Salutations de Paris!

tonyw

tonyw

Well-Known Member
On the ride over, I noticed a few quirky things.

First, when we do flight levels, it's for 18000 feet and above. Not in Europe, apparently. ATC told the crew to descend to flight level 70. I was like, huh, and then the crew said down to 7000 feet and I got it.

Also, I noticed that the French controllers spoke French to aircraft based in their country, but English to everyone else. One funny thing was listening to a Lufthansa plane talking to French ATC, or maybe I've just got a twisted sense of humor.

My company's booth is in a perfect location for picture taking of the aircraft flying. When they come in on final, they fly right over us. I will have some sweet pictures to send. I've already got a nice picture of what I think is an Embraer 190 and I believe I've got a CRJ as well but I am not sure.
 
When flying up in Canada and down in Mexico, the controllers there will speak their respective languages to aircraft that speak as well. I hear French and Spanish often on the radio. Not so much in Toronto, where I'm going today. More like ORD there.
 
Where are you staying Tony?

I can give you some restaurant suggestions if you want. And diversions to cool things in Paris too. Lemme know. -C
 
I believe that in Europe, the low transition levels (ie I think it's 6000ft. for Great Britain) not only affect the phraseology used (FL70 vs 7000) but I think that also means that pilots 'over there' set the standard altimeter setting at a much lower altitude than what we're accustomed to in the States. But don't quote me on that
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I'll post this here so other people traveling to Paris can see too:

Hey, lucky you!

Well of course you have to hit the Musee d'Orsay, that is a must. (have you been to Paris before?) The best small museum is the Rodin, not too far from the Eiffel Tower.

Restaurants:

Aux Deux Canards-Chez Catherine
8, Rue du Faubourg Poissonniere - 75010 Paris
Tel, 01 47 70 03 23 (this is a great place! Near the Rue Montmarte metro)

L'Endroit
24 rue des Tournelles - 75004 Paris
Tel 01 42 72 03 07

[censored], I can't find my complete list!

A great district just to go check out is in a triangle formed by the Pompidou, Hotel de Ville and the Bastille. It is filled with really cool shops and restraurants. Also the St. Germain neighborhood between the Metro stop St. Michel and the St. Germain de Pres cathedral (this is within walking distance from Notre Dame and St. Chapelle.

Lemme know if you want more.
 
Stay out of the Quartier Latin. It's where lazy tourists go to eat when "them damn Frayn'ch don't wanna speak no Mare'cun..."

We usually ate near the Bastille (Ile St. Louis/Marais), somewhere near (but not always in) the Rue Cler or down near La Opera.

I'm jealous. But I like it during the off-season!
 
I'm from germany so I can kinda help you out there. IFR ATC is usually conducted in english, (almost always- all over the world). VFR can either be done in english (if you wanna help the controllers- they hate having to think in 2 languages all the time) or in german.

In germany the Transition level is usually either FL70 or FL60 depending on the QNH .

For 1013mb and above its FL60 and for 1012 and below its FL70 i believe.

The transition ALTITUDE is always 5000ft.
Departing aircraft switch to 1013(2992) upon reaching TA, and arriving aircraft switch to local QNH upon reaching TL. That way you always have a certain vertical seperation. Makes sense?
 
Tony, who did you fly on? they let you listen to ATC on the way over??? i'd love that.. esp when they're talking between planes when there is no ATC (over ocean)
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'm from germany so I can kinda help you out there. IFR ATC is usually conducted in english, (almost always- all over the world). VFR can either be done in english (if you wanna help the controllers- they hate having to think in 2 languages all the time) or in german.

In germany the Transition level is usually either FL70 or FL60 depending on the QNH .

For 1013mb and above its FL60 and for 1012 and below its FL70 i believe.

The transition ALTITUDE is always 5000ft.
Departing aircraft switch to 1013(2992) upon reaching TA, and arriving aircraft switch to local QNH upon reaching TL. That way you always have a certain vertical seperation. Makes sense?

[/ QUOTE ]

One question (thread hijack, I know!
buck.gif
) Do they measure altitudes in meters or feet?
 
as tony's agent I'll let you all know that he's staying at the Paris Hilton (been making jokes about it for the past 5 months I think) and he flew United over, on which the pilots have the option of turning on "channel 9" which allows you to listen to ATC on channel 9 on the little audio thing in your seat, pretty neat. Allows you to keep your SA up. Instead of going over a city and thinkin "hmmm, I wonder where that is" if you know much about geography its pretty easy to figure out.
 
[ QUOTE ]
One question (thread hijack, I know!
buck.gif
) Do they measure altitudes in meters or feet?

[/ QUOTE ]

We measure altitudes in feet and distances(RVR, Vis,...) in kilometers and meters. Altimeter settings are done in mb, not inches.
I tell you that transition level/transition altidude thing can make your head spin some times..
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Oh and did I mention that they give you the QFE(altitude above field elevation) in some parts of eastern europe instead of the standard QNH? And they still use NDB-airways for primary navigation...crazy things..
buck.gif
 
Yup, Emu's got it down. I flew out on a 777, in coach in the exit row. There isn't too much to see until you get to the European coast.

The 777 has a nice entertainment system, but I was distracted by the seatmate next to me.

Know what sucks? When you're trying to hold a conversation with a very pretty girl from Bordeaux but you speak virtually no French and she speaks very little English.

But maybe that was her way to blow me off.
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Yes indeed do Paris in the off season! I was just there, and proposed, in January. I do recommend the Rodin, and Musem D'orsee [sic for both]. Its also a great time to do the Lourve, short lines!

I think idealy the Museums in the off season, and the out side during the summer when Paris is in bloom.
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I've been doing a lot of reading about the "Middle Ages" so I'm probably going to have to drop off Kristie at a sunny creperie or at least a Parisian male burlesque show so I can go back to the Musee d'Orsay and "geek out" again.
 
uhhh either that or we'll have to take some peeps with us to keep me company while your at the museum!

too many museums make my eyes go to the back of my head (ie: too boring/slow/confining)
 
I'm down with that!
grin.gif
would love to have you come along!! September after all the kiddies go back to school and the loads go back towards normal??
 
[ QUOTE ]

Know what sucks? When you're trying to hold a conversation with a very pretty girl from Bordeaux but you speak virtually no French and she speaks very little English.

But maybe that was her way to blow me off .
grin.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

Well, if she did that, it would have made for an enjoyable flight.
 
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