UK Flight Plan Question
A Foreign heli pilot is operating in the UK. They are going to fly from a private site in Wales where there is no fax, no internet.
This pilot recognises that he is operating in one of the UK designated hostile areas of operation and consequently wants to file a flight plan.
All I can find at the moment are fax numbers etc.
What is the telephone number that pilots can use to file a flight plan from a muddy field in wales using a simple mobile telephone?
Secondly, this heli pilot is departing from an isolated site and proceeding to another isolated site this time in the Highlands of Scotland. There is no one available to act as the "responsible person". What has happened to the following?
Calling the FIS and having a dep message sent to activate the flight plan? and
Requesting that an ATS unit act as the "responsible person".
It seems to me that the latest arrangements are not in accordance with ICAO SARPS because;
1. Not every flight can file a flight plan if they want
2. Flights that have filed a FPL can not have a dep message sent by an ATS unit when they are departing from a remote site
3. No alerting service is provided to flights on an active flight plan - the onus is on the flight to have a non-ats agency perform the alerting function.
Seems to me that the CAA needs to look again at how NATS are providing the service in the UK with regard ti flight plan filing, activating, closing and the alerting service for flights to remote places on active flight plans.
Regards,
DFC
Regards,
DFC