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ALEXA
5th Jun 2006, 17:47
Can anyone enlighten me about crossing Danger Areas that are marked with an asterisk on the charts?

I'm thinking of D026 in particular (Lulworth). The CAA half mill chart gives a telephone number and frequency for activity info, but the chart and the AIP say that entering during the period of activity is illegal. The AIP says:-

"1.3.1.3 Byelaws. Unauthorised entry into many Danger Areas is prohibited within the Period of Activity of the Danger Area as listed at ENR 5-1-3-1/22 by reason of Bye-laws made under the Military Lands Act 1892 and associated legislation. For those Danger Areas where Bye-laws which prohibit entry apply, the Remarks column (3) of ENR 5-1-3-1/22 includes the year and number of the relevant Statutory Instruments (SI)."

So is the activity info available merely to enable you to check for activity outside published hours? Even though Plymouth Ops tell me there is no live firing planned for tomorow, I can't be sure that they (or anyone else except perhaps the secretary of state) can authorise me to cross D026 on a weekday afternoon. So I'm planning to keep out!

By the way, the actual SI that the AIP says is relevant for D026 (1978/1663) has never been published by HMSO, so the precise wording of the prohibition is not that easy to check. It is classified as a private statutory instrument (so is not reproduced in the usual HMSO produced four volume tome for 1978 - believe me, I've checked). You would have to ask the MOD for a copy. Presumably the CAA has a copy also.

tmmorris
5th Jun 2006, 19:23
As I understand it you are expected to contact the nominated frequency and/or telephone number from the AIP (also listed in e.g. the bottom LH corner of charts, or the UK VFR Flight guide) and find out if it is active, and if it is, you must route around it. Only those DAs with a nominated Danger Area Crossing Service frequency can be crossed while active - the DACS frequency can issue a clearance. So DAAIS-only DAs are out of bounds when active.

But if Plymouth Ops are the nominated body (I don't have a chart to hand!) and they say it is inactive, you can cross. You have complied with the requirement to find out if the DA is active.

Tim