Originally Posted by
Dan Dare
I’m not an expert in that particular airspace, but I’d be surprised if you would get a better route than suitably south of the Gatwick holds. If something like GWC-DVR is a big detour and you want to go between Gatwick and Heathrow then I’d be suprised if you get to join controlled airspace before Kent somewhere.
IFR departures from Blackbushe and Fairoaks towards DVR often file to join at OCK at FL100 in spite of the FISOs at both airfields telling them to file the SDR (GWC - SFD - DVR).
The pilots sometimes moan (especially if it's a bit bumpy) that they don't get climb from 2,400 until they approach DET although Thames Radar do try to do it as early as possible .