uncomfortable flying that close to the fuel margins without generous reserves – especially ending as it does in really hilly stuff! Secondly, there are no customs, so that’s that!

Where to stop to clear customs? I would prefer somewhere where prior requests are not required as these are usually phone or fax only. I don’t have ready access to a fax and phone calls seem to get mysteriously forgotten. I was thinking about Calais as it is quiet, but there is the PNR bit. I have tried Lille before and that was a farce. So it will reluctantly be L2K – reluctant because it can be a real scrum with loads in the circuit and last time I went, a near hysterical French lady controller who was berating everyone at length then going on to issue long transmissions for a pl*nker on the ground for taxy instructions to the apron! However, lets give it a try again see if it has improved.

So first leg is Gloucester to L2K. Next question is under or over – London that is? Given that it is L2K and therefore further south and a bit west from Calais, I will go for my time honoured route of:

EGBJ DCT GWC DCT SFD DCT LFAT

Probably 4500’ if I can get it and remain clear of cloud. I have done this route a number of times. Basically, be very careful to get NOTAM’s to check that Fairford is not active – it would spoil your whole day to fly overhead the field while the USAF was using it! Also be very careful to avoid the shoulder of Solent controlled airspace that a direct line route takes you within 3nm of. In order, I usually talk to:

Brize Radar - Farnboro Radar - Chichester Radio (transit their overhead) - Shoreham Approach - London Information – L2K.

I do produce a Navbox PLOG, but almost never refer to it. My preferred method is to draw track lines on the map and mark altitudes, winds aloft, points of climb/descend, radio frequencies, radio navaid frequencies and where to change etc. all on the map. I also ‘hatch’ in red marker hazards on or close to the route, like airfields, ZIT’s, controlled airspace etc. so I know to be especially watchful near them. I am away from my maps at the moment, but will try to photograph and example and upload it. I am not saying it is perfect, it’s just that after trial and error, this is what works for me.

BTW, I always use CAA 1:500,000 maps for the UK and Jeppesen 1:500,000 laminated and pre-folded maps for mainland Europe. I prefer the CAA UK maps to Jepps, but then I prefer Jepp maps for the rest of Europe as they are the same for all countries that they cover and represent them very well. I particularly like to numbering key to the controlling frequencies for controlled airspaces – makes it easy to decide who to talk to.

Next is the leg from L2K to Annecy. For this, I start with Navbox and click a direct, straight-line route from L2K to Annecy. Then I compare this on Navbox with the maps (three of them carefully laid out and lined up on the study floor!) to see why I shouldn’t just go in a straight line. Of course I want intermediate waypoints, so I look on the map / Navbox for both radio navaids (by far my preferred waypoint) and military and controlled airspace. So my not quite but nearly straight line route is:

LFAT DCT CTL?? DCT TROYES DCT DIJON DCT LFLP

I don’t have my map with me, but I seem to recall it is as above. Military airspace looks terrifying, but most of it is low level and if in doubt, you can get clearance from Paros Info or the like. I plan on an initial 3500’ to avoid a mysterious bit of Class A starting at 3500’, then once past, climb to 5000’ which should get me across the high bits in front of Annecy. If it is cloudy and I can’t get 5000’, then I will proceed to around Lyon, the turn left then fly IFR (I Follow Roads!) through valleys to Annecy.

My alternates are Troyes, Dijon and (in extremis) Lyon Bron. I have carefully printed all the plates for instrument approaches as well as the VFR plates – when you need them you need them!

Hotel is booked and I even have a nice aerial photo of Annecy airfield (I find these very useful in visualisation for airfields I haven’t been to before). Now just need to type out the flight plans and GAR’s.

For the GAR, all I have to do is leave it with the main desk at Gloucester as this is a designated port of arrival. For flight plans, just hand the UK one into Gloucester and they will enter it to the system. I tend to type both of these up well in advance and have a second copy (I have made up precise copies of the forms in Word, so I can save versions of them). For France, I will file the flight plan via Olivia over the internet for L2K to Annecy as the filing at L2K is notoriously hit-and-miss!

Pretty much all set now, just pray to the weather gods. Next flight booked for all day Saturday 19th May. Depends on the weather, but if it is OK, I might try for the first cross-channel trip of the season – yes probably L2K as it is very easy for the town (other channel port airfields need a serious taxi ride)!