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Yesterday (24th July) I used the SD PC version to file a flight plan for a flight starting inside EGR112 exiting and then returning 30mins later on a local flight. During the flightplan submission an error occurred as the servers "failed to communicate" and I resubmitted my flight plan. That's when the fun started....
After having to cancel and resubmit again with phone calls to ATLAS (who were very helpful) I ended up with 2 authorisation numbers for the same flight and, when I came to actually activating the flight today, there was a very bemused Tower controller when I offered him a choice of authorisation numbers and told him "to take his pick"
The day became even more interesting when ATLAS couldn't find either authorisation numbers on their computers despite the text message confirmations that I had on my iPhone. They eventually acknowledged that the plan had been filed and should have been in the system and, with only 15 minutes to spare, I managed to take off in the allotted slot and 15 minutes later had left the restricted zone behind -- Freedom, I was out, I could fly!
SD was excellent offering the reassurance that what the ATLAS Radar Controller was seeing was a almost perfect straight line along the submitted flightplan. OK I cheated a little by using the AP to ensure the straight line flight.
Then came that "reality moment" -- Yes I was free, Yes I was out but was I going to get back in to EGR112? Surely with 2 authorisation numbers I was bound to get back in, after all I would have at least 2 shots at it?
PANIC set in as I thought that ATLAS might lose me once again and that I would end up in ever decreasing circles just outside the zone waiting for ATLAS to sort it all out. Not again was my only thought! Turns out, I didn't need to worry, they were very good, well organised and a pleasure to work with.
And the moral of the story; when all goes wrong and everything else fails ----- PANIC!!
And the challenge; can anyone make it 3 authorisations for the same flight plan ----- I THINK NOT!
Any chance of a GOLD Medal? ...... I didn't think so. Oh well, it was worth a try.
Biggles -- EGKB
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