Was flying last week in a twin from a south East Airport to a North West airport.
Filed IFR, FL 100 and at first all fine. Flew a SID and then was vectored with radar headings at FL100. First to the north east, then to the west and then to the south west.
Joked that at this rate we would be making a huge oval back to where we started. Complaining that we were going in the wrong direction we were given direct to destination and dumped south east of Brize with the message contact London Info 124.75.
We were now on top of an overcast (just) at FL100 with 100 nm plus to go and were offered a basic service
Below the aircraft there were multiple layers to a cloubase of around 2000 feet and fairly solid on the way down.
1715 and Brize were shut. Brize the superb radar service which was always open and needed by us guys in IMC outside CAS.They used to cover a lot of the mass of uncontrolled airspace to the North and west. Their services are sadly NO more.
Shawbury closed.
At 30 miles to destination (a small airfield) told London info of our descent intention. " Nothing known ahead" and given the regional.
Passing 6000 feet in cloud one solitary glider flashed past the wing in IMC on this windy cloudy day
too close the worst nightmare in the russian roulette out of CAS with no radar cover.
This and the new ATC services is streamlining the system? or your now on your own outside CAS? Or are we even wanted in CAS? Beware we are forgotten in GA and its dangerous in the so called big sky.
Pace