This is from the latest GASCO bulletin “the Director’s report was to remind pilots once again that this service is not expected to give a controller an overall concept of the precise relative situations of those receiving the service"
Why oh why does the UK pretend to offer any kind of service at this level when clearly it is a total waste of time and effort? I wonder if it just lulls less experienced pilots into a false sense of security?
Please can someone translate that bulletin into something that I might understand, clear English perhaps?
So why would I go for Basic, if there is Traffic Service?
Basic Service A Basic Service is intended to offer the pilot maximum autonomy and is available to IFR flights in Class G airspace, or VFR flights in Class E and Class G airspace. If the ATCO or FISO are aware of airspace activity that may affect your flight they will tell you; however, this is subject to their workload and the avoidance of other traffic is solely the pilot’s responsibility. Maintain a good lookout.
Traffic Service Under a Traffic Service, an ATCO will use radar to provide you with detailed traffic information on specific conflicting aircraft; they will not provide you with deconfliction advice, regardless of your meteorological conditions. A Traffic Service is available to IFR flights in Class G airspace, or VFR flights in Class E and Class G airspace.
Deconfliction Service Only available to IFR flights in Class G airspace. An ATCO will use radar to provide you with detailed traffic information on specific conflicting aircraft AND advice on how to avoid that aircraft. However, the pilot retains responsibility for collision avoidance; you can opt not to follow the ATCO’s advice.
Procedural Service Only available to IFR flights. A non-surveillance service in which deconfliction advice is provided against other aircraft in receipt of a Procedural Service from the same ATCO; the ATCO will not be aware of any other aircraft. The pilot is responsible for collision avoidance. Maintain a good lookout.
The UK Basic Service is ICAO FIS – Flight Information Service. It is an ICAO requirement to provide it. It provides stuff like a radio contact, getting weather for airports, checking danger area status, and alerting (i.e. you can make a mayday call on it).
Above it you have a Traffic Service, which is a (no obligation ie. at controller’s discretion) traffic advisory service… obviously limited by various things like non-txp traffic, etc. I tend to ask for this… why not? The drawback is that you get traffic info on stuff maybe 7 miles away which will never be visible.
Above it is a Deconfliction Service; this is a vectoring service. It is rarely used and is useless on a busy day due to the strict separation criteria. Commercial/AOC operators tend to have it for the Class G portions of their flights.
All above is in Class G only. In CAS you get a Radar Control Service.
The Basic Service is usually without the guy seeing you on radar, or (in the case of London Info) seeing you but not being allowed to say it because he’s an FISO who is not allowed to officially see a radar screen. It’s a waste of time IMHO except for checking DA status, or a listening watch for a mayday call.
Please can someone translate that bulletin into something that I might understand, clear English perhaps?
Re why this warning appeared, it could be due to this
Who at Gasco would write " Both were on a Basic Service and possibly imagined that they could therefore rely on radar for separation." ?
So which of those most accurately reflects the service I get under VFR from an SIV (FIS) here in France so I know what to ask for on my next VFR flight to UK. I am particularly concerned about any route between Calais and Blackpool and how to avoid infringing CAS when transit is either refused or standby and that’s the last you hear of them. In some cases it seems you have to have a plan B which means to make 180 degree turn go back the way you have come and either try to transit elsewhere or take a long way round. Or you plan for a very long way round in the first place.
Officially, the UK BS is the FIS.
Practically, none 
Nothing protects you from a CAS infringement, short of asking for a transit and getting formally cleared. You have to plan the flight in Class G, as a default, and any transits you want to ask for will be a bonus.
Calais to Blackpool would best run up the east coast, and once you are past the Southend area then it gets simpler.
The other thing I find is that a basic service can vary from effectively nothing to pretty much a traffic service depending who you’re talking to.
I seldom bother talking to london info. But very happily will talk to scottish info most of the time.
gallois, I would concur with Peter that running up the east coast is an easier option for heading to the north west. There’s also a couple of self serve fuel options which I use on the way if needed.
Please could someone tell me, in simple words, why they ever ask for a Basic Service, rather than use a combination of FMC (listening squawk) and monitoring 121.5?
In simple words “flight school teaches this”. For a long time post ppl I asked for a basic service almost automatically.
In south scotland there aren’t really any listening squawks, Scottish info I don’t believe can offer anything above basic service.
Timothy wrote:
Please could someone tell me, in simple words, why they ever ask for a Basic Service, rather than use a combination of FMC (listening squawk) and monitoring 121.5?
1. Flight school teaches it this way
2. These days London Info warns you if you are heading in the wrong direction (drop zone, for example), at least they warned me
3. You know that the radio still works! :)
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