I would really appreciate advice on how best to get IFR clearance and joining instructions when departing from a farm strip in the southern UK. This is for a flight from a farm strip in the Cotswolds (half way between Gloucestershire and Oxford airports) for an IFR flight to Southern France in a couple of days.
The way I have done this in the past has been to file an IFR plan from the strip. As my routing takes me in the direction of Oxford initially I telephone Oxford Tower an hour or so beforehand to ask them help coordinate the IFR join and then call again just before take off to do the same. Then once in the air I call up Oxford Radar and ask them to coordinate the join. On the three occasions I have done this I have been left circling for up to 20 minutes, OCAS, going through a charade of “we cant locate your flight plan” then “trying to coordinate with London FIR, but they are busy”. Clearly I am not going about this the right way and Oxford don’t seem to like being asked to do this (which I understand completely).
So, is there a unit I should be calling on the phone for joining instructions while still on the ground? I assume this would be the same people that Oxford are supposed to talk to by phone. I imagine this would be someone from London Control/FIR. Or perhaps it would be Brize Lars? Also, what would the right terminology be when I am on the phone in the plabe “requesting IFR clearance and joining instructions”
Thanks very much for any help.
Not IFR pilots but from previous discussions like https://www.euroga.org/forums/flying/559-eurocontrol-ifr-departure-from-an-untowered-field?page=5#post_7700 the thing to do is to call the ACC watch supervisor or their assistant. Number in AIP GEN 3.3.
Your idea of asking Brize is also worth trying.
I am not sure if it’s the same number for your area. London Control South West – Tel 023 8040 1008
When I depart White Waltham (EGLM) I call London control 15mins before to get the clearance including squark and London control frequency.
They are usually super friendly you can have to wait while they ask the controller what they would like you to do after departure.
This saves me having to do it while in the Air with London Info or Farnborough. Waltham Radio open the flight plan for me once airborne I then contact London Control.
Buckerfan wrote:
I would really appreciate advice on how best to get IFR clearance and joining instructions when departing from a farm strip in the southern UK.
PPL/IR Europe has recently about this (and related) subjects. I haven’t watched it yet, so I don’t know if it answers your question, but have a look.
That one again 
One would help far more pilots by posting here, because we don’t charge money, don’t allow one person to beat up another, and the politics here is much more transparent.
The previous replies are good. Basically you have 2 options, once airborne
Either should give you the ritual provisional clearance e.g. “remain OCAS, track DCT XXX, squawk xxxx, next frequency London Control xxx.yyy”. That is what I get from Shoreham Tower. It is what you should get from any other towered airport in the UK but some of the smaller ones don’t want to do it.
However, prior to contacting anybody, consider the tactical situation. Once you are talking to London Control, they may send you all over the sky, once you are in CAS. So usually it pays to fly some convenient track in Class G, first, and then call somebody up when you are in a good position to climb into CAS.
Agreed @Peter
(1) Clearance – When you call London control you get the full clearance over the phone and just read back as you normally would on the radio.
London Info are usually super helpful (better when it’s not a busy weekend!) and will get the clearance for you and activate your Flightplan. That might be an easier option from a non-towered field?
(2) Initial Route – I usually pick a convenient point and work out any airspace I need to consider In the climb. For White Waltham CPT and NORRY both which usually validate on the IFR Flightplan usually work and don’t take you too far west before you get a southerly turn!
It all worked last week enroute to Corsica from White Waltham on the number above.
Have a good trip!
IME, the risk with the London Info method is that it can take 20-30 mins to get them to do the handover, during which time you are stuck in G, perhaps in IMC and perhaps (in winter, even at 2300ft) collecting ice and having to work the satnav like a one armed bandit to avoid getting busted
Collecting ice at 2300ft and wasting TKS fluid at £5/litre, under a thin cloud layer, is obviously dumb, but we have what we have. However in much of the UK one can climb higher fairly soon, while still in G.
So perhaps the phone call method is better. I’ve rarely done it myself because I normally depart Shoreham during tower hours, and when I depart before opening I am normally going south and then I fly OCAS, 5000ft, then FL070, non-radio, all the way to French airspace, usually DCT BILGO.
It gets a bit harder if departing from some place which is crowded all around e.g. N of Gatwick.
Thanks very much for the tips guys. I am going to the the method of calling London Control. I have tried coordinating with London Info over raido once in the air ijn the past and it has led to me being put into holds in the regions of Brize for upwards of 20 minutes or more.
