[2Donkeys]

I've always thought that the Standard Route Document (SRD) was an under-appreciated asset in the armoury of the IFR pilot. Despite the existence of numerous online auto-routers, you can't beat the SRD for gaining an appreciation of what route it is that ATC actually expects you to file.

Here is a short video I made.

[ChrisGazzard]

In a previous life doing flight planning for executive jets, it took a couple of years before somebody showed me the SRD and the RAD.

Once I had them though, I incorporated it into the standard training for all ops staff.

The RAD is not the easiest document to navigate, but when you find the information it saves so much time over trial and error trying to find out what combination of airways to use. Particularly when coming from South West France or Spain and trying to cross the channel back into Blackbushe, there are so many airways, and most have conditions on their use.

The SRD it just gloriously simple. A set of city pairs and the routes to file, and when. If only they had this for the whole of Europe! Although I seem to remember Humberside always rejected flight plans even when following the SRD as they had some local procedures which always seemed to conflict with the SRD.

[2Donkeys]

Absolutely @ChrisGazzard ! And on occasion, the SRD ties pilots up in knots. Some imagination and creativity is currently required for unpressurised piston aircraft to route from Cambridge to Amsterdam!

[TheKentishFledgling]

For the uninitiated, presumably the RAD referred to above is this slightly more clunky looking thing?

[2Donkeys]

Indeed. There is a link to the RAD on the Information tab of the SRD.

[TheKentishFledgling]

Indeed. There is a link to the RAD on the Information tab of the SRD.

Thanks - that shows you how closely I read the information tab then

[CloudHound]

Be interesting to read the 2024 SRD version once FASI(S) and LAMP2 lift all enroute airspace to 7000'