RVSM in UK, when did it start?

[ikeratc]

Hi there!
Could anybody confirm if RVSM was applicated in the UK airspace on 19 April 2001, or was it finally applicated on 24 January 2002?

As well, could anybody tell me if RVSM in Maastrich UAC had been applicated before 24 January 2002, before than the rest of Europe?

Thanks a lot!

IKER

[GroundBound]

RVSM was applied by the UK (6?) months ahead of the target date in Europe. Maybe the UK bods remember the actual date in the UK, sorry, I don't.

This was possible because the UK only has one side attached to Europe, the other side is attached to the Atlantic, where RVSM was already being applied (uni-directional routes over the pond), thus they more-or less shifted the RVSM boundary from the west of the UK to the east of the UK.

RVSM was introduced at Maastricht UAC on the same date and time as everywhere else in Europe (excluding the UK, which isn't Europe is it?). :)

[BALIX]

RVSM was introduced in the UK UIR in early 2001 (can't remember the exact date). The reason, so I was told, was to get it bedded in well before Swanwick opened as they didn't want two big changes at more or less the same time. Of course, it made it interesting at the boundaries between the UK and other European states. Also, a lot of airlines were gearing up for RVSM a year or so later so many a/c and crew were not suitably equipped. 24 January was when the rest of Europe went RVSM.

However, RVSM had been used in a bit of the UK airspace as long ago as 1997. When they started using RVSM in oceanic airspace, they needed a transition area. That area consisted of the western half of the Scottish UIR and we had to get eastbound traffic from RVSM levels to non-RVSM levels in that area which, as you can imagine, was a bit trickier than getting westbound traffic from non-RVSM levels to RVSM levels :) Shannon's airspace went RVSM at the same time for the same reason.

The boundary of that transition area was pretty much randomly set. There is a crossing point at Talla just south of Edinburgh. It was five miles east the RVSM area. It became a common practice to vector conflicting traffic so that it crossed six miles west of TLA where we could apply 1000' separation rather than 2000'.

[cb9002]

According to the stuff NATS send to us future trainees to learn (paraphrased):

NATS introduced RVSM in UK airspace in March 2001.

The ECAC fleet completed RVSM approval my 31 March 2001.

Early application of RVSM within UK Airspace by NATS was on 19 April 2001.

I know the first and last points seem to conflict!

[Findo]

RVSM was introduced to the UK in about 1998 - same time as Shannon and Shanwick. Can't remember the date because it was so long ago. 10W can probably supply the date coz he is bril at such things.

London also started using it in January 2002.

[5milesbaby]

As has been said, Scottish were able to use it in parts in 1998.

The rest of Scottish and the whole of London began using it on 19th April 2001, to avoid changing days before Swanwick opening.

January 24th 2002 was when the introduction took place in most parts of Europe.

[10W]

27th March 1997 for the first use of RVSM in the UK within part of the Scottish UIR.

The 1998 date (October 8th) was the extension of additional levels within the North Atlantic area. All levels were used from 1997 within the domestic airspace.

[ikeratc]

Ok mates!
Thanks for the replies.

Regards,
IKER