I also use the govt GAR service https://www.submit-general-aviation-report.service.gov.uk/welcome/index
It is a bit clunky but it can be filled in in a couple of minutes. One weird thing is that it doesnt report flights to ZZZZ fields to the appropriate border force unit yet. I only found this our when I got an agitated call from Bristol Border Force asking why I didnt file a GAR. So now I also send a quick email to them directly at the same time as the GAR is filed.
Just got an email from Skydemon confirming that from the beginning of April, we will no longer be able to file GARs through SkyDemon.
it adds "The primary reason for this is that government funding was withdrawn from OnlineGar’s maritime sibling. This has affected the viability of the whole business, and SkyDemon alone is not sufficient to support it. A secondary reason is that soon Border Force will start enforcing the need for pilots to receive specific “permission to travel” for their passengers before the flight can take place. OnlineGar as it currently stands does not support this new requirement."
Regarding the near future – “In the last few years the UK government have launched sGAR, which is their own service for filing GARs digitally and obtaining the same confirmation number that we have always given you. It works well, and it will fully support the new permission to travel requirements when they take effect. From April, SkyDemon will redirect you to the sGAR website when you go to file a GAR. Unfortunately, we will initially not be able to pre-populate the GAR with the details of your flight, as we have done in the past with OnlineGar. However, we have made it clear to Border Force that we wish to streamline this process for SkyDemon subscribers. We will keep you informed of any progress on this front.”
My strip was approved early in the process no special issues just took a long time. It does not appear on the current list and I have no idea why .
The main issue is identifying its location on the GAR. Needs Lat and long in two forms. I made a mistake that put its location in the channel but the system did not notice. I then found that you could use name plus postcode which was a plus. In contact with GAR on line which I have always used and they are trying to adapt. Apparently programming is easy bureaucracy very hard.
Also in contact with Rocket Route which I use for flight plans. They were very responsive but were unaware of the issues. They know where my strip is as they put it on their data base at my request years ago. It gives lat and long but also ZZZZ so the GAR does not like this. I started to get organised for sending via an Excel spreadsheet which as of two days ago was still on the GAR site as an option but I now believe this is no longer possible. I have been discussing this on another forum and the consensus there was that the official GAR site works fine. That is not my experience. My guess is that if you fly IFR from larger airfields and get used to its quirks its OK. Not so good if you want to use strips on an occasional basis.
I wonder if with only a Lat and Long to work with Border Force staff will ever find my strip. My limited experience with the humans as been fine, phone calls to resolve the odd difficulty. I mostly travel with same people in same aircraft from the same strip to mainland Europe. My understanding is only two hours notice, no need for contact for delay on the same day.If I divert it would anyway be to an airport with an IAP so a non issue relative to GAR. Assuming I eventually crack using the clunky official website or GAR on line can adapt its service I am hopeful this will not be too painful.
Immediately after posting the last I found that GAR online had already updated. I have not yet had a chance to use it but assuming it all works I think it will be well worth its modest cost. As an airfield owner it includes a service to log all GAR users from my strip. This fulfils my legal obligations and is a plus.
No need to contact anybody in case of a delay or cancellation. They watch the flight plans, and they watch FR24 etc for the actual ETA.
What is “GAR online”? The only option left now is the govt website. The Autorouter used email and that’s ending, unless the dev sets up the “VPN” gateway. I never used the AR for GARs for privacy reasons. Rocketroute, I have no idea how they file theirs.
The govt website works ok now. I tried it the other day.
Peter wrote:
No need to contact anybody in case of a delay or cancellation. They watch the flight plans, and they watch FR24 etc for the actual ETA.
Sharing an experience in case it’s useful. I know a delay same day does not require refiling but what about a new origin after a diversion?
This happened to me: failure of a pitot heat on pre-check flight before an IFR flight from UK to Switzerland (definitely needed it)
Did a low level VFR flight to maintenance in another airport and airplane was ready within 2h30 of original time but from a different airport.
I called the help desk of border force, who adviced that I should refile a new GAR, but didn’t need to wait for the 2h, just put a note saying it’s related to a previously submitted GAR.
Did so and departed straight away.
All were submitted via the government website
I know a delay same day does not require refiling but what about a new origin after a diversion?
IME, and as your landing in the UK will be the same place, just give them a call and they won’t care less. I once diverted to Lydd instead of landing at Shoreham and they phoned Lydd and got them to talk to me on the OPS desk phone… a few questions and everyone happy.
who adviced that I should refile a new GAR
They have to say that 
The defence I would use is that I was stuck in some god forsaken hellhole and only had a phone, so very hard to find the PDF GAR. I’ve had that a few times. They will turn up to meet you (in case you are carrying a containerload of Vietnamese, presumably).
The govt website probably works ok on a phone.
It does not say that it does the new two-way communication game, though.
We’re planning on keeping it running – so we’ve just made a couple of changes to support April 2024 legislation – as per the message above.
The “Permission to Travel” which will immediately tell you if you are legal to carry the proposed passengers is being developed now, aiming for a May golive.
