La Rochelle LFBH

Date of Visit = August 1999

Pilot: = Rob Latham

Having spent the last few years doing the usual local area trips the foreign trips bug has bitten. Hopefully this will persuade a few more people that it is really worthwhile and easy.

Set off from White Waltham in a PA28-140 to Alderney, trip takes about 1.25 hours. The routing I use is direct to the SAM beacon and under the airway to Alderney. The Solent controllers are always really helpful tracking you on radar at least 30 miles out to sea. Then you can call Jersey zone who put you on radar again. Okay sometimes these guys can be pedantic holding you if there is another aircraft close by or dropping you down to low height over the sea. But mention you have never been there before and I have heard them vector people to finals, passing you all the landing info you need, with the tower kept informed. Okay usual commerical practice but for a PPL going into an unfamilar field very helpful even if it is on an Island 3 miles by 2 !!!, excellent serivice. I think the risk of being low under the airway is outweighed by the continuous radar contact.

Land at Alderney, and fill up the tanks the fuel is expensive by Channel Islands standards at mere 43p a litre, 30 odd at Guernsey, plus £6 landing fee.

As we were short on time the passenger did the landing fees while I ran up the 200 odd stairs to the tower to submit the flight plan. Only to be greeted by a laughing controller who told me plans could now be submitted downstairs, they submitted it anyway. There is a new fax machine where you can submit the flight plan or request the lastest met from jersey met, works like a dream.

Onto La Rochelle, routing first to Dinard, then Rennes, Nantees and La Rochelle. Jersey allowed me to route direct dropping me down to 1000ft over the sea to be under the appr of a landing BA flight at Jersey. Quick call to Dinard controller, I'm begining to think that no one bothers about zone transit or flight info in France. As the controller always seemed so surprised to speak you. In return the controller had some fun, asking me to report abeam first Dinard and then Dinan (sounded the same to me). He got bored of dreaming up reporting points so passed me to Rennes. As I was now at the VFR cruising level 3500 they again were not bothered gave me a squak and asked me to report leaving their TMA, exactly the same for Nantees, though they did give me some traffic info.

Onto La Rochelle, appr was acting as tower and gnd some it was a case of report airfield in site and then cleared to land. This leg took 2 hours 15 mins. I tracked from VOR to VOR along with VFR nav and cross checking with a GPS. I use the QuickPlan software to do the plogs the best 10 pounds I have ever spent.

Nice weekend of Sun, food and good wine followed by uneventful trip home.