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The complete charade of Eurocontrol IFR routings

I have never been able to fly in a straight line in France

I’ve been getting a “direct to” the lyon area shortly after departing in Biarritz, IFR. I can’t remember the weekday, probably a weekend, though.

LSZK, Switzerland

@Peter

Why bother flying IFR in such a case?
There is no issue whatsoever with flying it vfr dct at say 8000ft.!!
Its more fun aswell. Flying IFR . In particular with gpss is absolutely boring..

Because IFR is far simpler and more predictable. You have an implicit clearance for the route and if you find some wx you can climb as high as you can to get above it. The climb is virtually never refused. This translates to having more escape routes open.

For example on today’s flight I was only just above some buildups at FL100 and at FL080 would have been in some pretty rough stuff. Being IFR means you can climb to say FL200 (TB20) if necessary, with no issues. You just ask ATC

Last Edited by Peter at 14 Jul 22:09
Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

If you check the statistics, you will find that > 80% of private IFR is flown by old men. If you check the VFR statistics, I bet it will be a much lower number

Last Edited by achimha at 15 Jul 06:38

… 80% of private IFR is flown by old men.

Old enough at least to have been fined at least once for busting one of those airspaces while flying VFR

EDDS - Stuttgart

I had the pleasure on Friday of taking a moderately experienced (~300 hour) pilot on his first proper Airways flight.

It was like giving a child its first taste of chocolate. He never wants to fly VFR again!

EGKB Biggin Hill

I enjoy flying vfr much more ., its a lot more work but that is the fun.. Busting airspaces with skydemon is not so likely. Also you often fly in a much more direct line. Sometimes it is complicated .. Because of airspaces .. For example amsterdam. . Below 1500 . Or london or brussels.. Especially when you want to be flying at fl080-fl100 kind of altitudes.. Germany is very simple .. Ditto for france.. Just stay above 3500 ft and you are fine..

Ifr is so dead simple .. Doing the airways? I prefer dct. I must confess that in countries like the netherlands or germany .. Switching to ifr when needed is very simple. i believe France is a lot more complicated or so I understand

I flew back from La Rochelle just now. The route flown was pretty straight. If you refer to my 3rd image I posted, it was basically LFBH OBATO DVL EGKA. I got two ~120nm shortcuts. Can’t complain.

I’ve done my VFR stuff, e.g. this tour de force in 2004. Nowadays I just want to do a nice flight, minimal hassle, minimal turbulence (on a hot day like today, 2000ft AGL will be hell for turbulence), keeping all the wx escape routes open (and they do get exercised on most flights, believe me), and basically just get maximum value out of light GA flying.

I also don’t like the russian roulette which you get in low level UK Class G, 1500-2000ft, with half the traffic nontransponding (many intentionally turn them off).

High altitude (Eurocontrol) IFR is brilliant.

Last Edited by Peter at 15 Jul 15:29
Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I discovered yesterday that if the first waypoint on your Eurocontrol flight plan, leaving the UK, is on the FIR boundary with another country, the FP will not get sent to London Control (Swanwick/NATS).

It just vanishes.

So if you file e.g. EGKA DCT SITET that FP will get dumped. If you file EGKA DCT DRAKE DCT SITET that’s OK because DRAKE is just before the French airspace line.

This is fairly new.

Busting airspaces with skydemon is not so likely

Skydemon has a satellite phone link and tells you to avoid active military etc airspace?

I don’t think so.

VFR flight requires one to get enroute notams (on the UK NATS site it is the “narrow route briefing”) which are generally pointless for IFR because you are under radar control and ATC know which airspace is active.

Also if you are flying towards a CB under VFR, and the only way to avoid the CB is by busting some airspace, if you are IFR then they will have a moan but they will always let you because there is an implicit clearance. Under VFR there is no such obligation and they are completely entitled to hang you out to dry.

Last Edited by Peter at 15 Jul 19:33
Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I discovered yesterday that if the first waypoint on your Eurocontrol flight plan, leaving the UK, is on the FIR boundary

How did you file (i.e. what service)? And an I or Z plan?

LSZK, Switzerland
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