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Autorouter issues and questions (merged)

How do you have internet everywhere? With the prices here, if I need to open autorouter in the UK for example, it would probably cost me 10-15 CHF or even more to see a flight plan. Also fixed internet is still much faster.

LSZH, LSZF, Switzerland

OK; maybe Switzerland is still pricey for 3G. Here (UK and some other places) we are used to say 1GB/month within a €15/month contract.

Roaming is another thing but I get the above deal transferred to anywhere in Europe (even Switzerland and Norway) for £3/day.

I well remember when UK mobile data was £10/MB!

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

It’s OK in Switzerland but once you jump out of the country, they charge crazy.

LSZH, LSZF, Switzerland

I recently learned that a lot of Swiss do not have internet on their mobile phones because of the high cost. In Egypt, everybody age 10 plus has internet on the phone

Also fixed internet is still much faster.

That is changing rapidly. In my new office I only have LTE and I see no real difference to DSL/cable. LTE is becoming very widespread. 3G is also fine for flight plan management, even EDGE is bearable.

That is changing rapidly. In my new office I only have LTE and I see no real difference to DSL/cable. LTE is becoming very widespread.

That is true to some extent. However never forget mountains. Travelling in a train from Bern to Lausanne you have no signal, let alone LTE. Back to my case in Grenchen I had 10 minutes to cancel a flight plan and file a new one and I had only EDGE. I had to call Skyguide and do it on the phone, no chance over the internet.

LSZH, LSZF, Switzerland

In this article (which is probably accurate but needs updating with new methods such as the EuroGA router) I have a comparison of the data used up by the then three available methods.

EuroFPL came out by far the best. I still use it for VFR flight plans, and as a backup for IFR ones.

I was one of the very first users of Homebriefing (the service was first discovered by some Greek pilots!) and used them for a while, only to find they actually offered a very poor service as soon as there was any issue which needed sorting out over the phone. But that was a long time ago…

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Note that you can always call the Eurocontrol helpdesk for anything related to flight plans filed with autorouter. It’s available 24/7 with two centers (in case the Russians drop a nuke on Brussels).

http://www.eurocontrol.int/articles/flight-planning-0

Yes – I have those numbers in my phone but have never felt that the sort of issue I had could be sorted over the phone. But maybe it can be… can they move a flight plan from 0900Z to 0800Z, just like that? And sort out any Eurocontrol slots which result from the re-filing, and make sure the same route still validates?

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I am amazed anyone is still using a PC at a briefing room

What’s so bizarre at that? I’ve yet to land at a field that did not have a PC with hardwired internet access available for pilots.
At my home field there’s several, and on good flying days they’re in constant use.
But perhaps I am the aviation equivalent of an Egyptian 10-year old…

Last Edited by at 30 Apr 15:47
EBZH Kiewit, Belgium

Yes, the Eurocontrol helpdesk can do everything with your flight plan, delay, change, refile, etc. It’s a good service in case other means are unavailable.

I’ve never had the situation that I couldn’t use my mobile. It can be expensive (e.g. Serbia) but even the last dump in Africa has 3G nowadays. I’m absolutely fine with a mobile phone optimized web site and a bunch of phone numbers as backup.

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