Yes, nice photos.
Peter, where is Photo number 2? Photo number 3 is Samedan... with Pontresina in the middle. The deeper second valley in the distance of the second photo makes it indecipherable to me.
Quotation from JasonC (with ANTEK's comments):
Well in Australia we always did (and still do) approaches to fields (without "towers" or when "the tower" is closed) with just a CTAF (after receiving a little prior warning from the Centre regarding any reported IFR traffic in the area; useful warning indeed since everyone flying in IMC in those uncontrolled areas, often with no radar coverage, is still required to remain in constant radio contact with the the Centre that provides, often on HF, flight following services for the area).
where is Photo number 2? Photo number 3 is Samedan... with Pontresina in the middle. The deeper second valley in the distance of the second photo makes it indecipherable to me.
1st is Locarno LSZL from this trip
2nd is Ambri LSPM from this trip
3rd is Samedan LSZS from this trip - one of my first big trips abroad, all the way to Crete, VFR, no messing about 
I didnot realize until now that most countries still allow "I" when departing og arriving at VFR aerodromes. boscomantico, I observed the same change, in Denmark, but believed it was for everywhere.
It does suprise me why some don't allow it, since banning it has no practical meaning if the airport is outside CAS and thus there is no ATC capable of giving you (or denying) an IFR clearance. Germany explicitly disallows IFR in Class G and presumably they wanted to make it doubly clear...
It does suprise me why some don't allow it, since banning it has no practical meaning if the airport is outside CAS and thus there is no ATC capable of giving you (or denying) an IFR clearance. Germany explicitly disallows IFR in Class G and presumably they wanted to make it doubly clear...
In the case of The Netherlands, IFR in G-airspace is allowed but in the AIP they published a list of all the airports and airfiels in The Netherlands (not that many) and in the same list mention what kind of operations are allowed on the airport/airfield: VFR, IFR or VFR/IFR. So, if VFR is only mentioned they reason that an IFR departure is not allowed from that aerodrome.
The whole business of departing "untowered" and hoping to collect an IFR clearance when airborne is fraught with problems.
A number of instrument rated pilots have been killed during this phase of flight (waiting for an IFR clearance) and that is just counting the ones I know about because e.g. they were based at my airport or I knew them otherwise. Even "smart people" have bit the dust doing "stuff I would never do" in these cases.
Peter, have you joined the PPL/IR Group? I'd imagine you can reach ATC via telephone to obtain a time window in which you should be airborne and ready to join the IFR system.
Peter, have you joined the PPL/IR Group?
Yes; I have been a member since about 2004.
I asked there too and nobody knew of a phone number for London Control. Obviously (I know) some ATCOs do know it but posting it openly is a different matter. Also it's a closed forum, read by only ~50-100 people.
Getting hold of the "top-secret" number for London Control is a recurring UK topic, not least because there are non-ATC towered airfields whose "minder" refuses to make the phone call on behalf of the pilot.
I'd imagine you can reach ATC via telephone to obtain a time window in which you should be airborne and ready to join the IFR system.
I think you will find the "clearance void" method is an American invention, which will never work here because, as we all know, the USA is littered with aircraft wreckage and Europe cannot tolerate such poor safety
Top secret? Here are some numbers published in the UK AIP:
LTCC Watch Supervisor: +44 23 8040 1100
LTCC Senior Watch Assistant: +44 23 8040 1110
I'm sure someone can help you there, or point you in the right direction.
That's a brilliant find.
I have just called them (2nd number; 1st was busy) and yes they can do the provisional departure clearance.
They need the Eurocontrol flight plan in the system.
Well done
Learn something every day...
A pleasure. :)
Perhaps you should request to the PPL/IR group that these numbers and others across Europe be made obvious and sticky on their forum.
From Peter
In the UK there is no reg prohibiting a “DIY” descent.
From the AIP
[italic text fixed up – a long standing issue here because the __ italic method fails if there is a trailing space]
