Menu Sign In Contact FAQ
Banner
Welcome to our forums

Trip to Channel Islands and UK - customs, flight plans, etc.

Hi all,

I’m planing a trip from Zurich via Jersey/Alderney to Duxford and back via Amsterdam (VFR). I have flown in a few countries in Europe but never have been to the UK, so there are a few things I’m unsure about. I hope you guys can help me out.

Customs/Immigration:
1) I will make a fuel stop in LFLA, do I need exit “customs” (I’m a EU citizen) out of LFLA to fly to Jersey? I’m aware that I need entry customs coming from Switzerland.
2) Is this document for Jersey the only thing I need?
3) From what I read here on EuroGA I need a GAR for entry and exit when flying to Duxford from Alderney resp. to Amsterdam, is this correct?
4) Do I need any customs between Jersey and Alderney?

General questions about UK flying:
5) Is it common to asked for a startup clearance when flying VFR from bigger airports in the UK? The Jersey aeroclub has this RT example linked where it says to do so. Typically, I’ve only ever done this if it was explicitly mentioned in the AIP for VFR. Also no initial calls in the examples? I thought this was a Swiss speciality :)
6) Do you ever asked for anything else than basic service? Is traffic service generally available?
7) What is your experience with crossing the Standsted CTR?

Channel crossing:
8) I’ve studied the recommended route from the MP NDB but departing from Alderney this seems quite a detour. Would the route ORIST → AVANT work or does ATC insist on using the recommended route? It keeps me between the Portsmouth CTA 5 and the danger area D-036 and I should be able to climb to FL75 or FL95.

Any feedback is welcome.

Thanks,
Jonas

Switzerland
I’m planing a trip from Zurich via Jersey/Alderney to Duxford and back via Amsterdam (VFR). I have flown in a few countries in Europe but never have been to the UK, so there are a few things I’m unsure about. I hope you guys can help me out.

The first thing you need to know is that the Channel Isles are not in the UK, nor in the EU. They are independent as far as Customs go.

1) I will make a fuel stop in LFLA, do I need exit “customs” (I’m a EU citizen) out of LFLA to fly to Jersey?

Yes.

2) Is this document for Jersey the only thing I need?

Yes. OnlineGAR (which is free to use through SkyDemon) produces that document automatically.

3) From what I read here on EuroGA I need a GAR for entry and exit when flying to Duxford from Alderney resp. to Amsterdam, is this correct

Yes, though I don’t know what “resp” means. You don’t need anything from Duxford to Amsterdam, if that’s what you mean.

4) Do I need any customs between Jersey and Alderney?

Guernsey and Alderney are one administration, Jersey is a different administration. I don’t think you need a GAR between Jersey and Alderney, but if I am wrong, it’s no problem, you just fill one in.

5) Is it common to asked for a startup clearance when flying VFR from bigger airports in the UK?

It varies, but at many larger airports the answer is yes, usually 10 minutes. The same is true across most of Europe, not just Switzerland.

6) Do you ever asked for anything else than basic service? Is traffic service generally available?

It depends whether you have TAS. If I am flying VFR in a TAS equipped aircraft, I don’t bother at all. If you don’t have TAS and it’s a bit murky, a Traffic Service is helpful. In my opinion, a Basic Service is completely pointless.

7) What is your experience with crossing the Standsted CTR?

It very much depends on when you want to do it and the route. It is often no problem, but it is often refused. I’d plan round, but then ask when you get there.

8) I’ve studied the recommended route from the MP NDB but departing from Alderney this seems quite a detour. Would the route ORIST → AVANT work or does ATC insist on using the recommended route? It keeps me between the Portsmouth CTA 5 and the danger area D-036 and I should be able to climb to FL75 or FL95.

If you are VFR and remain outside controlled airspace and the Danger Areas, there’s no problem. The DAs are closed at weekends, and during the week you can usually get a crossing clearance from Plymouth Mil. It depends on whether the RAF and Navy are having a lie-in, or if Trump has suddenly invaded Iran.

EGKB Biggin Hill

Thanks for your answers Timothy!

Timothy wrote:

It varies, but at many larger airports the answer is yes, usually 10 minutes. The same is true across most of Europe, not just Switzerland.

10 minutes before departure? With the Swiss speciality I meant that here you do not do any initial calls when talking to Ground/Tower/Delivery/Apron.

Timothy wrote:

It depends whether you have TAS. If I am flying VFR in a TAS equipped aircraft, I don’t bother at all. If you don’t have TAS and it’s a bit murky, a Traffic Service is helpful. In my opinion, a Basic Service is completely pointless.

Sadly I do not have TAS or FLARM on this airplane. I do however have a Stratux with FLARM and ADS-B but not Mode-S traffic. In your experience, is Traffic Service generally available?

Timothy wrote:

If you are VFR and remain outside controlled airspace and the Danger Areas, there’s no problem. The DAs are closed at weekends, and during the week you can usually get a crossing clearance from Plymouth Mil. It depends on whether the RAF and Navy are having a lie-in, or if Trump has suddenly invaded Iran.

Good thing he canceled 10 minutes before ;)

Timothy wrote:

Yes, though I don’t know what “resp” means. You don’t need anything from Duxford to Amsterdam, if that’s what you mean.

resp. = respectively. So no exit GAR for Amsterdam?

Switzerland

You don’t need a GAR to exit the “UK+Channel islands area”.
You need one to :

  • enter it,
  • fly between UK and the CIs, in either way

You can call Ground for start up in Jersey/Guernesey, they will give you a VFR clearance for you to read back. Personally I prefer doing this before start up.
Not sure for Alderney.

Last Edited by Jujupilote at 22 Jun 11:18
LFOU, France

@Jujupilote Thanks!

Switzerland

You don’t need a GAR to exit the “UK+Channel islands area”.

Only so long as everyone on board is an EU passport holder, and the flight is to the EU. Otherwise, you need 24hrs’ advance GAR for both entry and exit.

Re startup, I usually call them. It doesn’t cost anything and some want it, others don’t…

Re routing, in Class G you can fly anywhere. The VFR charts show some preferred routes but they are not mandatory. In fact I wonder why the CAA bothers to depict them. You either can fly them, or (if there is some closed area in the way) you can’t.

This is worth a read, for amusement

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Thanks @Peter

Peter wrote:

Only so long as everyone on board is an EU passport holder, and the flight is to the EU. Otherwise, you need 24hrs’ advance GAR for both entry and exit.

That is the case, so no problem there.

Peter wrote:

This is worth a read, for amusement

This was indeed quite entertaining. One of links in the threads mentions to put a remark in the ATC flight plan when crossing the channel: coasting-out / coasting-in. I have not seen this anywhere else. Is this a thing? Also there was something mentioned about finding a responsible person that alerts SAR when you are overdue apparently they will not search for you if you do not close the flight plan otherwise?

Switzerland

put a remark in the ATC flight plan when crossing the channel

I think you are supposed to, on a VFR FP crossing a border, the ETA to the border. In the case of the UK it is EGTT. Nobody cares though; I routinely fly EGKA-LFAT and just file a DCT… I also switch directly from one tower to the other; no talking to area FIS (London Info).

The rest (ETA coasting in) is nonsense.

responsible person that alerts SAR when you are overdue apparently they will not search for you if you do not close the flight plan otherwise?

In the UK, that is correct. The default assumption is that you arrived safely.

In reality, if you send a FP to say EGKA and they got the DEP message but you don’t arrive, they are fairly likely to make some phone calls. It is also fairly common for airfields to (totally informally and secretly of course ) track relevant traffic on FR24, because it obviously helps them.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Peter wrote:

I think you are supposed to, on a VFR FP crossing a border, the ETA to the border. In the case of the UK it is EGTT. Nobody cares though; I routinely fly EGKA-LFAT and just file a DCT… I also switch directly from one tower to the other; no talking to area FIS (London Info).

The rest (ETA coasting in) is nonsense.

Ok, FF does put the ETAs for every FIR border for me automatically.

Peter wrote:

In the UK, that is correct. The default assumption is that you arrived safely.

In reality, if you send a FP to say EGKA and they got the DEP message but you don’t arrive, they are fairly likely to make some phone calls. It is also fairly common for airfields to (totally informally and secretly of course ) track relevant traffic on FR24, because it obviously helps them.

Interesting, this seems kind of broken. I much prefer me having to close the flight plan although a hassle but at least I know no matter what someone will be searching for me. So just to clarify there is no need to close a flight plan in the UK?

Switzerland

Affirm.

A tower will normally do it for you, however.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom
27 Posts
Sign in to add your message

Back to Top