The UK operates a system whereby border crossing traffic is continually monitored, matched up against flight plans, etc.
Up to the 1960s this was done by some part of the Royal Air Force called Fighter Command, AIUI. I don’t know who does it nowadays. I do know IBM have produced special software for it – I recall reading some avert for it.
How does this work between countries which don’t require flight plans for border crossings? I realise there are very few of them, and there are few if any border checks in mainland Europe anyway, but have these countries abandoned any pretence of controlling the movement of criminals, smugglers, etc?
Specifically to GA, there must be something going on because it would be easy to load up a high-end bizjet with a big bomb and fly it from somewhere in the Middle East to somewhere in Europe.
I can see a terrorist isn’t going to necessarily be filing flight plans, but correlating flight plans with radar returns is quite important to reducing the workload involved.
A high end bizjet needs a flight plan to fly controlled airspace anyway. Any non-compliant non-squawking target is picked up by primary surveillance radar.
Bad guys will appear adhering to the rules for as long as possible.
Peter wrote:
but have these countries abandoned any pretence of controlling the movement of criminals, smugglers, etc?
Yes, there are no more serious border controls at german frontiers on the ground, criminals know about this. ISIS has already anounced to bring in young fighters to Europe for terrorist attacks in the near future. The german government don`t care about for political correctnes.
But private pilots must pay with high income taxes for this policy and have to show their passports when returning from UK.
Fact is that violent criminality is already commonplace in Europe. In France armored vans are routinely stopped and attacked with RPGs and heavy cal machine guns. 2km from where I live a gang crossed the border and used a large-ish amount of plastic explosive to detonate the bullet proof glazing of a bank (in fact so large an amount they also blew up their getaway vehicle in the process…)
Germany simply does not care about movements of aircraft as much as it doesn’t care about movements of cars. There are no border checkpoints anymore in Schengen, you only see a sign saying “Bundesrepublik Österreich” or “France”.
Police checks are still performed routinely but not at the border (that would be illegal). The Federal Police check on federal highways some kilometers from the border but only occasionally and very targeted.
Apart from AIS, nobody is watching flight plans routinely over here.
I don’t think there is a problem really. I want freedom of movement and the odd criminal roaming freely is just the price way for that freedom. The fact that the UK do not participate (while Ireland do) is just ridiculous but it harms the UK more than the rest.
achimha wrote:
I don’t think there is a problem really. I want freedom of movement and the odd criminal roaming freely is just the price way for that freedom. The fact that the UK do not participate (while Ireland do) is just ridiculous but it harms the UK more than the rest.
I agree 100%!
If you think border controls are important to stop crime, why then have only national border controls? Nations vary very much in size and population. Why should some criminals be confined to small countries like Belgium, while others can roam free within large countries like Germany or France. Border controls between, say the German Lands or French départements would be a good idea. Just imagine how much crime we could stop!
Or…?
My point was not about stopping the movement on the ground. The only way to stop that, which is what the Iron Curtain countries did, was a double razor wire fence with a strip in between mined with anti personnel mines, and a constantly patrolled service road. And of course shoot on sight, otherwise anybody with a cutter and a mine detector will try to get across… I spent the first 12 years of my life behind that, as did millions of others 
It was about monitoring of air traffic. Is there really no monitoring? There must be.
Peter wrote:
It was about monitoring of air traffic. Is there really no monitoring? There must be.
It would be unconstitutional in Germany. Also why should they care? As was said earlier, what is the difference between moving from one EU country to another and moving inside one EU country? Flying to Austria takes me 1/3 of the time required to fly to Northern Germany and I for sure have more in common with Austrians than with North Germans.
The situation in the UK is asinine and quite frankly bizarre.
Fly from Northern Ireland to the republic of Ireland in a microlight with a 80 hp Rotax engine which struggles to lift 2 adults? You have to tell the Police 12 hours in advance you’re going to do it. Want to cross from NI to the Republic in a truck capable of carrying a dozen terrorists, rifles and ammo? Crack on! No need to tell anyone. Sail from the Isle of Man to England? Go right ahead! No need to inform anyone as you sail your boat with a 2000kg payload capability. But if you want to do it in an antique 2 seat aircraft, again, you have to tell the Police (often on both sides) 12 hours in advance. It makes no sense at all.
