Hello all ATCO's
I have a little query, and I know the answers will be personal opinion over anything else but here's a situation for you:
Pilot to Radar controller: "Radar, G-ABCD has just departed AirfieldA, overhead VillageA at 1500ft on QNH1015, request to transit the zone VFR on track VOR-X and basic service".
Radar controller to Pilot: "G-ABCD, basic service, squawk 1234, QNH1015. Stay outside of controlled airspace".
Pilot to Radar controller: "Squawk 1234, QNH1015, basic service and wilco, G-ABCD".
Radar to Pilot: "G-ABCD, due to traffic movements, clearance is unavailable. Confirm your routing outside please"
.....
10 minutes later, a pilot from the same club, who had mischievously planned the same routing, in VMC, but opted to try IFR...he was allowed to transit controlled airspace, albeit maintaining altitude 3000ft IFR.
There was nothing stopping the VFR pilot from climbing to and holding that, weather was fine, no Class A etc anywhere near to cause any issues.
My question to you is : as an ATCO, do you see VFR pilots inside your airspace more of a problem than say, an IFR pilot? Even if the routing is the same, even if the VFR pilot could maintain the same as the IFR pilot? It happens a lot at a nearby Class D and recently, I tried the same trick IFR and was allowed straight through, on my intended track at my intended altitude
Many thanks
Lee