Perhaps I should clarify ...
When planning the trip in question, I knew that the weather at my intended destination was forecast to almost certainly require an instrument approach, but was looking as though it would be OK in terms of my minima and capabilities. Therefore, I was quite happy to go for it as a primary.
Looking at the forecast, it was obvious that the weather would increasingly improve if you tracked north and west of my primary. There are several airports with IFR facilities within an hour's flying of my primary, with the weather even looked good enough for VFR at the outer range of the hour's flying. Since I would have about 2.5 hours reserve on reaching the primary, I was completely confident that I could achieve either an instrument approach or a visual one at an alternate should I need to.
As it happened the actual at my destination was much worse than forecast, and it clamped in very quickly during my flight. Diversion activated, safely down, no problem.
Now, lest there be accusations of my looking for an unwarranted freebie, let me be clear. If you're the type of person who would choose not to divert when advisable because it might cost you a few quid, I reckon that makes you (a) human, but (b) daft. I chose to fly with a divert as a real possibility : therefore I chose to accept the probability of picking up some charges. Tough, but that's life. In the end, I paid landing fees, bought fuel there, ate in the cafe, hired a car etc. I don't have a problem with any of that.
However, if I'd been told on arrival that there was no need to pay because of some scheme, would I have accepted the generous offer ? Of course I would, and I'd have been grateful, still bought fuel, eaten etc etc, and regarded this as one of those rare occasions in my brief flying career when something good has turned up FOC!
So, in my case I wasn't there because of bad planning, bad luck or bad anything, and I guess I didn't deserve any waiver of fees. BUT : if there is a scheme, and it does encourage people not to take unplanned risks, or offers help to those who get genuinely caught out, then surely this must be a good thing ?
FF
