Its important that we resist the ‘Authority Creep’ which this action by BF typifies, although I wouldn’t want to go back to the bad old days when we couldnt just rock off from Sleap to France as we do now, but had to make a pointless landing at a UK ‘port of entry’ field …
I guess he just wasn’t too good at maths
1993 may have been the definition for “a minor” the year the officer received training!.
UK GAR – nothing new so far?
Today, after coming back from Dresden, I got a call from a lady in HM Customs, saying they didn’t get the GAR.
I had emailed it in the usual way, to the “hmrc” address, and they did later find it.
But in a subsequent email she pointed me to this document local copy which is dated March 2015, and which points to this website which in turn points to the
I am sure we have done this here to death before but at least it looks like nothing has changed.
She confirmed that the email facility is still fine to use, which is good.
March 2015 document is really useful. Far clearer than some of the confusing info out there.
I am curious about one thing; When was the GAR requirement put in place?
Well before my time, but until about 8-10 years ago everybody I knew, myself included, ignored it, for normal European (non Ireland, CI etc) trips.
Then, suddenly, UK PPLs discovered they had to file a GAR to go to (more accurately, come back from) Le Touquet, and the whole scene got a big shock 
I don’t recall what changed so suddenly. I think the enforcement suddenly got tight.
But I have not been flying long. Maybe someone who has been doing it longer can post the history of it…
Le Touquet is probably the busiest regularly unmanned customs airport in northern France visited by UK planes.
Unlike customs at Le Havre and Deauville, I’m not sure why I have never seen their officers show up.
Perhaps they think their own (not UK GAR) 2hr prior notification method by email is sufficient…. That’s French/Schengen borders for you! ;-)
Maybe that’s why the UK/CTA side needed tightening up….
I can’t cut and pace from my iPad but the description of “other places” clearly states that if you are flying to an EU country then a GAR is not required!
I don’t recall what changed so suddenly. I think the enforcement suddenly got tight.
The Daily Fail stirring up paranoia about people (potentially foreigners!) being able to get into the country. Something Had To Be Done.
I was under the impression that the GAR email facility was cancelled and that you had to go to OnlineGar or AOPa onlineGAR (the same) and pay your £3.00. The last time I tried emailing them (last year) it failed constantly.
