VFR Flight Plans: Are they worth filing ?

[peterh337]

In the absence of a radar contact, one could argue that a listening watch on say London Info would serve that purpose too.

I know London Info have radar screens now, which they can't talk about openly, but I wonder if they actually use that to track people in a way so that if you made a mayday call they would locate you right away.

I am also sure that if everybody who is currently flying around "silently" actually did call up London Info, the service would instantly collapse.

[soaringhigh650]

Basic service gives me the confidence that someone can hear me, and I can hear them.

Obviously if you do want to talk to someone, you are probably better off at getting traffic advisories where available. If it is radar derived even better. In the US it is called Flight Following. Internationally it is known as FIS.

Basic Service implies non-radar. You pass them your details, they collect it on a strip, only to trash it later. They don't even have to pass it to the next guy. And 10 minutes later they have no clue where you've gone if you don't tell them anything. It's a useless tie up of the frequency. You'll be far better off by just listening in.

If you just want to check you radio, go to 121.5 or 123.45 and see who can hear you.

If something happens, I've only got to press that button on the control column. Worth more than any FPL.

You can never plan for this. What if your radio fails at that moment? What if your distress call gets stepped on?

A FPL would already hold your details if you so wish to file one. Obviously the intention of any well designed modern system is that it should be electronically distributed appropriately. And if you don't close your flight plan, any sensible country would automatically initiate overdue action.

[mad_jock]

123.45

That will be a ground handling agent then in the UK.

[fisbangwollop]

Soaringhigh...

Basic Service implies non-radar. You pass them your details, they collect it on a strip, only to trash it later. They don't even have to pass it to the next guy. And 10 minutes later they have no clue where you've gone if you don't tell them anything. It's a useless tie up of the frequency. You'll be far better off by just listening in.

I would like to think that here at Scottish Information we take a little bit more interest and care about the customers we can only provide a basic service to!!

[soaringhigh650]

Your facility might do. If so, good. That makes UK ATSOCAS inconsistently inconsistent.