"Why do you want airways to be Class D"
I don't, its just my compromise suggestion for the ones who reckon its all to dangerous to un-regulate airways
I am well aware of the ease and joy of flying in the US, I was over in LA a few weeks back. Its just no hassle, you file your flight plan, pick up your clearance and go. In some area's, for example the LA Basin and New York, you are not even required to file a flight plan with a FSS if you are going to one of many 'popular' destinations. You can request a 'tower en-route' clearance to the destination via RT to Ground or Clearance, pick up your clearance which is a prefered IFR route [eg. LGB to Santa Barbara] and away you go...no hassle. Normally the controllers will try and expedite your routing once airborne if able. If flying further afield, the hand off is seamless. Flew to Phoenix from LGB, Socal approach -> LA Centre -> Alberquerqy (spelling?) centre -> phoenix approach...piece of cake.
"What about IFR in the open FIR - UK allows this on vanilla PPL, no-one else does
AFAIK"
But don't forget you still have to remain in sight of the surface blah blah.....Pretty useless really isn't it?
Cheers
EA
PS United Ch9 provides excellent entertainment.