Also, all the content on that Biggin Website indicates that Biggin will not use that PPR scheme in order to say “yes” or “no”. It’s merely “for their planning” so it’s not actually a prior permission but a prior notice. Which is why I say it is even more BS, because it serves no other purpose than bureaucracy. It’s not possible to plan anything (except maybe parking, but that’s not the subject here) based on that, because ATC will always have work according to the situation of the moment anyway.
Oh, and please let’s not start about this allowing them to pre-print ATC strips, thus saving radio time…
In France you have airports “ouvert à la CAP”: open for teh public, and “usage restreint”: restricted use, which is usually described what the restriction is.
I hate PPR with a passion. It’s a safety hazard. What will it take? When that anxious student kills himself on his first solo xcountry because they deny him landing in bad wx at an alternate because he doesn’t have PPR and he doesn’t want to “mess it up” by declaring an emergency? Happens all the time, just that no one has died from it yet. But they will eventually.
Shame on them. Disgraceful.
AdamFrisch wrote:
Happens all the time
Any examples, please? It is very difficult to me to imagine such a situation.
And even if it happened, one can always declare a Mayday, isn’t that why it exists?
It has happened, just no one has died yet. And the emergency privileges is easy for us experienced pilots to use, but for a student, who thinks he might get in trouble, or the CAA revoke his students pilot license or any other iteration of that? It’s a big deal and adds extra anxiety when none is needed. We’ve all heard students on their first solos and how they sound on the radio – they will listen to authority. If the airfield denies them landing, they’ll press on into whatever weather might be there just to not inconvenience or “mess up”.
AdamFrisch wrote:
It has happened
When? Where? Who?
You’re asking me to find statistics on accidents that did not happen? Ask any CFI. Are you suggesting it’s an impossibility? Even if it happens to one person, isn’t that one too many?
From Flyer Forum by student:
QXC completed yesterday. on 42hrs now, nearly there. However after leaving Compton the weather turned to 1000ft overcast clouds, rain and haze near Exeter. So flew in at 900ft to stay VFR. Then weather got even worse leaving Exeter and heavy rain started towards Blandford Forum. Ended up asking for a QDM from Bournemouth as was at 1000ft and visibility almost non-existent. Flying Club panicking a bit but had waited 5 weeks to do it and wasn’t prepared to fail by turning back.
The operative word being “fail by turning back”.
No I am not asking for statistics, I am asking for any single instance of the horror scenario you described. It is unimaginable in Western Europe. No airfield will refuse landing to any pilot in trouble, for such a reason.
And a student pilot who does not raise a Mayday if in dire trouble has been improperly trained for going solo.
As for the example you cited: where’s the PPR bit in it? What is its relevance? But I will agree with you the student’s alleged behaviour is less than exemplary, here too the training may be questioned.
Of course no one would deny them a mayday. But if they never ask and press on, is what I’m saying. Even for experienced pilots a mayday is not something you announce lightly (and the accident statistics are full of people who should have called a mayday). Sure you can say they’ve been improperly trained then, but that’s an easy out. You could say that about any accident.
Well in the UK there’s the Strasser scheme: not only should they not refuse landing, the larger airports shouldn’t charge the eye-watering landing fees that might otherwise stop people making a sensible decision. Biggin Hill is a member, as is (to digress) Plymouth.
