I don’t think so, but these discussions can always find examples and counter-examples – as per my Weston trip I linked.
Basically London Control just doesn’t service Class G.
It seems I will have to fly in class A airspace, east of London, and west of / east of / over Southend and then straight up.
That must be possible somehow, surely ? With a “proper” IR ?
I would like to avoid the detour leading me around the west of London, and have London to the east when continuing NNW.
Go below it?
Avoid ATZs also…
The above is the 2018 chart; I don’t have the 2019 in electronic form just yet…
I think the best way to get a Southend transit is to call them up from say 20nm south and ask for a transit “from present position” to via their overhead, or to CLN, etc, so they can see what you are asking for clearly. The D138 stuff is usually active and is a no-go AFAIK.
So, all in all, flying in the UK is not complicated at all. It seems it is similar to normal VFR flying in Germany, making sure not to bust airspaces or CTRs, requesting crossing when needed, and talking to London or Scottish Control.
And when the weather turns bad, I tell them I continue on instruments.
Easy.
I think you have mis-understood… This is true for VFR but not “Eurocontrol IFR”. If you want to fly that east coast route you will have to go below CAS, although you can get Class D CAS transits generally.
AFAIK the only way to fly that route under “Eurocontrol IFR” i.e. get a London Control service is to go at FL200+ which then places you into Class C all the way. That is the solution used elsewhere in the UK by commuter turboprops.
Erik, all this may sound confusing, and yes, it IS for a „German-trained“ IFR pilot coming to the UK for the first time. I can only recommend you read the relevant chapters on my site again. For the routing, I think the most clever thing would be if you filed the first route Peter suggested in post 07. Then arrive at the London FIR boundary at FL100 or so. London Control will then route you east around London, but that is what you want anyway. Then once clear of the London TMA you go into „OCAS mode“ (no need to actually cancel IFR, since the airways clearance is cancelled anyways) and proceed more or less direct to your destination. That way, you save most of the unnecessary detour to the northwest towards Pole Hill (POL) VOR, but still avoids you having to descend all the way to 2300 feet before reaching the London TMA.
Or just to go straight over the North Sea to your destination, but that is not in line with your wish to fly the shortest distance over water. Saves you a lot of hassle and the plane won’t know the difference between water or land below it. I have bought once a full dry suit, life raft and some emergency stuff. Now you are making a whole detour just to stay clear of the water below you :-)
True. That’s a way of thinking worth considering. I probably have read too many forum posts about risks of flying over open water ;)
Without a full survival gear I wouldn’t do that, though. And the british east coast is beautiful, much better vista than dumb water all the time
@boscomantico thanks !
the most clever thing would be if you filed the first route Peter suggested in post 07. Then arrive at the London FIR boundary at FL100 or so
In terms of being in CAS, that should work at FL100 because you will be in Class A i.e. under London Control. Looking at the map, FL080/090 should also work.
The issue is with conflicting with the Gatwick/Heathrow traffic. AFAIK that is generally well above FL100 at the easternmost coast i.e. at a vertical line (360 bearing) passing through DVR. You can watch it on FR24. What I don’t know is London Control’s policy on this. Has anyone tried it? I have done it many times west of London i.e. passing between Shoreham and CPT and then going up from there and I am pretty sure I didn’t get FL100. OTOH I recall reading many times there are a couple of reserved GA transit routes through the LTMA, at FL090/100 or similar. On this trip in 2014 I reported I was at FL160 at CPT which would have been well above Heathrow traffic.
@EuroFlyer: flying over the North Sea is actually quite interesting. Lots of ships, windmills as well and before you know it you are on the other side :-)
I understand that you are hesitant to cross. Every one of us has to make his own calls in that respect.
