RotorHorn asked:
What IS the correct procedure for diverting?
I've only had to do it for real once, which is once more than I'd like to have had to do it.
First lesson: there's no point taking a Pooleys with you if it's somewhere you can't reach it. In my case, I was in the front seat of a Super Cub, with no pax, and my flight case, including my Pooleys, was in the baggage compartment at the back. I didn't have any pax to help me reach anything. Since then, my flight case has always been somewhere where either I or my pax can reach it.
I think I was talking to a LARS station at the time. I informed them that I was going to divert to Cranfield due to IMC, could they please pass me the Cranfield frequency. Ok, that was the first hurdle sorted, I had a frequency.
I still didn't have any idea about runway layout, or any special circuit procedures, or any frequencies other than the initial frequency to contact them on. So, when told to pass my message, I told them I was a "Super Cub, White Waltham to Sywell, diverting to you due to IMC, unfamiliar with the field." I was expecting that the "unfamiliar with the field" bit would be enough that they'd go easy on me, and that's exactly what happened. They were quite happy to have me stay on the approach frequency all the way until I'd vacated the runway, and they let me do an overhead join even though standard procedures there don't allow them. Apart from that, everything is normal.
Do make sure that your destination field knows that you're diverting, even if you are familiar with the airfield (or if you've got your Pooleys in a more convenient location than mine was!) If nothing else, many airfields won't charge a landing fee for diversions! Don't be afraid to ask for any help you need. And apart from that, just treat it as normal.
If you're expected at your original destination, and you haven't informed them on the radio, I guess you could just call when you land, or pass the message via ATC and follow up with a call once you land. If you have a flight plan, there are rules about having to call the destination, which I can't remember off the top of my head, but common sense says that you should let them know asap.
FFF
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