Scheduled Flight - VFR?

[This is a crisis]

Just wondered what the readerships views were on scheduled operators flying around VFR and Low Level?

I always thought the CAA guidance was that scheduled operators should, if possible, operate in controlled airspace. If not possible, then they should take advantage of the highest ATC service possible.

A certain operator, despite the availability of an advisory route and RAS from an ATCC, still insists on flogging over the sea VFR in sometimes dubious weather conditions at low level....sometimes under 1000'.

I think people paying over £100 for a ticket deserve better than that.

[Red Four]

I beleieve there is a similar sort of operation on the south coast also, but no whiff of radar, or even full ATC at one end!

[eyeinthesky]

An Ops Manual with which I am very familiar has the following guidance:

Commercial Public transport flights SHOULD NORMALLY be routed via the airways network. Where there is no controlled airspace at departure or destination airfields or no interconnecting airways structure, more direct flights may be planned. In such cases, VFR flights my be undertaken, provided that the actual and forecast weather conditions indicate that at the planned cruising altitudes the relevant visibility minima and distances from cloud can be maintained.

It also mentions radar being desirable but not compulsory.

I'm not sure what the problem is. Provided the pilot has VMC conditions and is complying with the other host of limitations, what more do you want? I'm sure the punters would rather be at low level in clear air than bouncing along in cloud at FL50 on an extended routing. Also, an ADR only provides separation from PARTICIPATING IFR traffic. How is it safer to be barrelling along IMC on an ADR with no radar cover than it is to bve VMC beneath?:hmm:

[This is a crisis]

I have no problem with people flying VFR it is just I dont feel the paying punters are getting the best protection they are entitled to.

The following factors come to mind:

a) The operator always files IFR plans on the advisory route but always cancels them prior to departure to go VFR. In effect the flight is then operating without any flight plan. The implications - no DEP signal, overdue action etc are obvious.

b) Our unit is radar equipped but they always depart at a level below which we offer a Radar Service.

c) The advisory route is as near as makes no difference a direct route to the destination and the ACC responsible for the route always provide a Radar Service.

d) The airspace in between is very busy with military low level flights and test flights.

I would have thought flying IFR, at the correct quadrantal, in receipt of a Radar Service from either the departure and destination airfield, or the ACC, is far safer to flogging around low level, in marginal VMC, mixing it with all the other traffic.