Flight Plan

[long final]

I have never had the need to file a flight plan, but tomorrow I will be going to IOM and think I must file one. ( All that water and all )

My flight plogging software is kind enough to produce the actual plan and all its necessities. What I don't know is exactly what to do next. Is it as simple as faxing it to ATC? Do I have to send a copy to IOM or anything else?

Any help appreciated.


Regards

LF
;)

[Courtman]

Yep, its as simple as faxing it to ATC. They will then forward the plan to all those who need to know.

If you are planning to depart significantly later than the planned time, be sure to let ATC know and they will send a delay (DLA) message. Also, ask ATC to confirm the plan is activated and that it is deactivated at the end of the route (esp. in France - numerous articles in Pilot cover this, SAR being declared because the plan wasn't closed).

One thing to be careful of, make sure you have told Immigration and the Special Branch if you are going to the Isle of Man, I've never been but I believe it falls under the same rules as Jersey where you must clear Customs out and in and tell Special Branch. A call to your local customs man will help you find out the exact procedures. Customs will more than likely need a General Declaration, which has the names of all on board, along with date of birth and passport numbers, plus other details.

Edited to add more data.
:) ;) :D :)

[foxmoth]

No customs or immigration for IOM, but you do need Special branch clearance from Uk departure/arrival airfield (unless it has changed in the last few years).

[WorkingHard]

Requirement to be fulfilled in Terrorism Act (2000) Schedule 7. Unclear whether Special Branch need to be "asked" for permission or merely informed. Unable to refuse it appears for private flights there you are required to inform them. Position for private flights (i.e non commercial) being looked at by Home Office and what various Special Branch departments are demanding. Suggest all private pilots lobby MP to see what can be done for us. If you travel schedule then no one seems to know or care who you are or why you are going. Don't let them treat private pilots this way without a fight.

[CaptAirProx]

Working Hard, I wouldn't be that cynical about the deal. When you travel scheduled from Bristol to Belfast, you have to stand in position while a computer takes a photo of you. Sometimes get asked questions about where you live etc. All airports have special branch arrangements, and they will have a list of all the pax manifests for every flight. They just pick and choose which flights to target, or look out for certain names. Like all these things its a matter of risk whether the dodgy guy goes through this way and whether the officials can be there. Its all a matter of risk. No information to special branch from private pilots, no risk what so ever, therefore a complete open gap. Believe me, they know all about you if you don't tell them. If you do, they appear not interested but invariably will have done the checks on you. I have a great working rapore with the Wiltshire Constablary. They approve flights for me last minute on the bases of they know me now. I just send details to them. I have been caught once doing a lowish 600ft pass at night over an aerodrome which was reported and traced. I had to explain myself. They said if I had done it the same, third time in a row, there would have been the "lads" in the perry track bushes waiting to bounce. Customs included.
I think they do a worth while job, and certainly if you play the rules they can be very helpful and considerate.

[long final]

Thanks Courtman, took your and other non-pprune info, and it seems pretty straight forward. No passport needed tho. All I need now is for the weather to hold enough to get there.

Regards,
LF

[WorkingHard]

CA - Yes they do a very worthwhile job but why are private flights singled out for such idiotic treatment. Yes idiotic. Do you really think a terrorist is going to advertise his arrival and departure in a private aircraft? In any case one need only go to say france before going to IOM or Channell Islands and then no SB involvment at all.
I am not knocking SB just the system is decidely weighted against a very law abiding section of the community and I think we should all be constantly on guard against erosion of our freedoms.

[boeingbus2002]

:rolleyes:
I think that is the point precisely!

Terrorists et al. dont want to advertise if they are using a private flight. If Special branch know about yr flight and whos on it..they will be more confident that you or yr pax are not terrorists.

Think of it as covering all options. Commercial airlines have these checks too, and if you ever walk off a Belfast flight and see men/women in suits watching each pax..thats them! Its just they are very inconspicous...trying to avoid being noticed!

Im all for making private flying more easier etc. but these guys arent solely out to ruin yr day.

BTW even if you dont need a passport, id advise to take it if you have one!

[A and C]

In my opinion the P of T act has more to do with the banking sector in these islands that people trying to commit terrorist acts via the IOM or CI,s.

I think that the SB want to keep an eye on who is trying to use the more liberal banking structure and tax laws in these islands to finance acts of terrorism.

As a regular visitor to the IOM to see the motorcycle races I have found that the SB dont turn up to inspect me now but on my first visit I got asked a lot of questions about motorcycle racing all on the face of it easy going by the SB officer but all the same I,m sure it was all to build a picture as to if I was a bike race fan or up to no good.

I am fully in support of P of T act and am sure that it is not the waste of time that some would like to have us think.

[Kuhtai]

I realise that at the time of my posting you may be back home again, but it may be of interest to others in a similar situation.

Ronaldsway, Isle of Man airport has an excellent website at /http://www.iom-airport.com/

If you look at the air traffic control page there is lots of information about flight plan requirements, what to send, who to send it to, etc.

[long final]

Kuhtai,

Thanks to you and all who posted - back home now. Pretty straight forward. Ronaldsway were helpful so it all went pretty uneventfully.

LF
;)

[DFC]

One does have to wonder about the usefulness of the PTA 2000.

After all If I fly from Oxford to Jersey, I need to advise the Special Branch. However if I do a touch and go at Cherbourg enroute, I don't.

Furthermore, The UK's only land border has no security at all and one can come and go as one likes. However if you fly across that same border, you need to inform the Special Branch in advance.

It is a requirement to file a flight plan for all international flights. In this day and age it must be easy for the Special Branch to link into the flight plan system and using a simple filter, review flights departing from non-served airports to foreign destinations. They could use this information to send a local plod arround to get some details and ask some questions if required.

The air defence can chack all movements and flight plans so there is already a system in place.

Money spent on a new computer would easily be offset by allowing that plod to return to the beat insted of waiting by the phone for a possible call from some PPL going foreign.

DFC

PS The IOM Special Branch keep your details after the first visit so on subsequent visits, all they need to know is your name and the fact that you were there before.

[CaptAirProx]

Working Hard, I do agree with you that being able to go to Cherbourg and do a touch & go just negates the whole process. But I still think that there needs to be some sort of notification even if its retrospective.

You see, I reckon that if you made a habbit of flying to Jersey via Cherbourg or wherever in France, then Special Branch would start getting suspicious. Then you may find a welcoming party either at Jersey or home base or even at your house! So I think the mere fact of having to be honest and tell someone what your doing can weed out the dodgy geesa's! BTW I am not suggesting you are one of them, I am just making a point!

I think someone else came up with the real reason SB are here and its all to do with transfer of money etc to the tax haven's. I really don't think they are there to stop terrorist attacks in light aircraft or to stop the dodgy person on their first offence, as they wouldn't be informed of the flight as suggested by people here. But it is a way that any abuse of the system can be collated and dealt with given time.

I remember flying a student of mine to Jersey, so he could meet his friends. He is wealthy. I could'nt believe how sniffy SB were being in Jersey. They knew of him and wanted to check his brief case. So I see there point!