"KP" nospam@please wrote in message
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"Newps" wrote in message
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KP wrote:

In the US virtually all airspace is some class of controlled airspace;
not just airways and terminal areas. There is some Class G (just enough
to prompt some gotcha test questions or usenet replies) but for most
discussions it's N/A.

You must be east of the Mississippi. Look west. We have a lot of
uncontrolled airspace out here.

I am west.

Everything is relative and should be taken in context.

Compared to europe, and the UK in particular, where controlled airspace
consists of airways, fairly small, congested control zones, and that's
about it, the percentage of Class G in the Western US is insignificant.
Especially when compared to the amount of traffic (IFR and VFR) each
contain.

The civil controllers over there are pretty much hog-tied by a lack of
airspace to put IFR airplanes (which must remain in controlled airspace).
When I left in '92 timed approaches from holding patterns were SOP at
Heathrow. Just about everybody's on an airway; no off-airways directs and
not much in the way of re-routes available (they're all full).

If that's your context the idea that being VFR-On-Top could have any
effect on an aircraft's routing probably wouldn't register. There's no
place else to go regardless of whether you're at a hard altitude or OTP.

Outside of controlled airspace everybody's technically uncontrolled under
see-and-avoid. Whether they're in clear-and-severe or completely Popeye.
There are various types of air traffic services available from military
radar facilities. It's pretty much a free-for-all with multiple
facilities working aircraft in the same airspace. A coordination
nightmare where you must separate aircraft on your freq by 5NM or 5000
Mode C from any unidentified or uncoordinated radar target.

If you haven't endured it it's a real head shaker :-/

I would agree its a real belter flying IFR in uncontrolled airspace taking
Radar Advisory Service when a nearby aircraft might be getting a service
from someone else. It become a real relief when you can move into Controlled
airspace usually Class A and have the benefit of London Control looking
after you. But getting into CAS is not easy either even with an IFR flight
plan.