What I find funny is that you can fly from every airfield in Germany to let’s say the Czech Republic without a flight plan VFR and you would need a GAR with 12hrs notice for a flight within the UK when you fly from Elstree to Northern Ireland.
There is no statutory requirement to use the GAR form for intra-CTA flights.
All that is required is at least 12 hours prior “notice” to a constable. There is no upper time limit for such prior notice and it obviously can’t specify actual flight times or routes in advance of publication of official met forecasts. Strictly, a once and for all letter to police HQ stating that G-ABCD will be used for journeys between aerodromes A and B is all that is required. Police may then submit a written request to the aircraft’s agent or owner for certain information (specified in the Act) to be provided as soon as practicable after the flight(s).
I trust that no SB officer has so much taxpayers’ time on his hands these days as to want to meet GA flights. Also not sure how they could do so in the case of a floatplane…
That may be a correct interpretation of the law but I am not sure I would like to try it 
Has anybody done that and found it worked?
I trust that no SB officer has so much taxpayers’ time on his hands these days as to want to meet GA flights
It is done by a group of police officers who circulate around airfields in their area. I don’t think they actually work in SB though. It is SB who “own” the job creation scheme however and they are the people who keep it running.
What I find funny is that you can fly from every airfield in Germany to let’s say the Czech Republic without a flight plan VFR
Unless there is something I am missing, I do not think that is correct. Flight plans are required if you cross a border, even if that is the border between to EU/Schengen countries.
Unless there is something I am missing, I do not think that is correct. Flight plans are required if you cross a border, even if that is the border between to EU/Schengen countries.
A German/Czech concession, also applies to Germany/Austria and Germany/Poland with certain limitations. That is the way to go, nobody needs flight plans really. The GAR thing is just a pointless job creation scheme and an opportunity for official to reassure themselves of their importance.
Yes, Police Scotland are fine with it. Some remnants of the police state in Ulster seem less so but -
I’m sure that GAR-inspired get-there-itis has been a factor in many fatal CFITs and accidents like this one:
http://www.aaib.gov.uk/cms_resources.cfm?file=/Jodel%20DR1050%20Ambassadeur,%20G-ATGE%2004-10.pdf
The Terrorism Act was not enacted for the purpose of killing GA passengers and crew so I will not commit to times or routes until I have the WX information required by FAR 91.103.
PJ
We had special branch to present to us at Sleap, we discussed the weather issues etc and the following items were noted…
There are only 2 of them to cover all the west midlands airfields, hence why we never see them unless acting on other information.
They will accept a post dated (after landing) GAR if weather etc has screwed up the flight plans
At the weekend there is no-one to deal with the GARs in any case so they are very relaxed over this!
IMHO its only a notification and I don’t believe they can either approve or prevent a flight, but could potentially give you a bollocking after the event if you didn’t file.
Once a year they do some sample checking of flight plans against GARS submitted,really more as a statistics thing as far as I could gather.
BTW I file these religiously and prob have around 50 I have never flown due to weather – pre-emptive GAR filing!
Crazy, innit?
They will accept a post dated (after landing) GAR if weather etc has screwed up the flight plans
It would be great if this were a policy of all police offices and if they gave that in writing. Unfortunately, it tends to work the other way though, i.e. unexpectedly, the weather is good in the morning and one decides to go. I don’t they will generelly accept this as “weather having screwed up the flight plans”, as it would make open the doors to abuse.
Returned from France couple of weeks ago and for various reasons did not file the HMRC incoming GAR
When I got back I sent them an email with the details and the reason, they phoned me and asked for a passport number to complete the records and seemed happy with this…
I’m sure that GAR-inspired get-there-itis has been a factor in many fatal CFITs and accidents like this one:
Since I have to file a GAR for any flight away from home, my own philosophy is this: screw Special Branch, screw the GAR. If the weather turns bad, I will just divert to where it’s safe, then tell the Special Branch after the fact that I’ve had to do this due to weather. For example, if I’m going from Gloucester (no GAR needed) to Ronaldsway (GAR needed from IOM SB, but with no notice period), and Ronaldsway’s fogged in (often happens during the Spring) but Andreas is not, I’m going to land at Andreas even though it requires 12 hours notice and then just notify IOM SB after the fact that weather forced a change in plans.
(On the cited accident: I never heard about this even though it happened on a flight from my home airfield – Andreas. From the date it looks like it may have been one of those “TT airlines” operations, where people – some perfectly legally, some definitely illegally – ferry people to and from the Isle of Man for the TT races).
