Flight Plan Requirements
UK AIP ENR 1.3.2 A flight plan shall be submitted prior to operating:
- any flight or portion thereof to be provided with an air traffic control service;
- any IFR flight within advisory airspace;
- any flight within or into areas, or along routes designated by the competent authority, to facilitate the provision of flight information, alerting and search and rescue services;
- any flight within or into areas, or along routes designated by the competent authority to facilitate coordination with appropriate military units or with air traffic services units in adjacent States in order to avoid the possible need for interception for the purpose of identification;
- any flight across international borders, unless otherwise prescribed by the States concerned. In the UK this requirement includes any flight that will cross the UK FIR boundary;
- any flight planned to operate at night if leaving the vicinity of an aerodrome.
UK AIP ENR 1.3.3 A flight plan shall be submitted before departure to an air traffic services reporting office or, during flight, transmitted to the appropriate air traffic services unit or air-ground control radio station unless arrangements have been made for the submission of repetitive flight plans.
UK AIP ENR 1.3.4 Unless a shorter period of time has been prescribed by the Competent Authority for domestic VFR flights, a flight plan for any flight planned to operate across international borders or to be provided with an air traffic control service or an air traffic advisory service shall be submitted at least 60 minutes before departure or, if submitted during flight, at a time that will ensure its receipt by the appropriate air traffic services unit at least 10 minutes before the aircraft is intended to reach:
- the intended point of entry into a control area or advisory area; or
- the point of crossing an airway or advisory route.
UK AIP ENR 1.3.5 It is advisable to submit a flight plan (VFR or IFR) if the flight involves flying:
- Over the sea, more than 10 nm from the UK coastline;
- over sparsely populated areas where search and rescue operations would be difficult;
- into an area in which search and rescue operations are in progress. The flight plan should include the expected times of entering and leaving the area and the details must also be passed to the appropriate ACC. The ACC will notify the ARCC.
UK AIP ENR 1.3.6 A flight plan may be submitted for any flight.
Click here to visit the IAA Flight Planning website
FPL Message – File a Flight Plan
• Aircraft Identification – G-UFCE or SCB11 (for Scrabo 11)
• Flight Rules – V for VFR, I for IFR
• Type of Flight – G for General Aviation
• Number of Aircraft – 1
• Type of Aircraft – ICAO type (C172 or C152)
• Wake Turbulence – L for Light
• Equipment – COM/NAV and SSR Equipment
First Box: COM/NAV – S for Standard (standard equipment is considered to be VHF RTF, VOR, and ILS)
Click here to see Club Cessna Specific Equipment
Second Box: SSR – Transport Mode (UFC C172s are Mode S, UFC C152s are Mode C)
• Departure Aerodrome – 4 Letter ICAO code or ZZZZ (See Other Information)
• Departure Time (UTC) (hhmm)– 24hr UTC Time
• Cruising Speed (Kts/Mach) – Speed in Knots (0100 for 100kts)
• Altitude / Flight Level – Altitude in feet. (040 for 4000ft)
• Route – DCT for direct, way points or names of places (followed by co-ordinates)
• Destination Aerodrome – 4 Letter ICAO code or ZZZZ (See Other Information)
• Total EET (hhmm) – Flight Time (0120 for 1hr 20mins)
• Altn Aerodrome – 4 Letter ICAO code or ZZZZ (See Other Information) for your first alternate
• 2nd Altn Aerodrome – 4 Letter ICAO code or ZZZZ (See Other Information) for your second alternate
• Other Information – Other information which is visible to the controller
DOF/ – Date of flight in reverse: YYMMDD (DOF/201012 which is 12th October 2020)
REG/ – Aircraft registration if operator callsign used (REG/GUFCE for G-UFCE)
DEP/ – If ZZZZ used for departure, put information here. DEP/CASTLE KENNEDY, SCOTLAND N5453.87 W00456.15
DEST/ – Same as above
ALT/ – Same as above
EET/ – Estimated Elapsed Time to an FIR Boundary or waypoint. (EET/EGPX0045 which means you will reach the Scottish FIR 45mins after departure)
RMK/ – plain English remark the controller will see RMK/Contact +442891813327
• Additional AFTN Addresses– Always add EGACZTZX for flights departing from EGAD
• Endurance (hhmm) – How much fuel you have (0330 for 3hrs 30mins)
• People on Board – Also known as POB (004 for 4)
• Emergency Radio – All club aircraft have an ELB/ELT
• Survival Equipment – Select as appropriate (usually Jackets with Lights)
• Dinghies – Select as appropriate (Not usually carried)
• Aircraft Colour & Markings – White with Blue Stripes (C172)
• Remarks
• Pilot In Command
• Contact – Include international code (+442891 813327)