Airspace in the UK?
When I last flew in the UK I noticed some quite strange things about the airspace. For example, if I remember correctly, Plymouth Airport has a control tower and air traffic controllers but it is actually in G uncontrolled airspace. At the time, controllers were actually separating IFR aircraft from other IFR aircraft in uncontrolled airspace.
The other point I noticed was that a pilot could go IFR in uncontrolled airspace in the UK – in IMC – and do so without a flight plan and without communicating to anyone. Whilst some pilots said it never happens, I met a number of pilots who said they regularly flew in IMC without a flight plan and without communication to air traffic control. In fact, a person at the CAA at the time said that this was a very safe airspace as the IFR aircraft were not flying on air routes but random.
Any advice about the current British system would be greatly appreciated.