Of course you can file with Eurocontrol through AFTN
Yes, you can. I used to file IFR flight plans with the AFPEX tool.
But you will find that that’s not how certain free FP filing services do it, because an AFTN mailbox is not free; even the cheapest option which is various US-based services, is quite expensive. A part of this is a desire to make “AFTN vandalism” and spamming less likely; spam does already exist.
For the AR, see here for the definitive version.
Airborne_Again wrote:
Silvaire was talking about IFR flight plans, so I was talking about that, too.
It wasn’t me… I don’t file flight plans and know approximately zero about them 
Telling someone they can’t land when diverting is just dangerous. If there’s a real reason, e.g. resurfacing the runway, then fair enough, but safety should always come first. If it’s serious enough land first and sort out the mess later.
Pilot workload will be high enough already without the airfield adding to it. In this situation it would be tempting to say “ok, landing in field 1 mile from runway: please send ambulance and fire engine” but I’m not that bloody-minded in real life.
I have seen a lot of bad A/G radio practice (while pretending to be super-professional) on small UK airfields so this officiousness isn’t surprising. Things would sort themselves out in A/A with a lot less talking. Whilst PPR is annoying for the pilot, it must make invoicing easier for the airfield as all the details are supplied when getting PPR. Getting PPR for more than one airfield is even more annoying, and longer trips might have many alternates en route.
In theory flight information should call the airfield to notify them of arrival, but it’s unlikely to happen in southeast England.
With a few low importance diversions (turned back, or landed at a known airfield, or didn’t really have to divert) this is mostly opinion.
Silvaire wrote:
It wasn’t me… I don’t file flight plans and know approximately zero about them
My mistake. It was NCYankee.
Most UK airfields signed up to the Strasser scheme (waiving fees etc. for genuine diversions for weather or technical problems), so I’d be very surprised about a Strasser-scheme airfield trying to refuse someone a diversion “because they didn’t PPR”.
If an airfield was PPR and I had it as an alternate I would always give them a call. It sounds like this was a planned landing if the pilot couldn’t get to the destination. Hence call up before you leave as a matter of politeness as they have requested.
An emergency diversion is different.
If you have to land, you land. Full stop.
The assessment of whether your situation is an “emergency” lies with the PIC and nobody else.
Discussions are for on the ground, not on the radio.
An A/G or AFIS cannot forbid you from landing, and I would be astonished if they even attempted to do so, given the potential repercussions if a diverting aircraft subsequently crashed or worse.
Re : GAR, I am sure there is a “get out” clause somewhere which waives the requirement in case of a diversion.This is certainly the case for French customs airports, which was confirmed in a recent discussion with a customs officer.
In the context of the discussion, this article is rather unbelievable:
http://flightservicebureau.org/the-diversion-dilemma-over-london/
Interesting. I wonder if any airline pilots here can give examples of an airliner diverting but not wishing to declare an emergency?
Peter wrote:
Interesting. I wonder if any airline pilots here can give examples of an airliner diverting but not wishing to declare an emergency?
A diversion for meteorological reasons should not be an emergency as long there is sufficient fuel.
