Ops to Paris for the Olympics

Key Points

Paris will be busy from July 22 to Aug 11 (Olympics) and Aug 26 to Sep 8 (Paralympics).
LFPB/Paris Le Bourget will likely be the airport you want to go to, but expect quick turns only with reposition elsewhere for parking (options below).
There’s a procedure to know about (slots, PPR, no late changes).
Paris will be a no-fly zone on July 26 for the opening ceremony.

France has published an AIC with procedures for operators to follow if they want to fly to a Paris airport during the Olympics, but it’s mostly a load of old nonsense. At least, that’s what the handling agents at LFPB/Paris Le Bourget airport are saying.

The Dreaded AIC

You can read it here.

It says that if you want to go to any of the Paris airports from July 22 to Aug 11 (Olympics) and Aug 26 to Sep 8 (Paralympics), you need to do three things in order:

Request pilot approval (two months before the Olympics start!)
File a “flight intention” for each flight (send this to your handler/FBO no later than 2 hours before take-off for flights to LFPB/LFPG/LFPO, or 4 hours for other airports).
Get a flight authorisation number and include it in Field 18 of your filed flight plan.

What the LFPB/Le Bourget Handlers say

Really only #2 from that list actually applies. Here’s what you actually have to do:

There’s no accreditation for pilots or operators during the Olympics, and everything will proceed pretty much as normal. The AIC only applies to VFR flights.
The airport authorities will implement slots/PPR from July 12 to Sep 16 (these are obtained by the handler and sent to the operator), so you just need to fill out the FPL with the airport slot ID in Field 18.
LFPB/Le Bourget airport authorities will not allow any updates with two hours prior arrival or departure – no change of timing, no change of crew or pax. The handler will send this info to the authorities prior to the flight, and if they don’t reply then the flight is approved. If there is any issue with the pax or crew, the handler will be notified, and the flight will be refused.
It’s going to be busy, so LFPB/Le Bourget will only be accepting quick turns with parking elsewhere.
If you get a slot, you best keep it – if you cancel it there’s no guarantee you’re going to get another one.
Check with your handler of choice about their fees cancellation policy, as some of these will be non-refundable.

At LFPB/Le Bourget you have a few options for handling:

Astonsky – website
lfpb@astonsky.com

Dassault Falcon Service – website
handling@dassault-falcon.com

Jetex – website
fbo-lbg@jetex.com

Signature – website
lbgt1@signatureflight.fr

The Opening Ceremony

France has published a SUP showing the closed airspace for the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Paris on July 26.

On that day, between 1630-2200z, Paris will basically become a no-fly zone – no flights will be able to enter the airspace or go to/from the airports. Watch out for overflights too – these won’t be allowed either!

Flight plans to Paris airports will be rejected starting 1530z. Departures from LFPG/Charles De Gaulle might be allowed starting 2130z with special approval.

Where to go?

LFPB/Paris Le Bourget, LFAQ/Albert, and LFOK/Vatry seem like the best bets.

LFPT/Pontoise and LFPM/Villaroche might be options too, but there’s no customs available here, so these airports are only available for flights between EU/Schengen airports only (i.e. not direct from the likes of the US).

Ones to cross off your list

LFPO/Orly and LFPG/Charles De Gaulle as they are dedicated to airline flights
LFOB/Beauvais and LFOP/Rouen as they have no support for bizav flights.

Most operators are doing one of the following

Drop and go: Get a slot into LFPB/Le Bourget, fly in, drop off pax and then reposition elsewhere for parking. LFPM/Villaroche and LFPT/Pontoise are good options for this.
Clear customs elsewhere: Clear customs at some intermediate EU airport (somewhere like LFAT/Le Touquet or LFOP/Rouen), do fast turns for just customs, and then fly to either LFPT/Pontoise or LFPM/Villaroche for parking and pax can access Paris directly. This avoids the slot situation at LFPB/Le Bourget.
Do everything elsewhere: Use LFOK/Vatry (2:30 drive into Paris) or LFAQ/Albert (2:10 drive into Paris) directly, where there is customs, and avoid a positioning, but have a very long car journey into Paris.
Avoid! Just avoid the Olympics altogether. Go somewhere else for your holiday instead.

Tell me more about LFPM/Villaroche

Here’s a report from local handler Elyxan Aviation: ops@elyxan-aviation.fr

LFPT/Pontoise does not have a customs facility and neither do we. This is frustrating as we are the two main Paris airports within a reasonable driving distance of the city centre.

LFPM/Villaroche is actually a good option as we have lots of parking and a modern FBO/with VIP lounge. We can offer 24/7 operations, which even LFPB/Le Bourget cannot. That the French authorities don’t allow LFPT/Pontoise or LFPM/Villaroche customs and immigration is extremely unfortunate, especially as LFPB/Le Bourget is overloaded even normally in the summer.

LFPM/Villaroche is marginally closer to Paris than LFPT/Pontoise in real world times as we have better and closer motorway connections. We’re 45-50 mins from the center and LFPT/Pontoise is 50-55 mins. In reality we are the best for South Paris, and LFPT/Pontoise and LFPB/Le Bourget are better for North. LFPM/Villaroche and LFPT/Pontoise are about equidistant for the Versailles region in real driving times. As the heliport is on the south side of Paris, we at LFPM/Villaroche are better situated for heli transfer into the city (10-15 mins from LFPM/Villaroche and 20-25 from LFPT/Pontoise).

LFPM/Villaroche is less well known, but a substantial airfield and a longer runway than LFPT/Pontoise. Sadly, the airport is managed by the French State and not the private company ADP that manages LFPB/Le Bourget and LFPT/Pontoise. Hence, the lamentable marketing of our airports capability and absolutely superb position.

You can download the brochure for the Elyxan Aviation FBO at LFPM/Villaroche here.