[Dave W]

FLYER Club members have had the opportunity to see this already, but now everybody can.

Ian has kindly released to all a webinar that I gave early last month on "Going Foreign - the Basics".

Have a look at the YouTube comments for some additional hints and tips.

(My apologies for not hiding the banner at the bottom. What a numpty. )

PS In the webinar I do propose a further one on travelling more widely in Europe. Nobody seems to be clamouring for that, but if it would be of interest could you say here or on the YouTube site? I don't want to pull it together if nobody wants it!

[NoTurningBack]

Yes please Dave.


Regards,

NTB

[PeteSpencer]

Yep: I'd like that too.....

[TopCat]

PS In the webinar I do propose a further one on travelling more widely in Europe. Nobody seems to be clamouring for that, but if it would be of interest could you say here or on the YouTube site? I don't want to pull it together if nobody wants it!

I'd be really interested in it. I haven't been further afield than Le Touquet for a long time and it would be great to build up a bit more confidence again.

[SafetyThird]

I've never flown abroad before so this will be most helpful for, hopefully, next year. Also, another vote for the going further afield video please and thank you.

[Dave W]

Thanks all.

Sounds like I wouldn't be talking to myself so shall plan on developing something for prior to next Spring's start of flying season.

[akg1486]

I've been a "travel evangelist" at my club for many years, advocating the idea that GA flying can be so much more than circuits and local bimbles. To entice more people to try to widen their horizons, we always show pictures at a club evening after the yearly five-day trip and I've also had several presentations at our club about things to think about. Much like the webinar, in fact, with the difference that UK pilots have more to think about than us who live in the Schengen area.

I think it's great that you show that it's not all that difficult and that you have checklists of things to do and to bring. In future webinars (or presentations in person), I really think you should mix that up by talking about how wonderful a European trip can be. The picures of beaches, food and wine bottles are a good start, but a bit more focus on the fun part would be good, I think. After all: if I'm not enticed to go at all, it doesn't matter that the administration with FPL and GAR forms isn't so bad.

My three top tips for pilots who are new to "long distance" travelling--international or domestic--are:

1. Fly together with other GA pilots
2. Choose the right combination of challenges
3. Plan, plan, plan

Point 2 is about not planning a first-time trip that involves difficult airspace, difficult terrain and difficult/short airfields in marginal weather all at the same time. Especially not if you're the only pilot on the trip.

As for planning, much of it is made easier by tablet software, but there's still the matter of hunting down airfield/airport information: opening hour, access, ground transport, fuel, and so on. And planing longer trips should not focus only on the routes and airfields but also on the destinations. It's also my firm belief that it's easier to re-plan during the trip (which unvariably is needed when flying VFR in Europe) with a good Plan A already made.

I applaud the initiative!

[Dave W]

Thanks very much.

My starting point was to assume that people WANT to go, since they know the Continent and can fly - so likely keen to mix the two.

I'm not really trying to sell the idea; more that people have already sold it to themselves and want to know how difficult it is(n't)!

[Boswell]

Dave, I watched your webinar and flew to Le Touquet last weekend - your info (and from Carl Meek) was invaluable - many thanks to both of you.

However, your intro remarks : "One internet submission required....Go....That's it....That really is it....." was a touch optimistic, at least for Le2K.

Here's my check-list for Le2K, which will obviously become instantly out-of-date (and thanks to Sir Morley for heads-up on GAD):

Flight Plan (Sky Demon – other apps available)

Notice to Douane - douane-aeroportletouquet@douane.finances.gouv.fr
More than 2hrs before or tel. +33 321064613
(not sure if that covers PPR as well)

PPR - required by Le2k (contact@aeroport-letouquet.com)

Covid inbound to France declaration if at least double-jabbed: ‘Statement of Honour’ for pilot and pax:
• Download from interieur.gouv.fr
(Click "TRAVEL TO/FROM AN AMBER LIST COUNTRY" – UK is considered an Amber country)

GAR for return to England (particularly if only going for lunch – min. 4hrs notice) (SkyDemon – other apps available)

Bring UK NHS min. 2-jab proof, pref. QR code available.

Book Day 2 Lateral Flow (current from 24oct21) - https://www.gov.uk/find-travel-test-provider - in theory before you travel. https://covid.randox.com has worked for us - £24. There are many test outfits on the Government “approved list” who are either overloaded or just scams. Use TrustPilot.com to check.

Pax Locator Form (PLF) - https://www.gov.uk/provide-journey-cont ... -travel-uk - in the 48 hours before returning.

Latest Gov. rules returning to UK: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-to-e ... s-covid-19

GenDec form (Enhanced GAD process) C155 - https://bit.ly/3CjgGtm Port Health and current NOTAM requires all inbound a/c to submit to: Heathrow.HCU@phe.gov.uk

And, obviously, correct a/c, personal docs and good stock of masks (particularly passport - driving licence doesn't work any more, as one pax found out - we fed her through the customs gate- Douanier was sympathetic but firm - "....Madame, you have to understand you're no longer in the EU...").

More info on http://www.tinyurl.com/goingforeign

[Dave W]

Ah, on reflection, fair enough - I guess I don't make it as clear as I could/should up front that there are additional non-UK notifications to be considered - although I do a few times in the body of the chat.

I do think it tells people what they need to know, though, when considered as a whole.

There's a lot to say, and it could easily put people off - hence trying to address the detail in bite-size chunks.

It has got more bureaucratic at the European end in the past several years, mainly due to the withdrawal of so many more local French and other Nations' Customs offices.

Regarding COVID, though, I did explicitly say that it wasn't a presentation on the COVID rules (I'd like it to be relevant long after the COVID regs are hopefully just a nasty memory) but that I would discuss them separately towards the end. My intention was for the headline and intro to be enduring, and not be led by the current (hopefully exceptional) circumstances.

[Boxkite]

Book Day 2 Lateral Flow (current from 24oct21) - https://www.gov.uk/find-travel-test-provider - in theory before you travel. https://covid.randox.com has worked for us - £24. There are many test outfits on the Government “approved list” who are either overloaded or just scams. Use TrustPilot.com to check.

Unfortunately TrustPilot can't be trusted. I posted a bad review of a supplier that hadn't had many recent reviews. There were no checks that I was even a customer (I wasn't the customer - I was just the receiver of the goods). The next day a positive review appeared which was obviously put up by the supplier themselves to try to redress the average..

[patowalker]

PPR - required by Le2k (contact@aeroport-letouquet.com)

Since when?

[Dave W]

Shorthand for Douanes notification, is how I took that.

[fiftyonenorth]

Book Day 2 Lateral Flow (current from 24oct21) - https://www.gov.uk/find-travel-test-provider - in theory before you travel. https://covid.randox.com has worked for us - £24. There are many test outfits on the Government “approved list” who are either overloaded or just scams. Use TrustPilot.com to check.

Unfortunately TrustPilot can't be trusted. I posted a bad review of a supplier that hadn't had many recent reviews. There were no checks that I was even a customer (I wasn't the customer - I was just the receiver of the goods). The next day a positive review appeared which was obviously put up by the supplier themselves to try to redress the average..

Agreed. I had a bad experience with Oak Furniture Land. I posted a 1 star review. I was contacted shortly afterwards to address the problem and offer me some free items. I accepted these, of course. At the end of this conversation I was asked if I would be prepared to 'reconsider' my review rating. I just removed it completely. Anyway, you can see how the 4/5 star ratings are managed (or bought).

[fiftyonenorth]

Apologies for going off topic. I watched the webinar yesterday as flying to France is a mid-term objective for me. I found it very informative and will no doubt refer back to it in future. Thanks!