Crossing Odiham MATZ stub

[rusty sparrow]

I want to fly from White Waltham to Popham on a weekend. A straight line will take me through the Odiham stub. UK AIP ENR 2.1 states:

Odiham Approach, except weekends and PH, when the task may be carried out by Farnborough on Frequency 125.250 MHz.

So who do I make my call to? Or is it easier to just overfly at 2500 and/or go north of the stub?

Thanks for all useful comments :)

[John Alcock]

Not sure an "overflight" at 2500 would be the best idea - as you'd be in the stub! Stubs extend from 1000aal to 3000aal (note: not amsl) so you could just slide under it (remembering Rule 5 and "glide clear")

As I presume you'll be talking to Farnborough anyway, why not ask them to arrange the Matz penetration. If they can't, they'll tell you who can!

[rusty sparrow]

Good point - it goes up to 3000'

So switching to Farnborough and asking them to arrange penetration after clearing WW looks like the best idea.

Off topic - twenty minutes after I posted this, it was already referenced by google!

[Torque Tonight]

Farnborough, as briefed. If Odi happens to be open Farborough will tell you to contact Odiham. As JA says at 2500' AAL you will be in the MATZ. Alternatives to the MATZ crossing would be not to fly in a straight line and avoid it laterally, or avoid it vertically.

No doubt you will soon get respondents telling you that you are not obliged to respect the MATZ at all, only the ATZ, and therefore you should just bust through it without talking to anyone - especially at a weekend. Whilst legally this is true, it is in my opinion very bad airmanship and you should always respect the MATZ and attempt to make contact with the controlling authority.

[rocco16]

Farnborough routinely give MATZ penetrations even midweek. At weekends the key instruction will be keep clear of the ATZ due to gliding. There can also be a lot of gliders going north from Lasham depending on weather and competitions.

An alternative would be to route to the North of Basingstoke which would keep you clear of the stub and then head south to Popham just east of Overton.

[ilfly]

You shouldn't have any problem going direct and getting a matz penetration. Just talk to Farnborough and state you are going direct and would like a matz penetration.

[chevvron]

A MATZ only exists when the airfield it surrounds is open for operational flying. At weekends Odiham only opens sporadically for operational flying and other activities such as gliding are not classified as operational flying, so only the atz normally exists. It is still a good idea to call Farnborough but you shouldn't need to request a MATZ transit.

[monkeyscribbler]

i did my PPL at white waltham. You'll be on Farnborough as soon as youre clear of WW, just request matz penetration along with whatever service (usually Basic cos they're v busy) in your initial call you'll be right.

the farnborough bods are a right bunch of heroes - always efficient and friendly, and helped me out on many a nerve-wracking solo nav!

[thing]

A MATZ only exists when the airfield it surrounds is open for operational flying.

That's interesting, didn't know that. Being as I'm surrounded by Matz's and Cmatz's that's useful to know. Do you have a reference for that?

[2 sheds]

thing - and rusty sparrow
In the time it takes to make a post, why not look up the only authority - the AIP, online - and you will get the facts, not a diluted version.

2 s

[thing]

Can only find this bit Availability of the MATZ Penetration Service
3.1 A MATZ Penetration Service will be available during the published hours of watch of the respective ATS Units. However, as
many units are often open for flying outside normal operating hours, pilots should call for the penetration service irrespective of the
hours of watch published. If, outside normal operating hours, no reply is received after two consecutive calls, pilots are advised to
proceed with caution. Information on the operation of aerodromes outside their normal operating hours may be obtained by telephone
from the appropriate Military Air Traffic Control Centre:
(a) North of 5400N - Telephone: Scottish ATCC (Mil) 01292 - 692281.
(b) South of 5400N - Telephone: London ATCC (Mil) 01489 - 612406.
4

Which doesn't actually state that a Matz is closed during non op hours, just that the ATS unit may be closed.

[chevvron]

No the problem is it's only written in the RAF AIP and ATC Manual unfortunately but I can assure you it's true. By the way, in spite of what it says in the AIP about calling Odiham on 131.3, you should call Farnborough when Farnborough is open and Odiham when they're not.

[thing]

Thanks, I'll have a look at that.

[rusty sparrow]

2 Sheds ( thing - and rusty sparrow
In the time it takes to make a post, why not look up the only authority - the AIP, online - and you will get the facts, not a diluted version.)

That's what I did - and the AIP states the following:

Odiham Approach, except weekends and PH, when the task may be carried out by Farnborough on Frequency 125.250 MHz.

may is the bit I was querying

[mrmum]

"Civil recognition of a MATZ is not mandatory" AIC Y038/2011 Para 2.3 Although the ATZ is H24 in AIP ENR 2.2
So technically you could just go straight through it and talk to no one:hmm:

[Torque Tonight]

There you go. As expected. :hmm:

[B4aeros]

And in this instance he's right.

Odiham is not full of fast jets wizzing around at 250 knots; the Chinooks based there come & go from training areas well away from the MATZ at low level. The only people flying there at the weekend will be the army gliding club & the ATC motorgliders.

Lasham sits inside the MATZ, none of their gliders ask permission to fly in the MATZ, even on weekdays.

On a sunny weekend you'll just be occupying an already busy frequency for no particular gain, all for less than 2 minutes crossing the far corner of the MATZ.

[tmmorris]

The only people flying there at the weekend will be the army gliding club & the ATC motorgliders.

The former, NB, do winch-launching, so going direct overhead would be a mistake.

I confirm (being based at an airfield inside a MATZ :-) ) that the MATZ doesn't exist if ATC is closed...

Tim

[cats_five]

The former, NB, do winch-launching, so going direct overhead would be a mistake.

Ditto Lasham.

[englishal]

I don't worry too much about MATZ's on the weekend. Give them a shout and if no one answers just go through.

[englishal]

:confused::confused::confused::confused: