What is GAR?
GAR= General Aviation Report.
As the UK isn’t part of the Schengen region, all flights in or out require to pass through immigration and customs. In addition, under their terrorism legalisation, police are given powers of inspection for flights to/from certain regions.
Clearly, GA couldn’t really work with having to constantly go through a small number of large airports, where customs & immigration controls are present. So they came up with a system where you could basically leave from or arrive into the UK from any airport, provided you pre-notified the relevant authorities (with certain time restrictions). This notification is a form send by Fax, Email or completed online and is called a General Aviation Report, or GAR for short.
I hope that helps!
I used their emergency number 15 days ago during an inbound trip from Belgium. A very helpful person took care of the modifications I needed to bring to a submitted GAR.
Thank you dublinpilot, it helped a lot.
“Clearly, GA couldn’t really work with having to constantly go through a small number of large airports, where customs & immigration controls are present.”
Although a Schengen member, that was an accurate description of flying to/from Norway until a few years after the millennium change (unless you came from Sweden). Only a handful of Norwegian airports were generally open to foreign GA flights. Around 1999, I managed to get a confirmed agreement with regional customs that I could fly directly from Denmark to Hamar/ENHA, which has and had no facilities. However, the day before the flight, the permission was cancelled from Oslo without explanation. We had to check in and out via Gardermoen/ENGM (which was at the time, fortunately not yet Oslo’s main airport).
UK GAR – a phone number for amending/cancelling it
Some recent briefings by the police around the UK have put up this number
+44 (0) 300 1232012
They are demanding a phone call if there is any change e.g. your inbound flight is delayed.
This was never the case previously; they have access to flight plans and would just track you on your way in.
One thing which is of possible concern is whether a UK 0300 number can always be dialed from outside the UK. Historically, only geographical numbers (e.g. Brighton 01273) could be 100% sure to work.
But the wider issue is that this is yet another layer of hassle for the pilot, and what do you do if you get a strong headwind and will arrive 1-2hrs later? Do they demand the carriage of a satellite phone??
In the official GAR instructions, there are no specifications on what constitutes a “delay”. It has never been defined and that is probably a good thing.
I really wouldn’t worry about it other than for a meaningful delay ie a few hours as your departure has been delayed.
Can you tell us what GAR is?
GAR=General Aviation Report.
As the UK is not part of the Schengen area, entry and exit of the UK requires notification to Custom, immigration and in many cases, the Police. The principal exception is an exit from the UK to a Schengen country does not require notification.
The General Aviation Report (GAR) is the document used to give the required notification to the various authorities.
Colm
dublinpilot wrote:
As the UK is not part of the Schengen area, entry and exit of the UK requires notification to Custom, immigration and in many cases, the Police.
Because there is so much confusion on this: The UK is part of the EU and therefore customs are not required, the GAR is about immigration only.
