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What discourages European pilots from flying to the UK?

I would love to fly to the UK someday but some things are intimidating, especially the crazy airspace structure, the weather and the europhobes.

Low-hours pilot
EDVM Hildesheim, Germany

A little “promo” to our continental friends: Airspace is easy up the East coast. Most of Scotland is G. Across Scotland and the West coast is spectacular. And Scotland is europhile

NeilC
EGPT, LMML

Water crossing certainly keeps me off – I’d have to fly a couple of minutes without a plan B, being out of glide distance to terra firma and yes I know it is only a couple of minutes and I know the engine the engine doesn’t know it is over water but that is precisely the point: the fan can stop any time any place any altitude and one should always have a plan B, always, everywhere. My confidence in Mr. Murphy is very great, after a few encounters in the professional field (meaning big IT) some of which were quite interesting, but little amusing to management.

That said, I heavily dislike and distrust the (lack of) organisation of the UK airspace and R/T. Everywhere else, at one given point in 3D space lat/lon/alt there is one and exactly one service to talk to, on one and exactly one frequency. I consider that a basic requirement too, for safety, but you islanders seem to take your time to see such wisdom, and some seem to even delight in making matters needlessly complicated.

The UK is a very beautiful country to visit and is becoming ever less expensive than it used to be – vivat Brexit! But as a pilot I find it too much different from so many things I take for granted (and for required for safety) that I’ll rather visit driving – either my famous van or even, like in my younger days – a push bike.

Some of the alleged positives are vapour: border checks being easy is a ridiculous point! I can fly over half of Europe, probably even more, with no border checks whatsoever. And as for fuel price: E95 unleaded is 1,28 € here today – how much in UK?

Last Edited by at 29 Mar 17:31
EBZH Kiewit, Belgium

Most of Scotland is G(ood) Airspace, and there is the plus that it seems foreign pilots who fly under bridges will either not be prosecuted (French) or found not guilty (Spanish).

Maoraigh
EGPE, United Kingdom

Hmm, not sure UK airspace is a reason for not visiting us VFR. Here is the busiest area in all of the UK filtered to exclude airspace above 2000’. So you can float about below 2000’ and mostly 2500’ as you like outside of the marked airspace without any worries at all subject to NOTAMs. If you do the same screen grab centred on Brussels or Paris it appears a lot more restrictive for a visiting pilot. Maybe it is the freedom of UK airspace that is unusual?

IFR entirely in controlled airspace is the same everywhere so no reason there not to visit. But I do agree IFR flight at intermediate altitudes where you leave and re-enter CAS is disjointed and unnecessarily hard work.

Customs and immigration too is very easy. Onlinegar takes care of it, is super easy to setup and costs next to nothing compared to the flight.

Finally, is our weather that much worse than the rest of Northern Europe? I think Bosco’s radar example is a bit unusual and 4 hours later that weather is over France anyway

Lydd

Only one thing: no dogs on private plane. So without the Co-Pilot no flights across the channel.
We did several trips to the UK and would come more often, but really, with a dog the UK is punishing you with rules no one will ever understand.

EDDS , Germany

Generally speaking I would say that VFR-flying in the UK is not a hassle at all. I have been in the UK a couple of times now and ATC is very accommodating most of the time.
The airspace structure can look a bit daunting at first sight, but with a little bit of preparation is no problem at all. But maybe that’s just my opinion because I’m used to flying in the cluttered Dutch airspace :)

I don’t know for my fellow continental europeans, but in general, the UK (exception London itself served by Eurostar) is not a big destination for the French.
Instead, we all known how much brits land from ferries in summer and drive all around France. In Normandy, summer is busy of English GA coming back and forth. To me these are just the sale phenomena.

Same story for some Dutch, at a smaller scale.

Otherwise, most French pilots

  • do not get far from their base,
  • do not speak English
  • are afraid to ditch.

Myself, I prefer taking a low wing across the Channel and the customs stop on the French side is really a PITA. If LFPT had customs, it would be much easier.
I agree that a Schengen GAR would make things smoother.

LFOU, France

I used to fly to the UK regularly …

Then came : Low Cost airlines & EuroStar, then we lost all customs services in the main GA airports in the greater Paris area.

FAA A&P/IA
LFPN

Turning the question around, why do Brits fly to France?

Friendly people with a proud history of aviation
Plenty of impeccably-maintained small airfields
Proportionate regulation, especially for ULMs
Decent food almost everywhere
VFR-friendly weekend airspace
Stunning scenery
Even better weather than Scotland
Steak tartare and chips at Les Papilles (Annemasse)

Glenswinton, SW Scotland, United Kingdom
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