Rvsm

[On the beach]

A quick query to all you professional RVSMers from a soon to join the club pre-RVSMer. How do you display non-RVSM compliance on your labels? E.G That Gulfstream that wants to climb through the RVSM band to cruise at FL450. Or do you do the sensible thing and tell him it's FL280 for you matey til you get the kit.

On the beach :confused:

Is that a plane I hear? No dear it's just the surf.

[BDiONU]

At LACC non-RVSM compliance is indicated on the TDB (track data block) with a light blue coloured 'sausage sandwich' basically looks like an equals sign with a dot between the lines (although we're hoping to change it following 'customer' comments that its difficult to see). Theres also a written indication in the Full Flight Plan and on the paper strip.
At ScOACC its an equals sign, not sure about the other bells and whistles though.

[AREA52]

Wish I was on a beach, but as I am at Swanwick and have experienced RVSM, I'll have to comment on that instead.

At Swanwick/LATCC previous, we had various little attention getters on both the strips and RADAR data blocks, which would be displayed depending on various criteria (actual level, filed level and transponder code (W instead of C)). The display was also dependant on whether single or multi RADAR sources were selected due to processing differences.

With normal multi RADAR selected, I believe we now get RADAR attention getters in the form of a blue squiggle next to the callsign when the a/c has filed above FL290 and the actual mode C is above FL245. Unfortunately, if the a/c has filed below FL290 and subequently requests a level above FL290, you have to spot the 'W' on the strip as you don't get any reminder until the a/c goes through FL280.

We had various trials for this, and I would say that all NON-RVSM flights should be highlighted above FL245 at least. Also, we resorted to using a highly technical yellow highlighter pen on the strips, which was occasionally missed but effective when used.

We had two phases of introduction, early and full, during the early phase, we had a mixture of compliant and non compliant traffic. Can be a nightmare, but you can always refuse them climb on safety grounds!

Hopefully you wont have this interim phase and this has all been of use!


P.S where exactly is Fragrant harbour?

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

"where exactly is Fragrant harbour?"

Hong Kong isn't it?

[On the beach]

Thanks for all the helpful replies chaps. At the moment our state of the art FDP system prints W on the compliant a/c strips but that means you have to look out for the missing W on the important ones!!! We'll just have to see if Mr. Raytheon has a fix in his goody bag in time for October 31st. for our labels.

Quite right Heathrow Director, Fragrant Harbour = HKG, sadly not so fragrant these days and "on the beach" = old Oceanic controller joke; geddit?:D

Uh Oh, surfs up got to go,

:cool:On the beach:cool:

[eyeinthesky]

Interesting point to note is that some countries have differing opinions on the application of RVSM.

Here in the UK we are quite happy with the scenario you describe with a 'non-tackled' a/c transiting RVSM airspace on the way to levels above. It may take a little while to get you up there if it is busy, but we will do what we can. In Scandinavia, for example, it is my understanding that if you are 'non-tackled' then your limits are FL280/270 and that's that, even if you are requesting levels above.

[Jeddi]

hi NDB !

just a word fm central europe - some 6 months of rvsm and have never seen anyone 'not-certified' climb thru the rvsm layers to break out on top ... we just don't do that ... !!!

we have NRV added to the strip (if it is not-rvsm) and the radar label goes purple if an NRV breaks thru the rvsm barrier ...

see ya - luv to the missus and boys ...

:)

[BDiONU]

I would like to point out that the non-RVSM attention getter rules at LACC are just the same as those that were envisaged for LATCC.
The 'stumbling block' at LACC is the current inability to be able to input a different Requested Flight Level (RFL) to the one which was originally filed.
However, that changes in November (assuming that we are able to meet that deadline) with the N07 software drop. It contains new functionality to enable the control staff to input a pilot's RFL. This is also linked to an automatic change to the filed flight level. So when control staff input an RFL it will automatically do a field 8 amendment straight to NAS.
Having tested it, it works perfectly and should remove all the 'problems' associated with non-RVSM compliant aircraft which have filed for non-RVSM levels that, suddenly en-route, discover that they actually want to climb up to RVSM levels.