The Big Loop in VFR

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Your dream is to participate to the Tour de France, but not biking ? Take your aircraft (single engine) out of the hangar to assist the technical support team of the Tour de France ! Ensure logistics between and during the steps : everyone counts on you ! Have good flights !

Opening date and time

06/07/2019 00:01 UTC

Closing date and time

15/09/2019 23:59 UTC

Total distance

1204 NM


Rules

General rules for tours :

  • Those general rules for tours are applicable to all French division pilot's tours. Are excluded ATC tours and Special Operations tours. 
  • Some tours might have specific rules. In case of conflict, specific rules overrule general rules. 
  • All flight must be performed online on IVAO network, with real weather. They have to be accomplished in real time rate (simulation rate x1 only, accelerated mode prohibited) 
  • Legs must be accomplished in the published order 
  • Speed restrictions IAS<250kts below FL100 must be observed.
  • Maximum speed in cruise is M0.85 with a maximum FL450.
  • During cruise phases, a disconnection up to 20 minutes is tolerated, providing the fact that it does not disturb the network operation, especially under ATC coverage. Please report any disconnection in your pilot report. 
  • The use of UNICOM in text or voice mode, in absence of active ATC online, is MANDATORY. Legs might be rejected if not compliant. 
  • All legs must be validated by sending a pilot report. It is essential to read and understand validator's comment for each leg, including if the leg is validated. We advise to not pursue the tour without validation of previous leg. 
  • Pilot report must be sent within 12 days following the flight date. Any leg sent outside the window will be rejected. 
  • Pilot report must include list of ATC contacted during the flight, and procedures performed during the flight. 
  • A 'Direct to' is allowed, only with ATC instruction. Please mention any direct obtained in the pilot report. 
  • It is mandatory to disconnect from the network at the end of each flight. 
  • Pilots will be particularly aware of:
    • In IFR:
      • Parity Odd/Even
      • Minimum and maximum airways altitudes
      • Published procedures when ATC is offline
    • In VFR:
  • Take a really good care of your flight plan:
    • Flight plan with wrong or misspelled airports will be rejected
    • Filled equipment must be compatible with the aircraft
  • Prevailing flight plan will be the active one during take off
  • Operate the flights under military or any other Special Operation type is not allowed. Type of flight must only be G, S or N. 
  • The use of military aircrafts as described in 10.1 of the Special Operations Rules is prohibited on civilian tour.
  • It is requested to be connected on the network at least 2 minutes before take off, and stay connected at least 2 minutes after landing. This will allow the tracker to save your flight entirely. 
  • An IFR route, IFPS compliant at the time it is published, might be proposed on some legs. It is only a suggestion, you can perfectly fly your own route. 
  • One flight can only be reported once, for one leg on one tour, even if the leg can fit for 2 tours or more.
  • Flight as a crew of two pilots, with shared cockpit functionality, is permitted on division's tours. However, only the pilot "master" of the connection is allowed to fill a pirep. The second pilot, connected as an observer, will not be allowed to fill a report based on this flight. 
  • Should there is any follow-up or contestation after a leg validation, everything has to be sent only at tour@ivao.fr. Supported languages are English or French. They have to be sent no later than 7 days after leg validation.
  • The use of the IVAO France Tracker is optional on all tours, except Skills.

Specific rules to the The Big Loop in VFR tour :

  • All legs must be carried out on IVAO network with real weather.
  • All legs have to be flown in the right order.
  • Flights must be performed in real time (sim rate x1 only - sim rate above x1 is strictly forbidden).
  • Members not communicating intentions on Unicom 122.800, or crashing into other traffic, can be excluded from participation.
  • Completed flights must be reported after each leg by using flight report so that to be validated.
  • You must disconnect after each completed leg.
  • Please pay attention to your flight plans :
    • Flight plans with wrong departure/arrival airfields will NOT be accepted.
    • Pay attention of your plane's equipments, they must be compatible with your plane (a C172 can't be equipped with RVSM, for example).
  • Each leg has to be flown:
    • According to visual flight rules..
    • In VMC (Visual Meteorological Conditions).
    • You must follow published VFR path : it will be checked !
    • Follow the integration procedure of traffic pattern : it will be checked !
  • Legs 1 to 25 are restricted to category A single-engine aircraft piston and helicopters.
  • To be connected a minimum of 5 minutes before take off and stay connected a minimum of 5 minutes after landing, for the correct record tracker.
  • Every pilot having completed all legs of the tour in accordance with the required conditions will be awarded.

List of legs

LegsDistanceStatusActions
1. EBBR - EBCI26 NM- Details
2. EBCI - LFSW88 NM- Details
3. LFSW - LFQA12 NM- Details
4. LFQA - LFSN87 NM- Details
5. LFSN - LFGY40 NM- Details
6. LFGY - LFGA16 NM- Details
7. LFGA - LFSB31 NM- Details
8. LFSB - LFGG29 NM- Details
9. LFGG - LFLH97 NM- Details
10. LFLH - LFLM31 NM- Details
11. LFLM - LFMH49 NM- Details
12. LFMH - LFHR41 NM- Details
13. LFHR - LFHQ21 NM- Details
14. LFHQ - LFCI79 NM- Details
15. LFCI - LFBO36 NM- Details
16. LFBO - LFBT65 NM- Details
17. LFBT - LFBP21 NM- Details
18. LFBP - LFBT21 NM- Details
19. LFBT - LFMK101 NM- Details
20. LFMK - LFDJ27 NM- Details
21. LFDJ - LFTW125 NM- Details
22. LFTW - LFNA81 NM- Details
23. LFNA - LFLG46 NM- Details
24. LFLG - LFLJ34 NM- Details
25. LFLJ - LFLB34 NM- Details
26. LFLB - ZZZZ-- Details