10. Filing of Flight Plans 10.1 Flight plans fall into two categories:
(1) Full flight plans; the information required on Form CA48/RAF2919.
(2) Abbreviated flight plans; the limited information required to obtain a clearance for a portion of flight, e.g. flying in a control zone, crossing an airway etc. filed either on the RTF or by telephone prior to take-off.
10.2 The local ATSU may assist in compiling flight plans and checking them. However, the ultimate responsibility for filing an accurate flight plan rests with the pilot or aircraft operator.
10.3 The destination aerodrome will be advised of the flight only if the flight plan information covers the whole route of the flight.
10.4 An airborne flight plan may be filed provided that the pilot leaves sufficient time for the clearance to be issued before the aircraft reaches the boundary of controlled airspace (normally 10 minutes).
10.5 A pilot may file a flight plan for any flight.
10.6 A pilot is required to file a flight plan for ((EU) 923/2012 SERA.4001(b)):
(1) any flight or portion thereof to be provided with an air traffic control service;
(2) any IFR flight within advisory airspace;
(3) any flight within or into areas, or along routes designated by the Authority, to facilitate the provision of flight information, alerting and search and rescue services;
(4) any flight within or into areas or along routes designated by the Authority, to facilitate coordination with appropriate military units or with air traffic service units in adjacent States in order to avoid the possible need for interception for the purposes of identification prescribed by the States concerned;
(5) any flight across international boundaries; Note: For the purposes of (EU) 923/2012 SERA.4001(b)(5) ‘Submission of a flight plan’ in the UK, the international borders for flight planning purposes are the international FIR boundaries.
(6) any flight planned to operate at night, if leaving the vicinity of an aerodrome.
10.7 A pilot is advised to file a flight plan: (1) if his flight involves flying over the sea more than 10 miles from the UK coast or flying over sparsely populated areas where SAR operations would be difficult; or (2) if he intends to fly into an area in which SAR 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 parent ACC. The ACC is to notify the ARCC concerned.
10.8 A pilot who has filed a flight plan to a destination without an ATSU and not connected to the AFTN shall comply with the following procedure:
(1) Nominate a responsible person at his destination and inform him of the planned ETA. If the aircraft fails to arrive within 30 minutes of the ETA the responsible person will notify the parent ATSU. That ATSU will then initiate Alerting action; or
(2) If no responsible person can be found, the pilot will contact the parent ATSU and request that they act in the same capacity. The pilot is then required to inform the parent ATSU of his arrival within 30 minutes of the notified ETA, otherwise Alerting action will automatically be initiated.
