Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
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#1877415
I’ll only do online PPR and payment for one aerodrome and that’s Cromer. The rest can poke off.

Called a certain south coast aerodrome a few years back for PPR. “Can you e-mail us?”

“No, I’m on an airstrip with no internet access”.

“Oh ok then, what’s your details?”….
#1878745
I’m sure I’ve said this before on the whole PPR thing but, there seems to be an impression that the only reasons why an aerodrome requires it are to provide some soft of briefing (verbal or online) or to just be a pain.

In our example, we have 2 people in our tower. At any time. One is duty FISO talking to all the aircraft, the other is the assistant, answering the phone, emails, SMS, dealing with the requests to transit Farnborough zone, speaking to ground crew to sort runway inspections etc.

We have to maintain a record of all flights and Flight Strips are the standard way of doing this. We ask for PPR by phone, webform, or SMS to keep this off the freq. A lot of our based pilots do this while waking out to the aircraft. I will never understand the visiting pilot who set off for the day knowing he was going flying and didn’t think to check the place he was thinking of going was able to accept him. Probably the type of pilot who gives you their life story when they haven’t requested PPR “GABCD I’m a PA28 on my way in from <Insert airfield you’ve never heard of> I’m flying at 2,500 ft and about 5 miles from you requesting to land, get some fuel and one of your breakfasts with my friend bob who’s birthday it is, do you know if he’s in the cafe yet?” All the while we’ve got a student on their first solo on final who can’t get a word in.

Sorry that turned into a bit of a rant. If you are a pilot who doesn’t like to PPR for whatever reason, and chooses your aerodrome based on this, then you’re perfectly entitled to your opinion and I understand if we’re not top of your list. But if you’re headed our way, just check in with us first (phone, SMS, webform) - it helps the guys in the tower, and it helps your fellow aviators too.
By Fellsteruk
#1878746
Optional PPR gets my vote. If you want to get PPR fill your boot but equally if your say 10miles out and fancy a stop to get a drink stretch legs or just see what’s about you should be able to request join without PPR if busy bog off if not come on in.

As a new ppl I do like the idea of having a plan but I’ve been buzzing about a few times seen a place and thought would be great if I could just pop in on the fly “so to speak”

Caernarfon have asked payment on PPR each time I’ve been but I just put that down to covid, personally I wouldn’t risk my life over a 15quid landing fee and if that worried I could always ask for refund or credit note for next visit but I do get the point.

Barton have a nice system web based so no app just a website for PPR and payment

A consolidated system like in sky demon would be pretty sweet.
By Fellsteruk
#1878748
TopCat wrote:
Fellsteruk wrote:Caernarfon have asked payment on PPR each time I’ve been

Yes, because their frequency is going to be overwhelmed....
:roll:


They do have a beach (;-)
By TopCat
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1878749
Fellsteruk wrote:
TopCat wrote:
Fellsteruk wrote:Caernarfon have asked payment on PPR each time I’ve been

Yes, because their frequency is going to be overwhelmed....
:roll:


They do have a beach (;-)

As do Llanbedr, with actual sand.

Although in fairness to Caernarfon, remind me to tell you the story one day, of Foster my Jack Russell, who flew with me often, and ran along the water line at Caernarfon beach, biting the waves and barking with excitement.
Last edited by TopCat on Tue Oct 26, 2021 11:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
By rdfb
#1878750
ChrisGazzard wrote:We ask for PPR by phone, webform, or SMS to keep this off the freq.


Will you accept a flight plan addressed to you in lieu of "PPR" then? Because if everyone did that, it would then reduce admin for pilots, too - because there'd be one system and one action to tell everyone who wants to know, instead of fifty.
By johnm
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1878758
There are many places in the world where airstrips and airports exist wholly unmanned. Folk use Safetycom to get a picture and stroll in and land, do whatever they came for and then take off again.

This country is getting more like a third world bureaucracy everyday and many folk seem to be embracing it rather than resisting it :roll:

In some cases a flight plan would work, in others on line PPR essentially provides a flight plan for a place that doesn't have a suitable ICAO code for the system.

As to radio load we all announce our arrival and we usually give call sign, type and position. Nothing more is needed until we book in on the ground.
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By James Chan
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1878766
we don’t get PIC name or POB


But what if someone does NOT want to give a PIC name and POB? Does that make them a suspect to be declared persona non-grata? :twisted:

Some places here have some strange limitations.

One of these is seemingly difficult preparation of flight strips off the back of an initial radio call, which many aerodromes in the USA never seem to suffer from.

The other is a lack of technology to automatically read the largely printed tail number of aeroplanes and then get the details from G-INFO.
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By Rob P
#1878770
johnm wrote:There are many places in the world where airstrips and airports exist wholly unmanned. Folk use Safetycom to get a picture and stroll in and land, do whatever they came for and then take off again.

This country is getting more like a third world bureaucracy everyday


:evil: Would this weren't true.

Rob P
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By James Chan
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1878772
Once people are forced to mandatory telephone or online PPR in-advance all over the place, then various forms of spontaneous flying, including toilet, food, rest, and exploration will quickly cease to exist.

A bit like NCP, Tesco, and motorway service station requiring every vehicle driver to phone up or fill in web forms ahead to get their name and POB details so that they can use their car park.

There are valid reasons for having some flexibility to land and take off, just as there are valid reasons to having some uncontrolled airspace.
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By Dave W
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1878775
ChrisGazzard wrote:When we get the FPL through AFPEx we don’t get PIC name or POB.

Why do you need those things though?

(Need, not want, prior to booking in or initial call.)
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By russp
FLYER Club Member  FLYER Club Member
#1878778
James Chan wrote:Once people are forced to mandatory telephone or online PPR in-advance all over the place, then various forms of spontaneous flying, including toilet, food, rest, and exploration will quickly cease to exist.

A bit like NCP, Tesco, and motorway service station requiring every vehicle driver to phone up or fill in web forms ahead to get their name and POB details so that they can use their car park.

There are valid reasons for having some flexibility to land and take off, just as there are valid reasons to having some uncontrolled airspace.


I've always thought that if needed I'd just give them a phone call from the air .. PPR please .. arrival time .. Oh about 10 minutes.. ;)
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