UK-Aldergrove Filing Flight Plans?
 

Having flown back and forth between Aldergrove and Shobdon (both VFR & IFR) a few times now I have a question regarding the filing of flight plans.

Outbound to Aldergrove I have always faxed a flight plan to Manchester at least an hour ahead of departure. On the return flight I have got Woodgates to fax a flight plan to the tower at Aldergrove and I have waited an hour for it to work through the system. I have a nagging feeling that this is all a waste of time and that booking out with Aldergrove Tower would be sufficient. Am I correct?

I am, of course, referring to flights off-airways - just class D & G.

What exactly are the requirements from the ATC end?

In the situation you describe I think it probably comes down to whether you want overdue action taken if you don't arrive when advertised. If you file a FPL people will coming looking for you, if you book out there are no guarantees.

Flight Plans
 

Check UK AIP for filing times - IIRC the required times are 1 hour before EOBT for non-regulated routes and 3 hours for regulated and oceanic routes. Often the plan will be acknowledged well in advance of the EOBT if you follow those guidelines. It takes time to input your details - humans are involved in the process!

isnt it a requirement to file a flight plan for all IFR flights in class D airspace?? - is a bookout sufficient for and IFR flight in class D??

An abbreviated one is usually sufficient for flights leaving CAS.
However a significant number of pilots don't understand the legal nuances in the ANO between the need to "book out" in class G and "cause a flight plan to be transmitted" when leaving class D.
This is partly because the procedure of informing ATC in these circumstances before departure is identical at many class D and controlled class G fields: the information passed is usually the same. Therefore it's easy to see why pilots usually call this simply "booking out", Class D or no Class D.

That's precisely why I posted my question here. To try and understand the legal nuances or even to understand the process from the ATC side.

Overwater
 

Jaywalker

If flying over water over a certain distance it is always recommended to file a flight plan.

In the end a flight plan if treated correctly meaning geting it activated and closed on arrivel is always a good safety thing.

The recommended rules are laid down if pilots do not know they shoud always ask.

We had an IFR plan this afternoon take 58 minutes before it got rejected as it was manueled on receipt by IFPS and got rejected due to a level problem.

So if pilots take care if IFR make flight plan filing well before ETD and if VFR file a plan and do the neccessary things if it needs to be activated and closed on arrival.

We get a lot of aircraft transit our airspace and it is class A and over a lot of water and pilots have not filed a plan and some have entered controlled airspace with out a clearence.

Recommendations if IFR file well in advance.
if VFR always file a plan for your own safety but remember to activate on departure and close on arrival.