Originally Posted by
andre1990
Brilliant answers, cheers!
Quick follow on question, so there is no explicit need to navigate around areas/the UK via VRPs?
Not VRPs, no - normal practice is to select suitable waypoints and use those. But, those waypoints might be towns, hills, masts... anything that works for you and your PLOG.
And is there some sort of unicom across this uncontrolled expanse? I wouldn't like the thought of xx number of pilots doing their own thing over Manchester with no central/communal comms system! (A flight following would be nice!)
Sort of. Generally you talk to the local LARS service - there's a page in Pooleys that shows all the frequencies - higher or in the middle of the night, you might use London or Scottish Info, who will provide a bit of support if you need it.
Inside controlled airspace, you need to talk to the designated controller for that airspace, and busier controlled airspace they're unlikely to let you in without a serviceable transponder.
Realistically however, most trips outside of a few congested bits of airspace (mostly around London and Manchester) there actually is no particularly good reason not to turn the radio off and enjoy the peace and quiet for a while. You might see another aeroplane every half hour on many routes in the UK, less often than that outside the UK.
G