[Rob L]

Am I answering my own question: Is AFIS required for any G-reg aircraft above 5700kg?

Rob
(my edit to add G-reg)

[Talkdownman]

If it is non-sched P/T, then yes...

Booker is (er...should be, current staffing problems...) ATC, as mandated by CAA following MAC.

I have no idea why Sywell is AFIS.

[chevvron]

Everywhere else in the world uses ATC or Unicom (or nothing). Why does the UK CAA see fit to fill a gap that doesn't exist?

(and by the way, who other than our beloved CAA uses "R/T" and "W/T" these days? )

No; some countries use AFIS when the level of public transport traffic at an airfield is (say) only one or two per day eg Norway and Saudi Arabia.
The CAA doesn't use the term 'R/T'.

[chevvron]

So why do aerodromes such as Sywell and Booker still need AFIS when they don't have flights
" for the purpose of public transport of passengers on a scheduled journey and to every aeroplane so registered whose maximum total weight authorised exceeds 5,700 kg engaged on a flight for such a purpose otherwise than on a scheduled journey. "
(essentially the first paragraph extracted from your reference)

The CAA can require an aerodrome operator to provide a particuar level of ATS, the usual reason being the complexity of traffic patterns, hence both Wycombe and Redhill are required to provide ATC rather than AFIS.
A licensed airfield may request an ATZ provided they only provide A/G ('a suitable means of 2 - way communication with aircraft') whereas an unlicensed aerodrome may only have an ATZ to protect its circuit if they provide AFIS or ATC; North Denes was a prime example of the latter.
The CAA won't object if an aerodrome operator provides a higher level of service than is thought by some to be necessary, however there could be contributory factors such as a complex taxiway pattern or due to the geography of an airfield, the inability of the pilot of an aircraft lining up to see the whole length of the runway to ensure it is not obstructed to justify the provision of AFIS rather than A/G.

[chevvron]

.
So why is a "radio" acting like a particularly recalcitrant "information" (even when people mistakenly ask for clearances at such places, the customary response is "at your discretion", not silence.

Whilst he doesn't sound particularly helpful, he was (as far as I can tell) following the terms of the service he is licensed to provide

May I suggest a reread of CAP413?

An operator of an A/G radio station must hold a Certificate of Competence, not a license, in order to provide the service. This Radio Operators Certificate of Competence (ROCC) must be signed by the licensee of the radio station but otherwise the holder is not required to maintain a particular level of medical fitness or level of competence to operate the radio station unless they are undergoing training in order to validate a FISO license; FISOs must hold at least a medical certificate issued by their GP and ATCOs are required to hold a medical certificate issued by an AME; both must be periodically checked for their competence (usually annually for an ATCO and every 2 years for a FISO).
CAP 413 only gives you the phraseology for AGCS; the actual privileges of the ROCC holder are laid down in CAP 452 on which the ROCC exam is based; it includes a warning that persons providing AGCS must NOT use phrases like 'at your discretion' as this is FISO phraseology and may confuse pilots as to what service is beng provided; the A/G operator may instead use words such as 'no known traffic to affect' or 'the runway is clear' however they are not required under the terms of the ROCC to have a view of all or even part of the runway.

[JAFO]

May I?

As I suggested above, they are very good introductions to the various levels of service. Well done.

[Bathman]

Is information the same in other European states?

I have for instance (I think) heard Lille Information radar vectoring aircraft onto the instrument approach at L2K.

Also I've seen the natives start taxing around like I would with an air/ground service

[johnm]

In properly organised countries vectoring onto approaches by units based far away and self announcing arrivals is common place for a mix of traffic including CAT in some cases.

[Dodo]

Sometimes it would be unwise to ignore "instructions" from an A/G station..
https://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=113593&p=1721278&hilit=caravan#p1721273

And personally I have been grateful to an air/ground operator pointing out a non radio aircraft on final that I failed to spot when I called lining up.

[PeteSpencer]

And of course A/G airfields are perfectly entitled to introduce binding ‘local rules’.
For example at Old Buckenham in the days when parachuting took place, pilots were obliged to call for start up permission (which was denied while canopies were in the air ).

Peter

[Talkdownman]

Sometimes it would be unwise to ignore "instructions" from an A/G station..
https://forums.flyer.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=113593&p=1721278&hilit=caravan#p1721273

And personally I have been grateful to an air/ground operator pointing out a non radio aircraft on final that I failed to spot when I called lining up.

That's fine if A/G happens to see it, or is in a position to be able to see it, it's all down to luck, nothing more.

The A/G operator could easily be otherwise engaged, or, perish the thought, distracted: taking landing fees, membership fees, making tea for customers, selling Eccles cakes because the café lady has 'popped out', looking for the key to the Pooley's cabinet because somebody wants to buy a pencil, trying to read the paper, changing the signal square, going to the loo, signing for members' parcels, making their own tea, renting out the lawnmower, listening to war stories from aggrieved pilots who have lost their medicals, trying to get the computer to work, answering the phone from market researchers, resolving failures with the fuel pump, counting money, going to the loo, being bored to death by pilots who have just flown to an airfield five miles away, getting METARs for aerodromes five miles away, listening to pilots' stories about how they once saw another aircraft in the overhead, the list is endless. Spare a thought for the poor A/G operator, nearly always in the wrong place at the wrong time, and all for minimum wage...so don't be surprised if you don't get 'rogered' occasionally...

[Gertie]

Spare a thought for the poor A/G operator, nearly always in the wrong place at the wrong time, and all for minimum wage...

Oh, do they get paid? - at one or two places I've somehow arrived at the opinion that the radio (a hand-held on a caff table) was answered by whoever happened to be around.

[Dominie]

The point about A/G not giving instructions even on the ground reminds me of an incident at a popular (and busy!) airfield about 10 years ago. I taxied out and found an aircraft at the hold waiting to line up. After he had ignored two perfectly good gaps in the traffic, he was clearly waiting for permission so I said simply "It's at your discretion" and got a minute's earful of non-standard phraseology from A/G for using non-standard phraseology! I ignored him and would do the same thing again.

Another example was at a strip near another well-known airfield. They had an Air Cadet day so had arranged a legal frequency and, I guess, had borrowed an ATCO from said airfield. I lined up for departure, called departing and was told "Charlie Delta, hold", then silence. I had to turn off the narrow strip to see what was happening behind me (nothing on final but someone joining overhead) and realised that man on radio had simply exceeded his authority. Nevertheless, you don't take chances in that situation!

[GrahamB]

I have for instance (I think) heard Lille Information radar vectoring aircraft onto the instrument approach at L2K.

That's because it's not uncommon in France for an Approach controller to offer a LARS-like Info service on the same frequency, or a band-boxed different one.

Deauville Approach and Information are usually both run on 120.35. The service you get will align with your task and flight rules, but it will be the same person doing it.

[chevvron]

- at one or two places I've somehow arrived at the opinion that the radio (a hand-held on a caff table) was answered by whoever happened to be around.

I hope they all had ROCCs!