"Pelagic, you seem to be condemning the system without having even tried it! Why not wait until it goes live and reserve judgement."
TB
I have looked at whats on the AFPEx webpage. I am concerned that a fully automated system (or one manned by non-experienced staff) may just let me down when I need it most.
I would prefer to see AFPEx as an addition to the services which NATS offers (via the FBUs), rather than a moneysaving replacement, which I think is the real reason for its creation.
IO540
"Firstly, I was not aware that NATS even offered a "flight planning service". Where is this service??"
"Secondly, one needs to ask what function does the human element serve,..."
"In VFR, nobody looks at the filed route anyway, man or computer"
"And with the crap which pilots routinely put on VFR flight plans, units like Heathrow aren't going to type them in in a hurry."
"What old system? Can you elaborate on the exact job loss problem?"
"I know lots of people still fax flight plans to say Heathrow and it's very nice of the people there to accept them and type them into the system, but they have never guaranteed to accept flight plans from anywhere to anywhere (outside the UK)."
"Is the FBU staffing (i.e. union opposition) the reason why it has taken so long to get this function online?"
Having read over all your comments in the two threads, I would second what 25check has just written, and I would also add that for someone who has "never had a need to use them", you are very quick to judge/dismiss the efforts and services - yes, services - which the Heathrow FBU supplies.
Despite what you have to say about your knowledge of flight planning issues in general, it would appear that what you know about NATS and the Heathrow FBU could be written on the back of a stamp with a whitewash brush.
forgot to say - I'm not a union rep either.