Safety Flash Info - Respect for airspace - 3 November 2022
To this end, we invite you to pay close attention to preparing your local and cross-country flights by systematically checking NOTAMs, SUP AIPs, military zone activations (with more frequent training than before) and certain boundaries, floors and ceilings that have changed.
Respecting airspace - “Together, let’s protect the pleasure of flying”
Dear fellow pilots, we invite you to read the leaflet (available by clicking here) published by the Ministry of the Armed Forces to remind all airspace users of the importance of respecting prohibited (P) or restricted (R) areas. This communication follows the strengthening of airspace surveillance measures and the observation of a rise in incursions into prohibited areas by various types of aircraft, which can lead to flight safety incidents and the triggering of operational alerts.
To this end, we invite you to pay close attention to preparing your local and cross-country flights by systematically checking NOTAMs, SUP AIPs, military zone activations (with more frequent training than before) and certain boundaries, floors and ceilings that have changed.
To help you with this preparation and during your flights:
- Use up-to-date charts and flight-planning software, making sure that the chart databases and information are up to date: Sdvfr, Skydemon, Airmet, AirnavPro, Mach7, etc.)
- Likewise, set off on your flight staying in contact with the SIVs (Flight Information Services), who are also there to help you. Note that they are not there to do your navigation or flight preparation.
- If you have difficulties in flight (weather, visibility, aerology, fatigue, getting lost), do not hesitate to contact a civil and/or military control body or even 121.500 MHz if you notice an unintentional penetration of a prohibited zone (this could spare you the inconvenience of an interception alert being triggered… !)
- To help you with your flight preparation, the SIA has already put SOFIA-Vac in place and, from 15 November 2022, is introducing software for your flight preparation and flight plans, “SOFIA Briefing”, with information on zone activations.
- If needed… you will find attached a brochure for pilots and student pilots on visual signals between aircraft in the event of interception by a military aircraft.
While in the vast majority of cases these penetrations result from pilot errors or omissions, the intentions of the crew concerned are then unknown to the civil and/or military control body, and this leads to an interception in flight or on the ground of all aircraft in breach, systematically followed by a procedure that may lead to criminal penalties and a report to the DSAC, which may also impose administrative sanctions.
As a reminder, beyond these sanctions, it can also cost you quite a lot! In particular for penetrations of P zones, for which penalties can reach 6 months’ imprisonment, a fine of €15 000, a licence suspension of 3 months to 3 years and confiscation of the aircraft, whether the overflight was deliberate or unintentional…
So it is indeed better to prepare your navigation well, to limit incidents and preserve our pleasure of flying!
Safe flying.
Louis Collardeau
FFPLUM Vice-President / Regulations
Christian Santini
FFPLUM Vice-President / Airspace
Didier Blachère
Flight Safety Division
