On the French IGN 1:500,000 charts there are places marked with a red square/dot which aren't supposed to be flown over below, according to the map legend,1000 ft AGL. On the equivalent Belgian 1:500,000 chart these areas are shown as "P" (prohibited) areas with a circle of a few NM radius with a  more restrictive height requirement, typically 3300 ft, in the few examples I have found.

One example of a site with special marking is called "Pitgam" approx. 10 NM south of Dunkerque.

These places areas aren't shown at all on SD maps as far as I can ascertain. Is this because their positions aren't promulgated via usual aviation channels?

Tony Nowak

I had a look at last year articles in the French papers, and it appears that some pilots have been in trouble after flying over such sites. One helicopter pilot have been sued, has lost his job and has spent a lot of money (3 years judiciary process) to prove he was not guilty (and not recover his job, of course). In his case, the site was a prison (every prison is such a special zone - so special that the sign itself is painted on the roof, see attached file and/or check with google earth!).



So, the unknown radius is of course an issue but applying the same mecanism to those areas than the one SD uses for windmills/antennas/chimneys/... would certainly be a good solution because in 2016, french authorities won't be forgiving with pilots flying over an explosive factory...

M