This does beg the question why can't Swanwick be a bit more helpful?
I didn't know how to use the AFPEx system (because most airports in the UK I believe use it on behalf of the pilot) until one day when I was at an airfield that had a terminal but no one there seemed to know how to use it.
After finally finding an instructor who could help me the computer froze for ages. As it happened it didn't matter that I was delayed but it was really frustrating to have to try and use it (Not the fault of the system itself I might add which I believe generally works well). I rang Swanwick and all they said was that the airfield should do it for me and that he wasn't allowed to process flight plans for airfields that were on the system...
I just don't understand why this is...as far as I know the help desk is at Swanwick itself, surely they should be able to help people out in situations like this when equipment is not working or internet is not available. Could anyone who knows the system better shed any light on this?