plaquette SNA SE EN Corse.qxp

CONTINENT–CORSICA
SEA CROSSING
»
sea crossing as exciting as it can be, contains nevertheless a certain number of difficulties. It is better to
be aware of the potential difficulties regarding the airspaces crossed on the continent, the sea crossing
itself or the arrival on Corsican airfields. The purpose is not to discourage you, but to point out the difficulties that
you may encounter… It is better to be well prepared !
D
URING the summer vacation, you may wish to take a trip to Corsica. The classical « Continent – Corsica
NIZ
112.4
NICE
DGN
MONACO
CANNES
ND
DG
LUC
113.0
UERS
CNM
111.4
MUS
SW
STP
116.5
21
LA MOLE
LERMA
DC
P 63
DA
OMARD
23
9
MERLU
12
49
6°
43
GURPA
21
MB
29
20
280°
21
KC
LONSU
25
25
IR
Calvi
30
°
152
6°
WC
NW
Bastia
BTA
114.15
W
BASTIA
46
CALVI
332
°
CORTE
D54A
GHISONACCIA
NW
Ajaccio
AJACCIO
D54C
SOLENZARA
AJO
114.8
PROPRIANO
FIGARI
Airspace
Be aware of the complexity!
The Mediterranean region is dense in airports with all
types of civil and military airspace and it is better to be
familiar with the situation in order to avoid any unexpected intrusions. To help you in the management of your
flight and to obtain information on activity in this zone, it
is recommended to contact the "consultative" frequency
of Marseille-info on 120.550 Mhz when flying in class G
airspace.
Canjuers : If you come from the north or from the northwest, you will first cross over R138 which is associated with the military firing range on the Canjuers plateau. It is easy to spot from the air due to its characteristic "flatness” in a region with marked relief and because
of its outer wall. When this zone is in active use it must
be carefully bypassed, preferably by the west. Ask for
information from Marseille-info or Nice-info.
Cross Now !
First of all, note that during the crossing you must follow
defined routes.
" STP - LERMA - OMARD - MERLU "
" STP - DC - KC " for Calvi *
" STP - DA - LONSU " for Ajaccio*
*These two routes are available on authorization of Nice
ATC according to activity in the D54 zone.
You will have to contact Nice FIS (Flight Information
Service) on 122.925 MHz and maintain radio contact
throughout the transit.
Then over the sea you will follow the D54 zone: Marine
training and firing range zone where penetration is forbidden if in active use despite its status of a dangerous
zone.
You will have to report your position when crossing the
FIS (Flight Information Sector) limit.
Le Luc : If you fly below FL65, you will have to contact
the Le Luc military control on 122.2 MHz to cross over
R95 (helicopter flight training and intense parachute
activity). Be aware that VFR routes may be proposed.
Anticipate by passing by the west of the airfield.
Nice TMA : It is class C and D airspace: radio contact
and ATC clearance are compulsory before penetrating.
ATC could possibly ask you to wait, to keep a heading or
to fly at an IFR flight level to avoid conflict with IFR traffic (dense incoming IFR traffic for Nice).
La Môle : In the Saint-Tropez sector remain alert because of dense IFR and VFR traffic in this touristic region .
Aircraft in the La Môle area are mainly private jets.
For Safety
It is important to keep in mind that this
crossing is long and it is not possible to
improvise. First of all, you must file a flight
plan in order to have alert services.
Life jackets are compulsory on board.
Then, the particular piloting conditions over
the sea, the absence of landmarks and the
possible presence of sea mist can lead to a
loss of horizon reference comparable to a
flight with no visibility.You would have to use the controls
and for this situation, a preliminary "flight with no visibility”
training with an instructor is strongly advised.
Finally, even if you are equipped with a GPS, you must
prepare a « backup » navigation based on VOR (STP,
NIZ, CNM, AJO, BTA) that will show your position with
regard to the specific reporting points.
For Safety (continued)
In case of Engine Failure
Do not forget that VOR is not precise at low altitude and
that the significant distances between them will oblige
you to estimate your position and heading.
In case of difficulties or a doubt on your estimated position, do not hesitate to ask for assistance from the FIS
(Flight Information Service), that’s their job !! They will
be able to help you or to give you headings to get back
on your route.
Flying over the sea is always a delicate flight phase,
especially in a single-engine aircraft. It is necessary to
imagine the consequences of a potential engine failure.
During the maritime transit, note the position of boats:
these could be useful for you in case of a forced sea landing. Take a high enough flight level (between FL50 and
FL80). In case of possible engine problem, you will have
time to prepare your plane and envisage the best strategy: u-turn, rerouting, sea landing. Then before departure, find the L/D ratio of your plane in your flight manual
in case you need to glide to get as close as possible to
the coastline.
Arrival in Corsica
Corsica is beautiful but mountainous, so pay close attention to the terrain.
Do not relax after the sea crossing believing that your problems are over
because being tired, you can still encounter real difficulties.
CALVI
It’s a region well known for its high mountains and difficult wind conditions. Enclosed between mountains, the situation can be delicate when landing on RWY36 or for a go-around on RWY18. Furthermore, weather conditions are
often worse on arrival than during the crossing because of the sea mist.
Remain alert !
Being a touristic airfield means a lot of traffic. First of all, keep in mind that there is no VOR on the airfield. The axis
of the W – Calvi arrival faces the axis of departure trajectories (some commercial flights). These crossings are made
"visually" in class E airspace, between 2000ft and FL 95,
so remain alert !
RWY 36 can seem distorted visually for pilots unfamiliar with the
airfield (there is a 2% runway slope and a displaced threshold).
The absence of taxiways and the proximity of the parking apron to
the runway, could lead to numerous runway incursions. Watch out
for what the other aircraft are doing.
Finally, expect a possible holding delay (particularly the weekend)
if the traffic is dense.
Calvi (continued)
Rerouting?
For all these reasons, plan enough fuel for a possible rerouting for Bastia, Ajaccio
or even Figari.
You must carefully calculate your arrival time as night landings are forbidden at
Calvi.To avoid the problems inherent with the possibility of holding delays or rerouting and also with sunset times, plan to arrive at Calvi before sunset - 30 mn.
BASTIA
AJACCIO
Generally you will find the same kind of problems in
Bastia as in Calvi.The holding position is usually at point
NW where the wind conditions can be tricky (turbulence)
or in downwind. Add to this a frequency change and
there may be difficulty to integrate into the circuit.
In Ajaccio, the proximity of the IFR arrival and departure trajectories, as well as the absence of radar coverage
in the bay of the nearby valleys, obliges one to strictly
maintain the trajectory and transit routes plus the associated altitudes.
Overflying NW point must be at 2000ft AMSL max.
Consequently, ask Ajaccio control for clearance if you
wish to continue your flight at a higher altitude.
Flight information sectors
SIV BASTIA
SFC - FL 145
BASTIA Info 124.725
To Summarize
●
File a flight plan.
● Fly
below FL145 (for a higher level contact LFMM
ACC who may refuse).
● Make
radio contact with concerned FIS (Flight
Information Sector) Nice, Bastia or Ajaccio.
●
Make reporting messages over specific points
● Make
●
SIV AJACCIO
SFC - FL 145
AJACCIO Info
119.825 121.050(S)
positioning reporting message at FIS boundary.
A life jacket for all passengers must be on board.
● The
follow-up of routes is compulsory. However a
direct track can be accepted by the ATC under radar
surveillance.
●
In daytime VFR, transponder is not compulsory (but is
compulsory in night time VFR).
Ready, Set, Go !
All these details should not dissuade you from taking a trip to Corsica.The
beauty of the landscape and the omnipresence of the sea and the mountains will leave with you an unforgettable souvenir.
If you can refrain from improvising, the fact to have overcome these difficulties will render your experience more interesting and enjoyable.