Flight Plan for Class D VFR
 

CAP 694 Chapter 1, Table 1, states a flight plan must be filed for a VFR flight in Class D airspace. Has booking-out/radio contact been deemed a Flight Plan? If so, is that likely to continue? (I've not been a frequent Class D user, but it's proposed for my home airfield, Inverness.)

Varies from country to country.

In the UK booking out and/or the initial "pass your message" sequence is deemed to be an abbreviated flight plan and sufficient.

In my experience, for all practical purposes, if you flight starts or ends in controlled airspace, you need to file a flight plan beforehand. If you're just looking for a transit, you can usually file via the radio while in the air.

However each country has specific rules, and these rules may be superseded by the regulations of individual airports. The only real definitive answer will be in the AIP.

From CAP 694:

No mention here of necessarily having to fill in a form though, as Backpacker and OhNoCb have said, there may be regional variations as to how a flight plan should be filed.

It's not a UK requirement to file a written flight plan for VFR in class D airspace. The radio call at the time meets the requirement.

I must say I am surprised reading CAP 694, it does appear to state a FPL needs to be filed for flight within class D.

I haven't trawled all through the doc for exceptions that are probably there.

There are no exceptions, a flight plan is required.

However, in the UK, these can be "filed" by simply booking out (when departing from a Class D) or over the radio (when arriving or transiting through class D).

I wouldn't be surprised if a lot of UK PPLs were not aware of the requirement to file a flight plan for controlled airspace. The problem is that in the UK this is not done through paper filing, and as such a lot of people won't link that booking out or talking to ATC can constituted a flight plan being filed in an abbreviated form.

Certainly if someone asked me in the UK "Do I need to file a flight plan to go from A > B through class D?" my answer would be no, because if I said yes they would go and file a full flight plan, which is not required.

It is enough to book out over the phone if departing from inside the Controlled Zone (say class D) or request clearance by RTF if arriving to the aerodrome within the Controlled Zone or transit through. Chapter 4 about the abbreviated flight plans, Chapter 5 is all about booking out ...

Yet again we have the situation where the written words from our regulator are not clear, I have never filed a FPL for flying through Class D any more than most have, and I have flown through a lot of it over the years, of course the RTF chatter prior to entering it has always been sufficient, and is all that is needed, so why persist in writing ambiguous "rules"

So shouldn't there be in brackets along with the table to state the obvious that "booking out" over RTF is sufficient for the flight unless it is covered by the weight/distance requirements.

I am going to put this to the test with fellow pilots and ask them the question re filing FPLs in Class D and wont be surprised at the answers.

So, should the average PPL holder understand that class D VFR needs a flight plan? Let's look it up in a typical PPL level text book. How about the AFE course written by Jeremy Pratt? Lots of people learn from that.


Air Law p67 (of the second edition, 2000):


"a flight plan must be filed in the following instances:
... for a flight in class A airspace
... for an IFR flight in controlled airspace (Classes A to E)
...for VFR flight in Classes B, C and D airspace. This may be an abbreviated flight plan passed over the radio."


That's pretty clear and straightforward it seems to me. And clearly the average PPL should know.


And PA28181, you have filed a FPL for flying in Class D - you filed an abbreviated flight plan by talking to ATC about your intentions on the radio and requesting transit.

Flying through the relatively new Southend Zone (Class D) and training in the Southend Area from North Weald and Stapleford - none of the training flights and P.1 flights have filed on "paper" per say.

It is all done over the radio after the initial "Pass your message call" - which is suitable for all intent and purposes.

Scoobs.

Yes I did say that.

I still think that CAA docs, like CAP694 should make it clear when stating FPL's MUST be filed, but elsewhere says "you don't really have to do this, do this instead. They should not make what appear set in stone rules, that are contradicted elsewhere in their publications like "Air Law" etc.

Again, round here this is basic knowledge for any scholar of aviation rules. And yes, we were also taught that the requirement can often be met by filing per R/T at first contact. Actually my R/T exam included such an example, for a VFR flight from EBAW to EBCI. One needed to be aware this call was actually an implicit filing of a flight plan, so some details needed to be given that wouldn't make much sense otherwise.

That sounds quite plausible, I have no experience of the UK but similar words have come across from very various corners.

The words of the regulator are crystal clear, you must file a flight plan. Since it doesn't say how, the method is open to operational decisions. In practical terms that means systems such as booking out over the phone, by fax to the tower from the ops room, email, text or over the radio. Which option is chosen is for the air space controller to decide and (usually) publish.

Well, yes exactly. PA28181 seems to be making the assumption that "to file a flight plan" means it must be on paper and in great detail.

CAA documents are not modified by textbooks. It does not say an abbreviated flight plan is acceptable. Abbreviated flight plans are defined elsewhere.

Paper flight plans? I thought those went out with the ark.