Almost nobody uses the "deconfliction service" because the separation requirements are such that in any conditions which are even remotely "VFR" there will be so many contacts that ATC will send you all over the sky and it is completely useless.
The only people who I see use it are AOC operators while they are flying parts of their route in Class G (which is the only airspace class where you can have it) and their ops manual requires it. So they get it for the minute or two until they have climbed up into CAS.
A fairly sensible approach is to call nobody unless they have radar, and then ask for a "traffic service". If there are too many contacts they won't give it to you and will give you a "basic service" which is fairly useless but if you have a squawk it does no harm...
In UK Class G, I call up nobody unless they have radar, or I am landing there 
A fairly sensible approach is to call nobody unless they have radar
I'll make an exception to that, I really do want to be in contact with someone who has a vague idea of where I am whilst crossing the Irish Sea. Fortunately, Ronaldsway's radar coverage goes out quite a long way, but leaving the N. Wales coast, London Information is fine, or from Scotland talking to Scottish.
Yes; a fair point.
the UK does seem to have this strange obsession with the radio
Then try Germany - all fields must have radio operations, as simple as that. Recently, some German fields have introduced automatic radio operations, a kind of ATIS, and it is announced on their websites as though if it were the prime technological breakthrough since the invention of gunpowder.
But I agree, France is again the shining example with no kind of mandatory radio in uncontrolled airspace. And they do NOT have more accidents there, for all I have heard.
Then try Germany - all fields must have radio operations, as simple as that.
Not true although many (most?) airfields require R/T for landing/takeoff, it's listed in the AIP. What is required in Germany is to have a person on the ground that is able to operate the rescue equipment and call for help. That can be anyone, no formal requirements exist. You can SMS your grandmother from the cockpit and have her drive out to the airfield and stand next to the fire extinguisher, that is fully legal.
In my experience, the French have great radio discipline, they announce everything they do in the pattern and on the ground. I once got yelled at because I did not announce one part of my pattern at an airfield where there were only 2 aircraft in the pattern.
many (most?) airfields require R/T for landing/takeoff, it's listed in the AIP. What is required in Germany is to have a person on the ground that is able to operate the rescue equipment and call for help. That can be anyone, no formal requirements
I've often wondered what the justification might be for fire fighting equipment at small airports in the UK, Germany or anywhere. The only reason I can come up with is that the airports might be located far from civilization. Otherwise, what is wrong with the for fighting equipment that serves every other activity in the area?
I've flown to a lot of airports, almost none of them including my 650 ops/day base have or need fire equipment. Many or perhaps most of them are also pilot controlled, non-tower and often unattended (particularly at night). Based on experience, I think the need for any services at airports other than a self-serve fuel tank and aircraft storage is often overblown if you only have less than maybe 200 ops per day.
It's just the way it is in Germany and for so long that nobody remembers why. Airports are considered to be very dangerous and need ground based aids that were trained in the use of the rescue equipment.
Our 750m VFR airfield (20k operations a year) has a huge fire truck and every morning AFIS has to drive it the runway up and down to make sure it is working and there is nothing on the runway. Last winter they forgot to put in winter diesel and it froze. They closed the airport because the fire fighting equipment was unserviceable.
Some airfields are exempted from the "knowledgeable person on the ground" rule but with a lot of restrictions (usually only aircraft based at the airfield are allowed to operate). It highly depends on the state and county. Some parts of Bavaria are open to it, Baden-Württemberg (the best state) doesn't allow it anymore.
On club operated smaller airfields, it is much more relaxed because nobody cares. With the public airfields, it's not possible, there is always some retired idiot sitting on his balcony and making a list of all aircraft landing and taking off. That very idiot got the land cheap some decades ago because it's close to the airport. Unfortunately he has forgotten about that.
I went to a presentation by a UK Govt minister who said there is no record of any UK airfield service saving a life in a GA accident.
And the ACTUAL requirements for GA are much less than most think.
But if you need to accept AOC flights then you need to have more and it is a commercial decision.
there is always some retired idiot sitting on his balcony and making a list of all aircraft landing and taking off. That very idiot got the land cheap some decades ago because it's close to the airport. Unfortunately he has forgotten about that.
Yeah! Not to forgot the Greens!
It's just the way it is in Germany and for so long that nobody remembers why. Airports are considered to be very dangerous and need ground based aids that were trained in the use of the rescue equipment. Our 750m VFR airfield (20k operations a year) has a huge fire truck and every morning AFIS has to drive it the runway up and down to make sure it is working and there is nothing on the runway. Last winter they forgot to put in winter diesel and it froze. They closed the airport because the fire fighting equipment was unserviceable.
I did think of another rational reason that wouldn't so often apply in the US - a grass runway is combustible, and the fire could spread more easily than with a paved runway. I've seen two aircraft burn on the runway, but in both cases there really wasn't a lot to do other than watch.
I'll be in Bavaria this weekend and next, and hope to visit an airport or two. Jesenwang is a likely candidate - I was there once before and enjoyed the visit. If by chance anybody is there on Saturday, and assuming the lovely wife presents no preemptive plan, I'll be on the guy on the old red motorcycle :-)
