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VFR flightplans lost in the system

On our Jersey-trip a few weeks ago , flightplans for both aircrafts were lost for the leg from Caen (LFRK) to Ostend (EBOS). We were told off by Ostend Approach (“Next time, file a flightplan. It’s mandatory”), but were allowed to continue and land. They are perfectly right, of course, as we crossed internatianal/FIR border. However I had got an SMS from the Norwegian reporting office (were the flightplans were submitted via ippc.no), acknowleding the flightplan. So did the pilot of the other aircraft.

On all other legs of the trip, our flightplans was properly entered into the system.

Are there any special requirements when registering flightplans with departure in France?

In hindsight, I should probably just filed IFR to be sure the flightplan got to Brussels.

ENKJ, Norway

VFR flight plans need to be manually addressed as per ENR1.10 rules and not all units gets them, altough destination tower should get it, they are the ones who will close it…adding some ATC units AFTN address by hand you can easily get around “getting lost” or “lazy ARO/AIS not distributing"

Last Edited by Ibra at 16 Jun 18:47
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Ibra wrote:

VFR flight plans need to be manually addressed (or as per ENR1.10 rules?)…adding some ATS units AFTN address by hand you can easily get around “getting lost” or “lazy ARO/AIS”

If you file via an ARO (like ippc.no) they’re supposed to add the proper addresses according to each AIP.

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

In theory they do (as per AIP) and most of the times it works but sometimes they don’t do it sometimes due to laziness or errors…

Distributing as per AIP does not guarantee the ATC I am going to talk to for an airspace crossing will automatically have it (say ATC of Brussels TMA or French LTA) but it’s odd when it’s the destination airfield?

Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

If you file via an ARO (like ippc.no) they’re supposed to add the proper addresses according to each AIP.

I contacted the Norwegian ARO after landing at EBOS, and was told that that they were not allowed to address VFR flightplans directly, but rather sent them to (in this case) the French ARO, which in turn was supposed to be responsible for the addressing. Apparently this worked for all the legs besides this one.

ENKJ, Norway

This article of mine is a bit old but apart from the programs mentioned nothing has changed. VFR flight plans still use the same ad-hoc system.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

The norwegian ARO is right and someone at DGAC didn’t do his/her job.
I hope you won’t get reported for this.

LFOU, France

You were lucky you didn’t get landing refused. I know for a fact that if you turn up almost anywhere without a flight plan, they will send you back.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

While ago Ostend did “let me go away” with no “VFR FPL in the system” while going NL to UK (Brussels ATC refused my VFR transit), I also had to give my all details to file one while airborne as I contacted London Information and surprise…border force also turned up !

Back then SkyDemon was glitching for VFR in Netherlands, since then I used to manually address them myself, no problem since then for pop-up transits

Last Edited by Ibra at 16 Jun 20:36
Paris/Essex, France/UK, United Kingdom

Well here’s an experience from this week. Flying VFR to or from NL from or to UK, I’ve taken to using the Dutch ‘Homebriefing’ site for VFR FPL’s in and out. However there are gotchas with this site and I’ve found it neccessary to phone the immensely helpful Amsterdam ARO each time. What I’ve gleaned is:

1) While you can use Afpex (my preferred solution up to now) for flights inbound to NL they will find reasons to ‘reject’ the FPL (No DOF for instance, despite it clearly being for tomorrow) although you can still fly because the AFTN has delivered the FPL anyway. They don’t like this however, but apparently you won’t get turned back in the middle of the N Sea.

2) However you cannot depart NL on an AFTN filed plan because it is ‘illegal’. The story behind this is that while NL have ‘agreeements’ with other agencies, this doesn’t include UK because “there is no ARO in UK”. The story (too convoluted for me) is that that the plan has to be sent back and forth between agencies and that doesn’t work with UK. They do have an ‘agreement’ with RR, so that would work apparently. I don’t know about SD – maybe someone else can comment?

I don’t think this is anti-UK but rather individual agencies being picky. AFTN has worked for these FPL’s for many years and appears to still work throughout N Europe, except NL. As I said, the Amsterdam ARO are immensely helpful and the expedient way to do this is to just call them and dictate over the phone, which they assured me they are happy to do.

EGBW / KPRC, United Kingdom
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