Crossing borders, some clarity?!?

[Tristan Gooley]

I have searched this forum and read a couple of articles in the mags, but the more information I gather on the subject of form-filling for international flight the murkier it seems to get.

I understand about the various requirements for customs, flight plans, special branch etc. but what I don't understand is the time prior to flying notifying requirements. In an attempt to clarify the situation (which might backfire horribly!) here is an honest question:

If I fly from a customs designated, Prevention of Terrorism Act designated airport like Shoreham to any other customs designated airfield (including Channel Islands, EU, non EU) and back to Shoreham, I don't need to give anyone any 4/12/24hr prior notice do I?

I ask because if you are tight on time 24hrs is a long wait.

[owenlars]

Its all in the AIP section Gen 1.3 and onwards. See link

http://www.ais.org.uk/aes/pubs/aip/html/default.htm

Sorry finger trouble. My understanding is that to CI, NI, IOM and Eire you always have to give 24 Hours notice to Special Branch using a General Aviation Report, irrespective of which airfield you fly from, but you can do always outwards and return at the same time.

Owen

[FlyingForFun]

I don't have the documents to hand, but I think owenlars is wrong.

I have a distinct memory of being in the Channel Islands en route to France, but was not able to make it to France because of the weather. I sat down with the customs guy trying to find out what the regulations were regarding special branch if I wanted to fly back to the UK instead of pressing on to France, and we figured out that I was ok if I stopped off at Bournemouth on the way back... so that's what I did. I'm pretty sure we found all the information we needed in Pooleys - so I'd make that the first place to check if I were you.

(If I get a chance I'll check myself and post the details, but don't hold your breath because I'm pretty busy over the next few days.)

FFF
-------------

[Johnm]

The following extract from the GAR form is pretty clear.

CUSTOMS RECOGNIZE THAT THERE ARE FOUR TYPES OF AIRFIELD
1. CUSTOMS OR DESIGNATED E.G. SOUTHAMPTON, BIGGIN HILL, LIVERPOOL
2. GENERAL AVIATION AGREEMENT AERODROMES (GAA) E.G. GOODWOOD, ELSTREE
3. PRIVATE AIRFIELDS AND HELIPADS
4. MILITARY (NOT COVERED IN THIS DOCUMENT)
1. AT A DESIGNATED AIRFIELD YOU MAY ARRIVE AND DEPART WITHOUT PRIOR NOTIFICATION TO CUSTOMS ( THIS RULE MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE ). YOU WILL BE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A GAR PRIOR TO DEPARTURE AND ALSO ON ARRIVAL FROM FOREIGN.
2. AT A GAA AIRFIELD YOU CAN FLY TO AND FROM ANYWHERE, BUT THERE ARE DIFFERING PERIODS OF PRIOR NOTIFICATION REQUIRED DEPENDING ON YOUR DESTINATION/DEPARTURE POINT.
OUTWARDS – TO ANOTHER EU COUNTRY THERE IS NO OBLIGATION TO ADVISE CUSTOMS OF YOUR DEPARTURE.
OUTWARDS – TO A NON-EU COUNTRY (INC CHANNEL ISLANDS*) YOU MUST NOTIFY CUSTOMS AT LEAST 24 HOURS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.
INWARDS – FROM ANOTHER EU COUNTRY – 4 HOURS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL
INWARDS – FROM A NON-EU COUNTRY – 24 HOURS PRIOR TO ARRIVAL
*CHANNEL ISLANDS – NOTIFICATION PERIOD IS 12 HOURS.
3. AT PRIVATE AIRFIELDS AND HELIPADS YOU CAN ONLY FLY TO AND FROM OTHER EU COUNTRIES, UNLESS YOU HAVE AN AGREEMENT TO DO SO. IN PARTICULAR, FLIGHTS TO/FROM THE CHANNEL ISLANDS WILL NEED TO BE AGREED WITH CUSTOMS AND POLICE.
THE NOTIFICATION PERIOD IS THE SAME AS FOR GAA AIRFIELDS.
NOTIFICATIONS FOR FLIGHTS SHOULD BE TO THE NCU BY FAX 0870-785-3738 OR E-MAIL [email protected]
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS REGARDING FOREIGN TRAVEL IN YOUR AIRCRAFT, PLEASE CONTACT THE GA TEAM ON 02380-797089 OR E-MAIL [email protected]
PRIVATE AIRCRAFT COMMON TRAVEL AREA FLIGHTS/TERRORISM ACT 2000
If you are flying to/from the Channel Islands, Isle of Man, Eire or Northern Ireland you must fly via a designated airport under the Terrorism Act OR give 12hrs prior notice in writing for the Police area in which the Port is situated. Please refer to the Police contact numbers printed on the rear of the GAR. It is an offence under the Terrorism Act to willfully fail to comply with this legislation.

The list of designated airfields is on the same form

CUSTOMS & EXCISE / TERRORISM ACT
DESIGNATED AIRPORTS
ABERDEEN
BELFAST/ALDERGROVE
BELFAST CITY
BIGGIN HILL
BIRMINGHAM
BLACKPOOL
BOURNEMOUTH
BRISTOL
CAMBRIDGE
CARDIFF
CARLISLE *1
COVENTRY
EAST MIDLANDS
EDINBURGH
EXETER
FARNBOROUGH *2
FILTON
GLASGOW
HUMBERSIDE
ISLE OF MAN/ RONALDSWAY
LEEDS BRADFORD
LIVERPOOL
LONDON ( CITY, GATWICK, HEATHROW, LUTON, STANSTED )
LONDONDERRY
LYDD
MANCHESTER
MANSTON
NEWCASTLE
NEWQUAY/ST MAWGAN
NORWICH
PLYMOUTH
PRESTWICK
SHEFFIELD
SHOREHAM
SOUTHAMPTON
SOUTHEND
STAVERTON/GLOUCESTER
SUMBURGH
TEESSIDE
*1 CARLISLE not Customs designated

*2 FARNBOROUGH not designated under the Terrorism Act

The only area of confusion is the issue of when to notify immigration!

Hope that helps

[Tristan Gooley]

Thanks alot for the replies so far.

Customs need to be cleared, Special Branch need to know, immigration need to know and...

...not wanting to be difficult, but I've read all the suggested documents already and I'll still can't answer my question. I'll throw down the gauntlet, does anyone reading this know how much prior notification (0/4/12/24hrs?) I need to give and to whom if flying from Jersey to Shoreham (both of which are customs and POTA designated)?

I'll be really grateful if anyone knows the answer.

(FFF I think and hope you're right, but I haven't been able to verify the Special Branch part yet. On customs no prior notification should be required.)

[Brooklands]

Tristan,

If the airport is designated for Customs AND POTA then AFAIK no notice is required. That was certainly the case when I first went to the Channel Isles a few years ago - we had to stop at Southhampton outbound and inbound, and they didn't require any prior notification for Customs or POTA.


Simplest answer though is to phone your intended point of departure/arrival and ask then what, if any, notice is required for each


Brooklands

[bookworm]

Has Shoreham recently been designated for Schedule 7 of the TA 2000 then? I know the GAR notes you quote indicates that it is but it wasn't in 2001 when the Act was passed.

[Johnm]

The list seems to be designated for both Customs and Special Branch unless there's an exception noted.

Farnborough has a Special Branch exception noted Shoreham doesn't so I guess Shoreham would count as a designated airfield for both.

Therefore you could turn up at no notice, fill in your GAR in FBO and be on your way.

A lot cheaper than Bournemouth or Southampton too!

It may not be coincidence that all three of these airfields now have scheduled flights to the Channel Islands.

[bookworm]

The problem is that it's not up to HM Customs and Excise to designate airports for the Terrorism Act 2000. There seem to be two possibilities:

1) Shoreham has been added to the list by an amendment to the TA 2000

2) HM C&E has made a mistake in producing their list.

If the latter turns out to be the case, guess who goes to jail. Is it:

A) A Customs Officer; or
B) The Pilot-in-Command

? :)

[englishal]

No notice required from Bournemouth....I've never given any, and am still walking a free man :D

[Johnm]

I think Bookworm may be right about caution on the Special Branch designation from the GAR list.

The position re Shoreham though should unambiguously sourced by following the advice here

http://www.sussex.police.uk/online_forms/ports_unit.asp

Here is the list of dedicated ports from schedule 7, no sign of any update at this point and no sign of shoreham on the list
Aberdeen
Biggin Hill
Birmingham
Blackpool
Bournemouth (Hurn)
Bristol
Cambridge
Cardiff
Carlisle
Coventry
East Midlands
Edinburgh
Exeter
Glasgow
Gloucester/Cheltenham (Staverton)
Humberside
Leeds/Bradford
Liverpool
London-City
London-Gatwick
London-Heathrow
Luton
Lydd
Manchester
Manston
Newcastle
Norwich
Plymouth
Prestwick
Sheffield City
Southampton
Southend
Stansted
Teesside

[mark147]

In the case of Shoreham, the answer is on their web site:

http://www.shorehamairport.co.uk/pilot-airfield.asp

It says:

Customs: Operating times as Airport opening hours

Non EU Customs to be booked with ATC by 1600hrs (local) on preceding day.

For flights to/from the common travel area (Ireland, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man) permission is required from Special Branch as early as possible, with at least a minimum of 12 hours before the intended flight. Full details, forms and telephone number available in Briefing Room, or click here (http://www.shorehamairport.co.uk/permission-tf.asp) for the form.

Hope that answers your question.

Mark