ATC Visit

[ukhomerj]

Reading through one of my many PPL course books, and one of them (US based) says that its worth while contacting your local ATC to arrange a visit, in order to gain a better understanding of the working of an ATC.

Is this true?

If so how would I be able to make an appointment with Birmingham ATC, as this is my nearest and largest.

[Thames]

Have a look at

www.egbb.co.uk

They have a contact section there.

Always used to welcome visitors when I was involved.

[kevindelaney]

Hi All
Is there such a site or contact information for heathrow?

www.egll.co.uk results in nothing!

Thanks
Kev...

[jonnys]

Hey guys,

There was a recent thread in the 'private flying' forum, where visits seem to be arranged quite regularly for Pprune users. Have a look there!

I really can't overemphasise the value of visiting ATC enough. I spent a day with controllers at a GA field, and at a major regional airport whilst doing my PPL. Such visits show you that there is a 'real person' on the other end of the radio, and his/her job can be very taxing when pilots 'don't fly as they should' (this happened several times on the day I visited!!)

Very valuable and will definitely make you a more consciencous (if that is how you spell it..!) pilot. Should be a requirement of the PPL course, I think.

[bagpuss lives]

We're always more than pleased at EGCC to entertain when time and duties permit :)

[matspart3]

Likewise, you'd be most welcome at EGBJ (Gloucestershire Airport), we're not a million miles from Birmingham and we know lots, lots more about PPL's and GA:O

Email me if you want to visit

[Dances with Boffins]

Kev

I wouldn't hold out much hope of getting to Heathrow, busiest airport in world = busiest tower in world. You can't fly there as a PPL, so it wouldn't be of any use to you as a learning experience. Better to try and contact your nearest GA/PPL operations airport. Brum is leading the way as far as NATS operated towers go, but others will surely follow. You will learn far more from a smaller place with flocks of Cessnas and Pipers etc than you will at an airport with only commercial IFR traffic. :cool:

Once upon a time, I had a signature......

edited for kak spelling

[radarcontrol]

Get yourself down to Shoreham on a sunny day during summer, cant think of a better place to view GA ops :ok:

[flower]

There is a PPRuNe visit arranged for 31st May to Cardiff ATC, it may be to far for you but look it up in Private flying and if your interested put your name down.

[Evil J]

A visit to East Mids would also be no problem.

[Military Man]

Hey

Ive got a contact somewhere who is an ATCO at Heathrow. Ill see if i can find his e-mail somewhere. He offered me the chance of a visit late last year but i couldnt get to Heathrow from where i live.

Anyway im off to kip now chaps

Cya l8a

[Thames]

Mmmm

a visit to Heathrow would help.

All day we see overhead/deadside joins. Plugging the poor guy in bandboxed GMC would definitely help his PPL.

ukhomerj

go to a small GA airfield (a FISO or A/G unit) and then a bigger airport that has to integrate VFR traffic. Much more beneficial.

If that doesn't work - go to an RAF tower and drink lots of tea.

[radarcontrol]

Pretty sure Church Fenton or Linton-on-Ouse accept guests to their respective ATC units. Spent a week on Fenton Zone myself a couple of years ago.....they really do hate civilians....after a week of doing FIS to PPL students I'd really had enough too.

Still, i'd suggest an RAF ATC unit is worth a visit, quite interesting watching the military ops and if you can sit in with the bloke doing MATZ transits or watching zone, you'll get a load of VFR stuff too.


RC

[Go-arounder]

If you ever get as far North as Newcastle, you’re always very welcome.

[ukhomerj]

Apologies for the delay in responding to the many invitations and posts, but holidays interrupted PPRUNE viewing.

I hope to take up a few offers, and I agree with one of the posts that some time spent at an ATC should be part of the PPL course.

I will let you all know how I get on.

By the way, does a tin of biscuits help the GA/ATC bond???

[Iron City]

since you saw the suggestion in a US book, how about a US answer.

FAA has visits by pilots (not just GA) as official policy called Operation Raincheck. Since 9/11/01 the availability has been spotty, a definate "not no but h*ll no" at some facilities and an "okay, but" at others.

There are visists and there are visits...Raincheck visits you get to watch the control floor of the center from a vultures row above. It is better if you can scrape some aquaintance and plug in a position for awhile, can be a real show! GA control towers w/o radar etc can be more exciting than the big ones too... though I seem to be there when the big tower has a bomb threat on an incoming a/c and at the GA one when radios go u/s and they control with cell phones via landline (it worked, by the way)