tmo wrote:
but in case of VFR in Poland I often go OCAS → CAS → OCAS → CAS and get cleared into each bit of CAS (usually a TMA, but also CTR and others) independently, but without any delay or discussion;
I have similar experiences from Poland. Once I got cleared to my destination (!) VFR transiting Poland from Czechia to Germany. Of course, that clearance is not valid in Germany, but it was a delightful surprise that I didn’t have to worry about all the airspace ahead in Poland.
Remembering this thread I was thinking of what would happen when I flew EGHQ-EGLK last weekend. Due to RAD mandatory routing rules for aircraft inbound into EGLK, I had to file the southern UK route instead of routing via Cardiff/Bristol where controlled airspace is lower and adjoins Q63 into CPT where controlled airspace is lower as well. So I filed:
EGHQ DAWLY DCT GIBSO DCT SAM DCT RUDMO KATHY1V EGLK
(SAM DCT RUDMO is the RAD mandatory routing requirement:
)
Overall ATC service was much better than expected. Received the clearance from Newquay Ground and handed over to Newquay Radar on track DAWLY, climbing to FL90. Closer to Exeter, I was then handed over to London Control which provided me with a Traffic Service OCAS, N864 (Berry Head CTA) crossing clearance and then Traffic Service and clearance to enter controlled airspace near SAM with clearance for KATHY1V arrival route, then shortcut SAM-EVATA and handover to Farnborough Radar for the STAR and descent into Blackbushe.
Positive surprise was that I received a radar service throughout and that the Newquay controller told me “Given that you will need to cross controlled airspace north of Berry Head, I will hand you over directly to London Control” and gave me the airways squawk 0242. London Control then asked me what type of service I wanted so I asked for Traffic Service and I was then handed over from one London Control sector to the next all the way even though I was flying OCAS (136.6→129.43→134.125) at FL90.
This was the flight as recorded by FlightAware FR24: https://uk.flightaware.com/live/flight/N799DS and https://www.flightradar24.com/data/aircraft/n799ds#27711734
Interesting!
It is possible that our “forum campaign” is having some effect, particularly given the international nature of EuroGA and the wide exposure these UK issues receive outside the UK as a result.
NATS, along with all of UK ATC and the CAA, read EuroGA daily. And when I posted a link to this thread on FB (I use FB to promote EuroGA) some time ago, I got beaten up by a bunch of NATS ATCOs (which is completely normal; beating up anyone criticising “the system” is an AMC with the company social media policy 
) but maybe the issue is finally getting some attention.
They would have of course realised that a foreign pilot on a Eurocontrol IFR flight will expect a continuous service, and if [the man who demands to be nameless] busted him, the foreign CAA would just laugh at the UK for silently terminating his IFR clearance in the first bit of Class G.
I plan to do this flight again soon (one cannot visit EGHE currently but I would do it just for photos) so will find out 
