S.E. UK, 600 yds grass strip in use over 25 years, close to one corner of London Airport Gatwick's small CTR. Even so they accept our non-radio operation and are excellent neighbours to have & we take care not to infringe it or annoy local residents, who appear to like our presence.
Like the other man said, so the UK called 'Basic Service' is a poor joke & it becomes less accessible the busier the traffic gets. Radio monitoring for light GA use is spasmodic, unless you're desperate to only exchange reg. details & get QNH it is demonstrably unreliable if expecting any warning of other traffic. [The better RT crew of them for radar warnings lies in its 'East' sector].
Our main problem however is not lack of plenty of flat to land if the engine plays up nor finding help with habitation close by, or mobile 'phone coverage, but significant threats via applications to our CAA to secure large areas of airspace to themselves by greedy lesser airfield operators.
Norwich has already blighted more area than Gatwick has for practically no traffic. Southend recently got a vast increase making east of London transits narrow by obtaining compulsory radio, and are pressing for total control.
Farnborough has delusions of grandeur & the areas and levels they seek to control will reduce the opportunity for safe GA flight around London & the south east of England.
Lastly 'EASA' where European non-flying beaurocrats, despite a valiant rearguard action from our own CAA, command that all new radios installed must be 8 K/cs spacing. Even worse, our safe for 100 years VFR light operation "clear of cloud and in sight of the surface" is about to be lost.
That along with airspace theft indicates few flights can easily remain legal.
mike hallam.
Last edited by mikehallam; 23rd Dec 2014 at 18:14.
Reason: poor English