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Which countries don't require flight plans for VFR border crossing, and in which scenarios?

MedEwok wrote:

This is indeed applied differently in practice. During PPL theory training we talked about filing flight plans for maybe 15 minutes at most. During practical training so far I have not yet submitted a FP, nor has my FI done so for any of our flights. Yet we did enter controlled air space (and thus required ATC service).

For all practical purposes, filing a VFR flightplan ahead of a flight departing in Germany will only be required if you’re planning to fly into night (or it’s already night, for that matter) or if you’re crossing a country border unless the respective country is exempt from that rule (e.g. Austria under some circumstances). You’re of course free to file one at any time, if you feel more comfortable doing that with respect to SAR or anything else.

MedEwok wrote:

I did talk to FIS (Bremen Information 125.100) and told them “D-ERNY, Aquila A211, Solo VFR training flight along the East Frisian coast, just departed from Leer-Papenburg, Altitude 3000 ft”.
This constitutes an ad hoc FP as far as I understand.

I never thought of the initial information provided to FIS as an abbreviated flight plan, but I suppose it could be regarded as such? It’s an academic discussion, though. In practice, I find you should always let the other party know what’s relevant to them (no more, no less).

Hungriger Wolf (EDHF), Germany

MedEwok wrote:

I forgot to mention my destination and was queried accordingly. Stupid me

If you never do worse on the radio you’ll be on the right side, the various ground operators have to deal with much more stupidity.

EBZH Kiewit, Belgium

I never thought of the initial information provided to FIS as an abbreviated flight plan, but I suppose it could be regarded as such? It’s an academic discussion, though. In practice, I find you should always let the other party know what’s relevant to them (no more, no less).

Definitely not equivalent to a flightplan. For example, if you call the FIS, and you subsequently lose radio contact, they will not initiate SAR action. That’s the major difference. (Note: they might call around some, but not go all the way to deploying a helicopter or so).

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

For example, if you call the FIS, and you subsequently lose radio contact, they will not initiate SAR action

Would they start SAR if you had filed a flight plan? Normally – in the absence of some indicators like 7700 or radio calls showing distress – SAR is commenced only if you fail to arrive. Then the flight plan route is looked at. But first they will phone the departure airport to check you actually departed, etc…

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

I’ve been told by local (UK) ATC that booking out by phone constitutes an “Abbreviated Flight Plan”. In Scotland at least, some airfields will alert rescue services if you’re expected, and don’t arrive.

Maoraigh
EGPE, United Kingdom

That may be, but that’s in the context of ATC again, not FIS, which was subject here.

Would they start SAR if you had filed a flight plan? Normally – in the absence of some indicators like 7700 or radio calls showing distress – SAR is commenced only if you fail to arrive.

Yes, of course. SAR is usually initiated after the ETA. My point was that if you merely call up FIS (with no filed flightplan) for an information service and subsequently lose contact, there will be no full-blown SAR action and this distinguishes it from a (non-mandatory) flightplan, whose only purpose can be to get such SAR service.

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

But first they will phone the departure airport to check you actually departed, etc…

Which, as we all once learned, constitutes the first SAR phase: INCERFA.

Rwy20 wrote:

Which, as we all once learned, constitutes the first SAR phase: INCERFA.

I don’t think we had that abbreviation in ground school. Would you mind to elaborate?

Low-hours pilot
EDVM Hildesheim, Germany

filing a flight plan doesn´t mean the SAR is activated if you do not report arriving. Filled but not activated flight plan is just ignored by ATC. You need to activate your flight plan first, not only file.

LKKU, LKTB

Like so many things surrounding flightplans, this is implemented differently from country to country.

In Germany, if you fail to activate your flightplan (and did not cancel it), the AIS WILL initiate action. So always cancel you FPL should you decide not to fly.

by ATC

It’s not ATC that initiates overdue action, it’s the relevant AIS/ARO or whatever it happens to be called.

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany
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