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Now I know why i built a RV

david.perl

Well Known Member
I finished my 7A 18 months ago. Ive enjoyed 100 hours of fun flying around the UK, gradually making longer trips with the local flying club i joined.

This weekend was a highlight. I flew across the English channel intro France with a Cirrus and 3 other pilots. We spent 2 days landing at 8 airfields around Paris. We stayed over saturday night and enjoyed some wonderful French cuisine.

The weather was perfect, the company fun and the plane behaved immaculately.

Definitely a highspot to file in my memory banks and made the 5 years of building all the more worthwhile. The more I fly the RV the more i enjoy it. And when i landed back at my home field, a yellow Swiss registered RV7 landed. The weekend was rounded off with a pleasant chat with the builder, his second RV7 and true to form, his build was immaculate, just like a Swiss Watch.

I would post some pics but i never seem to manage on this forum to get them to work.

dateposted-public
 
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Tour de France

Wow, now that is a great trip! Thanks for sharing. Can only dream of flying across the Channel and touring France in the RV from here in the colonies.
 
I envy you as well, I lived in Europe 10 years, but never got to fly over there.
Just wondering, how much of a language barrier is there when flying to various small airports?

I finished my 7A 18 months ago. Ive enjoyed 100 hours of fun flying around the UK, gradually making longer trips with the local flying club i joined.

This weekend was a highlight. I flew across the English channel intro France with a Cirrus and 3 other pilots. We spent 2 days landing at 8 airfields around Paris. We stayed over saturday night and enjoyed some wonderful French cuisine.

The weather was perfect, the company fun and the plane behaved immaculately.

Definitely a highspot to file in my memory banks and made the 5 years of building all the more worthwhile. The more I fly the RV the more i enjoy it. And when i landed back at my home field, a yellow Swiss registered RV7 landed. The weekend was rounded off with a pleasant chat with the builder, his second RV7 and true to form, his build was immaculate, just like a Swiss Watch.

I would post some pics but i never seem to manage on this forum to get them to work.

dateposted-public
 
Just wondering, how much of a language barrier is there when flying to various small airports?

Most were fine with great english spoken. One was very unfriendly and only spoke to us in French. Overall I was well impressed with all the traffic control we received.
 
Hey, you spot my buddy Yvar on the way to GB! I'm sadly could not join :-(
I have also finished an RV-7A last year, now 55 hours on in and slowly spreading wings and making longer trips to the countries around switzerland.

Thanks for your write up ... and for sure I'm plning to visit GB too! White Horse, Dover, Lands End, and so on ... places where we made holiday's when we where kids ... but by canr and not by plane.
 
Tip for traveling in France:

I've never had an issue with language in France, except in Paris.

"Parlez vous Anglais?"
(indifferent dismissive hand gesture) "Non, non."

A week later, same ma?tre'd:

"Parlez vous Australien?"
"Oui, yes, hello!"

Turns out they can speak english, they just don't necessarily like English people, and can't tell the difference unless you tell them. :)

- mark
 
It is not that they don't like English speaking visitors, they just don't feel confident in speaking it as French is widely spoken... I think France is a great aviation minded country.

I don't know if you are aware but we are organizing EFLEVA Days on 30 June and 1 & 2 July at EBLE airfield. Already 82 aircraft registered. EFLEVA stands for European Federation for Light, Experimental and Vintage Aircraft. There will be a lot of RVs coming. Have a look on www.efleva-days.eu.

You do not require a permit to fly over the territory of Belgium if you are registered on our website! And we also arranged a free Schengen entry and exit through Ostend (EBOS) airport! Both are completely free of charge!
 
Half-way through my RV-7 build here in Worcestershire, England. Hopefully, some day, I may be permitted to join you to learn the ropes of flying within Europe. Always good to make an effort to communicate in another's language. Does anyone have a reference to any document that specifically relates to French, aviation terms? For example, I've just buried my left main wheel in your ditch, do you have access to a tractor? or, 'Those trees on short final should be trimmed back somewhat - caught me a bit by surprise.'😂
 
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