Before talking about a 'decent FIS', perhaps it's worth understanding just what a FIS amounts to...? There's still a Safety Sense leaflet about types of service...

SSL about ATSOCA

On the topic of Southend, the charges are astronomical - a couple of approaches and a couple of circuits, plus one landing and twenty minutes parking, cost knocking on for £100 a couple of weeks ago (PA-34). Value for money???

Aha! Obtain a FIS from the likes of Farnborough and see how it compares to the 'same' service from London Information. That's what I mean by a "decent FIS"...one that comes with a squawk. The contractual obligation is no different from the official definition of a FIS so I assume this is why ATC prefer FIS to RIS.

I think you might be ill advised to condsider a FIS with squawk as being any better than a usual FIS. Just because they have a squawk from you doesn't mean ATC are doing anything more than checking that you are doing what you said you would be doing. After all a FIS only means you get weather, nav aid info and info on known local traffic. Having said that most controllers seem to give a little more if workload allows.

So back to the original thread, unless you are doing zone transits, how many people should you talk to? In theory you only need to talk to departure and destination airfields, although it would be wise to get a FIS from London en route. Would make the RT much simpler and encourage a decent lookout. On the other hand with so many regional airfields taking procedural IFR traffic, maybe we should be talking to everyone. It is interesting to fly with some ex mil pilots and see how little they use the radio.

HWD,

I don't have a bad word to say about Farnborough, but sometimes I do get a bit of a shock when they've given me a squawk (and one would therefore typically presume they're watching me blip across some screen somewhere) and they don't call me with traffic which I would really prefer to know about (EGLK<->CPT between 2000 and 2500 being a prime example).

I'm not complaining at all, they really are the most friendly and helpful bunch you could ask for! But it's caveat emptor out there - it doesn't matter how they dress it up (with a squawk), you're still only buying a best-endeavours FIS.

Rgds,

TPK:ok:

You can tell I'm bored at work today :O

Absolutely PK. I wouldn't, nee, couldn't disagree. I'm feeling a little guilty branching the discussion. Just to say if anybody hasn't visited somewhere like Farnborough...do! Upon viewing their screens I was dumb-struck by how much traffic there is compared to how little I actually see.

:ok: