This thread is relevant to this topic. It shows a video from Edinburgh ATC.
We are now getting a new version of this:
To get a transit, they are asking for a flight plan.
In the UK, flight plans are not distributed enroute. Even Eurocontrol IFR ones are binned as soon as you leave CAS so an airport further down won’t get it. So you have to address a FP to xxxxZPZX or xxxxZTZX (not sure which) additionally, by hand. And of course intra-UK flights don’t need a formal FP filed anyway, unless in the Eurocontrol IFR system.
Apparently, the reason is that NATS are short of money due to smaller income from airline route charges (due to CV19) and they are cutting costs by laying off ATC assistants. These are the people whose job it was to write out (or otherwise generate) the “strip” for someone asking for a transit. And the ATCO may not have time to do it. Whereas if a FP is addressed to the airport, those with software for this get the strip generated automatically.
As with the previous “email for transit” proposal, whether this actually affects the % chances of getting a transit, nobody knows. Probably, a pilot must not leave the request too late, but that’s the advice anyway especially with some airports.
This new “scheme” will have the considerable side effect of generating huge numbers of FPs generated by Skydemon which are full of lat/long coordinates which nobody in ATC can decipher, but hey nobody looks at VFR FPs in the UK anyway 
Thread name slightly edited.
Skydemon should just replace GPS coordinates in the FPL route by the names of the VRPs and that would be it. But some countries refuse names in the route field.
UK leans towards the “International” system (Spain, Ireland, etc…). To me it is better than yet another software.
However, many SD users just rubber-band a route.
And VRPs are not valid identifiers for an ICAO FP.
The knowledge of how the “system” works is basically zero within the PPL sphere; the tools hide it from you, and enable the ATC system to be flooded with garbage which in the long run will ensure that even fewer people care what is in the FP.
Also SD uses EuroFPL and EuroFPL pays for the US AFTN gateway KBLIHAEX per flight plan (as does the Autorouter, for V Z and Y FPs). So SD is paying for all this crap out of the £139/£89 annual cost, which in due course will have to go up.
The AFTN mailbox is not dirt cheap; it isn’t say 1p per FP. I don’t know the current rates but my recollection is of the order of $0.50/FP. EuroFPL offer 10/month free, which is subsidised by all those who pay.
Peter wrote:
And VRPs are not valid identifiers for an ICAO FP.
If it works for a NATS FP, it would be more than enough
SD gives 10 to 20 FPLs per yearly subscription, it should be enough. Most would just try to avoid CAS as they already do.
Peter wrote:
they are asking for a flight plan.
Just to clarify for the people not reading the other place, it is only one particular unit: Cardiff.
NATS
Partly to understand it better, we need to remind ourselves, there are 2 NATS. NATS En-Route (NERL) and NATS Services (NSL)
NSL is providing services at various airports. So in this case we are speaking of NSL Cardiff.
Why NSL Cardiff are chosen this way rather than notaming the class D airspace as G as other NSL unit have done is the question?
(And why the CAA let them do it?)
Unfortunately “the other place” is all over the internet There are countless GA sites on FB for example. I don’t enjoy reading sites where people keep getting beaten up…
Thanks for the clarification. I expect this to spread, however…
Notaming D as G within a specific timeframe is high-risk for GA because if you make a mistake by 10 seconds, you get busted. This is what e.g. Solent (EGHI) has been doing (D becomes G) and I would always advise total avoidance of their airspace regardless of that concession – because the price of a mistake is just too great. Perhaps alleviated by attempting a radio call but no-reply doesn’t mean it is G and then your bust is gonna be a stellar-size one
Those last 2 posts express the fear factor of flying GA in the UK. Pretty much all Class D in France revert to G at night. Military TMA are activated/deactivated within minutes everyday and have been for ages here.
Of course there must be some fool crossing one with his radio off sometimes.
Xtophe wrote:
Just to clarify for the people not reading the other place, it is only one particular unit: Cardiff.
There was actually a UK FIR NOTAM (B1107) for “ground FPL” to access CAS, of course that everybody ignores including ATC
Peter wrote:
I would always advise total avoidance of their airspace
I don’t share your view. I think the route taken by Solent was appropriate. The first version of the NOTAM was badly written. The later one OK.
