Uncontrolled Aerodrome

[Ace2013]

Need some advice

I fly an aircraft from an uncontrolled airport into controlled (VFR), it's about a 20min flight. I am getting a lot of grief from a flight school who think they own the place.

If taking off from a field in an ATZ in uncontrolled airspace, is there any rule about when to change frequency.

If someone could point me to the laws and guidance specifically as to when I can change frequency (its such a short turn around within 5 mins after takeoff I am in controlled airspace)

Secondly they keep complaining saying I am not following their flight departure procedures. As it is uncontrolled by definition I did not think it was mandatory to follow unpublished procedures?

My main concern is not busting class D airspace adjacent to the field.

As I am new to UK airspace it would be a help, I have flown in Italy and never come across this drama. Specific laws would be useful.

[mad_jock]

It all depends on the airport operator.

If they go with the school your stuffed if they don`t care basically your the pic so you decide. It all hinges if they are going to stop you flying there if you don`t do it as the school does.

If they don`t care tell the school to piss off. But have a chat with a more experenced pilot just to make sure its not you being stupid.

At the moment we can`t really say if the school are just being difficult due to some grumpy auld sod of a cfi or your doing something daft.

[Spitoon]

Uncontrolled simply means no ATC. If it's a licensed field there will be an AIP entry with any restrictions (departure procedures or whatever) that you have to follow.

How you handle the radio comms might depend a bit on the level of service that you get on the radio - choice will be air/ground comms service or aerodrome FIS.

Essentially though, the law says that you need to communicate so that you get information that enables you to conduct the flight safely. It was rule 45 in the Rules of the Air regs 2007, don't know if they've been amended, I'm afraid, or whether some European regulation (SERA) now covers the topic. To abide by the letter of the law as it was you only needed to maintain a listening watch while within the ATZ but, in practice, you would have needed to call before entering the zone when inbound or transiting to get enough information to do it safely.

HTH. Feel free to PM me if there are some specifics that I might be able to help with.

[TCAS FAN]

Agree with previous mention of listening out when within the ATZ. By mentioning "uncontrolled" if only A/G or AFIS is provided, within the UK the DOC (designated operating coverage) for the frequency will be 3000 FT/10 NM, so this should be the maximums for operation on the frequency, both outbound and inbound. Use outside these parameters may cause interference to another UK aerodrome using the same frequency and end up with you being on the wrong end of an MOR.