Oh, Ex FSO GRIFFO, if only you knew how much I remember and lament the passing of FS. A wonderful organisation dismantled by a zealot (would the term 'fundamentalist' apply?). Many were the days in the north that I recall an absolutely professional and friendly service. I was only a kid, but my uncle flew charter, and I used to go along for the ride. I had a lot of contact in the Top End with the FS guys through my uncle. Sure, it cost the Commonwealth a few bucks, but when you are over the East Alligator River in a C172 that starts sneezing, FS always knew where you were. On the other hand, maybe I'm so far out of date that a flight note would replace the: assistance, advice, monitoring, traffic information, hazard alerts, get your clearance into controlled airspace and generally make you feel that someone was listening out for you that actually gave a rat's.