Hi Hootin!
Is it technically possible to create a freehand text entry system? Absolutely.
Will it happen at a NATS unit in the near future? Definitely not.
We asked for something similar from the outset, and it went straight into the 'way too difficult' pile. Reasons included;
1. having a system that recognises many different handwriting styles (and the fact that handwriting styles change over time).
2. the copious data entry errors that occur would have been a nightmare (think about how **** your signature looks when you sign for those dodgy parcels on the delivery guy's hand-held device).
3. oh, and the small matter of cost!
All of our entries are pop-up based. It's not always ideal, but three years down the line since O-date, it's interesting to see the speed at which ATCOs manage the pop-up boxes.
See you soon for a pint of Summer Lightning! Lovely!