Is booking out a legal requirement?
Am not so sure the Rule does not apply anymore.
I posted a query on the Flying Instructors forum and this is an answer I received:-
I posted a query on the Flying Instructors forum and this is an answer I received:-
The requirement is contained in Rule 17 of the Rules of the Air Regulations and is unaffected by the introduction of Part-SERA. The ANO and Rules of the Air Regulations remain law in the UK unless they conflict with EU regulations.
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This has piqued my interest and I suspect that the instructors reply was based upon a general understanding - not having read the specifics.
Firstly The Standardised European Rules of the Air (commonly referred to as SERA) took effect across Europe on 4 December 2014 and in the UK superseded most (but not all) of the UK Rules of the Air Regulations 2007.
The old Rule 17(2) states - 2) The commander of an aircraft arriving at or departing from an aerodrome in the United Kingdom shall take all reasonable steps to ensure, upon landing or prior to departure, as the case may be, that the person in charge of the aerodrome or the air traffic control unit or flight information service unit at the aerodrome is given notice of the landing or departure. which is what most people claim sets the requirement for 'booking out'.
The equivalent SERA clause - which does fully replace the old rules of the air states - SERA.4015 Changes to a Flight Plan
(a) Subject to the provisions of SERA.8020 (b) all changes to a flight plan submitted for an IFR flight, or a VFR flight operated as a controlled flight, shall be reported as soon as practicable to the appropriate air traffic services unit. For other VFR flights, significant changes to a flight plan shall be reported as soon as practicable to the appropriate air traffic services unit.
(b) Information submitted prior to departure regarding fuel endurance or total number of persons carried on board, if incorrect at time of departure, constitutes a significant change to the flight plan and as such shall be reported.
So the emphasis in very much on flight plans or controlled flights - not booking out where borders are not crossed which has been the application by many in the UK.
Firstly The Standardised European Rules of the Air (commonly referred to as SERA) took effect across Europe on 4 December 2014 and in the UK superseded most (but not all) of the UK Rules of the Air Regulations 2007.
The old Rule 17(2) states - 2) The commander of an aircraft arriving at or departing from an aerodrome in the United Kingdom shall take all reasonable steps to ensure, upon landing or prior to departure, as the case may be, that the person in charge of the aerodrome or the air traffic control unit or flight information service unit at the aerodrome is given notice of the landing or departure. which is what most people claim sets the requirement for 'booking out'.
The equivalent SERA clause - which does fully replace the old rules of the air states - SERA.4015 Changes to a Flight Plan
(a) Subject to the provisions of SERA.8020 (b) all changes to a flight plan submitted for an IFR flight, or a VFR flight operated as a controlled flight, shall be reported as soon as practicable to the appropriate air traffic services unit. For other VFR flights, significant changes to a flight plan shall be reported as soon as practicable to the appropriate air traffic services unit.
(b) Information submitted prior to departure regarding fuel endurance or total number of persons carried on board, if incorrect at time of departure, constitutes a significant change to the flight plan and as such shall be reported.
So the emphasis in very much on flight plans or controlled flights - not booking out where borders are not crossed which has been the application by many in the UK.
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A certain airfield manager has stated categorically that filing a flight plan does not constitute booking out at his airfield.
The fact that he has a piece of paper with all the flight details on it, is not the same as a call on the radio saying "off for a local bimble"
The fact that he has a piece of paper with all the flight details on it, is not the same as a call on the radio saying "off for a local bimble"
Avoid imitations
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The 2007 rules have been replaced by SERA. There is a listing on the CAA website of what are referred to as 'retained rules' left overs of the 2007 rules of the air that the CAA has decided to retain. Booking out is not one of them!
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But the critical point is that the rules do not.
the difference between what people think or want the rules to say, is often quite different when you read the actual rules.
the difference between what people think or want the rules to say, is often quite different when you read the actual rules.
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The consensus would appear to be that it is NOT a legal requirement. I'm not interested in the pros and cons of whether it is a good idea or not. If it was a legal requirement I'd like to see where it is written down but it appears that I can stop looking.
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Originally Posted by fireflybob
I can't understand why anyone would not want to book out (or whatever you want to call it). When I say this I'm not talking about unmanned landing strips but places where this a presence in the form of A/G, AFISO or even ATC.
Surely it's common sense to let someone know what you intend to do and how many are on board etc?
Surely it's common sense to let someone know what you intend to do and how many are on board etc?
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Hi All... I cannot think of any airfield that does not have 'Booking IN'.
Even the most remote runway and unlocked cabin set-up has that, if only to record the paying of the landing fee .
Sometimes there are additional columns in their log for time of departure and destination.
Even the most remote runway and unlocked cabin set-up has that, if only to record the paying of the landing fee .
Sometimes there are additional columns in their log for time of departure and destination.
Hi All... I cannot think of any airfield that does not have 'Booking IN'.
Even the most remote runway and unlocked cabin set-up has that, if only to record the paying of the landing fee. Sometimes there are additional columns in their log for time of departure and destination.
Even the most remote runway and unlocked cabin set-up has that, if only to record the paying of the landing fee. Sometimes there are additional columns in their log for time of departure and destination.
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Which reminds me of a time I flew into a deserted Pembray...
Signed into their book, and put my landing fee into the adjacent 'Honesty Box'... Had the usual Tea and Cake at their canteen....
Went to Start Up and Taxi, when someone came running out, saying I had not paid the landing fee... I said 'It's in the Box'... He explained that was the Air-Ambulance charity box, and I still owed them the cash...!
.
Signed into their book, and put my landing fee into the adjacent 'Honesty Box'... Had the usual Tea and Cake at their canteen....
Went to Start Up and Taxi, when someone came running out, saying I had not paid the landing fee... I said 'It's in the Box'... He explained that was the Air-Ambulance charity box, and I still owed them the cash...!
.
Last edited by phiggsbroadband; 30th Mar 2015 at 16:47.
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a condition of the airfields planning permission or for proof of continuous use.
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Airway Code
I joined this discussion out of a pet hate of 'silly' rules. Its positive is that it made me carefully read SERA and the comparison with the old Rules of the air.
One thing it has hopefully made quite clear is that rules which need interpretation or read across from legal principles might be fine for the legal profession but they are no use for pilots, hence the 'phone a friend' 'old wives tales' responses to aspects of this discussion.
Perhaps it makes very clear that the GASVIG or GASVFR or whatever the acronym group's approach to producing an equivalent to the Highway Code would be well worthwhile?
One thing it has hopefully made quite clear is that rules which need interpretation or read across from legal principles might be fine for the legal profession but they are no use for pilots, hence the 'phone a friend' 'old wives tales' responses to aspects of this discussion.
Perhaps it makes very clear that the GASVIG or GASVFR or whatever the acronym group's approach to producing an equivalent to the Highway Code would be well worthwhile?
Many years ago when I was a Watch Manager at Farnborough, we were told of a helicopter crash north of Reading and asked if we had worked the aircraft, which was stated to be an R22 and 2 bodies had been found in the wreckage.
I checked through our flight progress strips and found we had worked it northbound to Wycombe, but its type was given as an S300. Knowing that an R22 is a 2-seater but an S300 is a 3-seater, I checked with Wycombe ATC to see if they knew how many were on board.
The lovely Coral told me they had booked out with 3 on board, not 2, so I duly informed police and AAIB they should be looking for a third person.
They eventually found the third body some distance from the wreckage.
Had the airfield not required the pilot to book out, the search for the third person might not have been initiated; had that third person survived the crash (AAIB deduced they must have jumped out before impact) they might not have been found and could have died of their injuries.
Is that not a good reason to book out?
I checked through our flight progress strips and found we had worked it northbound to Wycombe, but its type was given as an S300. Knowing that an R22 is a 2-seater but an S300 is a 3-seater, I checked with Wycombe ATC to see if they knew how many were on board.
The lovely Coral told me they had booked out with 3 on board, not 2, so I duly informed police and AAIB they should be looking for a third person.
They eventually found the third body some distance from the wreckage.
Had the airfield not required the pilot to book out, the search for the third person might not have been initiated; had that third person survived the crash (AAIB deduced they must have jumped out before impact) they might not have been found and could have died of their injuries.
Is that not a good reason to book out?