Cambridge "Airspace"
A "clearance" is a somewhat more formal contract with ATC. When used in it's purest sense (as in the US system) it promises some level of separation in return for agreeing to fly a specified trajectory. I would concede that in UK usage for class D, it has become little more than a "permission".
European definition...
Air Traffic Control Clearance - Authorisation for an aircraft to proceed under conditions specified by an air traffic control unit.
2 s
European definition...
I agree the issue is debatable and somewhat academic.
Neither ICAO Annex 11 nor PANS-ATM define "clearance". Annex 11 does say:
3.7.1 Contents of clearances
3.7.1.1 An air traffic control clearance shall indicate:
a) aircraft identification as shown in the flight plan;
b) clearance limit;
c) route of flight;
d) level(s) of flight for the entire route or part thereof and changes of levels if required;
e) any necessary instructions or information on other matters such as approach or departure manoeuvres, communications and the time of expiry of the clearance.
I would argue that "permission granted" does not meet the spirit of this, but then neither do most of the other "clearances" used in the UK.
Hi Bookworm
ICAO Annex 2
and EU IR 923/2012 (SERA), Art 2
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ICAO Annex 2
Air traffic control clearance. Authorization for an aircraft to
proceed under conditions specified by an air traffic control
unit.
Note 1.— For convenience, the term “air traffic control
clearance” is frequently abbreviated to “clearance” when used
in appropriate contexts.
Note 2.— The abbreviated term “clearance” may be prefixed
by the words “taxi”, “take-off”, “departure”, “en route”,
“approach” or “landing” to indicate the particular portion of
flight to which the air traffic control clearance relates.
proceed under conditions specified by an air traffic control
unit.
Note 1.— For convenience, the term “air traffic control
clearance” is frequently abbreviated to “clearance” when used
in appropriate contexts.
Note 2.— The abbreviated term “clearance” may be prefixed
by the words “taxi”, “take-off”, “departure”, “en route”,
“approach” or “landing” to indicate the particular portion of
flight to which the air traffic control clearance relates.
28. ‘air traffic control clearance’ means authorisation for an aircraft to proceed under conditions specified by an air traffic control unit;
So it all comes down to Cambridge were not correct in giving a "Clearance" while overflying the ATZ in Class G, glad that's sorted, only took 2 pages.
Instructions issued by controllers to pilots operating outside controlled airspace are not mandatory; however, the services rely upon pilot compliance with the specified terms and conditions so as to promote a safer operating environment for all airspace users.
Outside Controlled Airspace
1.5 An Approach Control unit at an aerodrome outside controlled airspace shall provide ATS to aircraft, as determined by the Aerodrome Operator and approved by the CAA, from the time and place at which: arriving aircraft place themselves under the control of Approach Control until control is transferred to Aerodrome Control;
departing aircraft are taken over from Aerodrome Control until they no longer wish to receive a service or are 10 minutes flying time away from the aerodrome, whichever is the sooner;
overflying aircraft place themselves under the control of Approach Control until they are clear of the approach pattern and either no longer wish to receive a service or are 10 minutes flying time away from the aerodrome, whichever is the sooner.
1.5 An Approach Control unit at an aerodrome outside controlled airspace shall provide ATS to aircraft, as determined by the Aerodrome Operator and approved by the CAA, from the time and place at which: arriving aircraft place themselves under the control of Approach Control until control is transferred to Aerodrome Control;
departing aircraft are taken over from Aerodrome Control until they no longer wish to receive a service or are 10 minutes flying time away from the aerodrome, whichever is the sooner;
overflying aircraft place themselves under the control of Approach Control until they are clear of the approach pattern and either no longer wish to receive a service or are 10 minutes flying time away from the aerodrome, whichever is the sooner.
Aircraft within an ATZ are required to comply with instructions from the ATC unit. Although flight in Class F and G airspace outside the ATZ is permitted without an ATC clearance, controllers will act on the basis that pilots will comply fully with their instructions in order to promote a safer operating environment for all airspace users.
On 04 February 1965 I was in the right hand seat of Mrs Windsor's Argosy XR138. My captain, in the left seat, was doing his monthly training and was at the time, heads down on instruments flying an NDB hold (left hand) at the 'BO' NDB for Benson about to commence the approach.
The weather was CAVOK. As he turned off the end of the downwind leg of the hold on to the final approach course, he realised that he had turned too tightly and so he rolled the wings level to make an attack on to the ideal bearing.
It was at that moment that my world went into slow motion. I obviously couldn't see into the turn from the right seat but I suddenly had a windscreen full of BOAC VC-10 moving left to right. I grabbed control and tried to go down and right but everything had gone into very slow motion. It was like every second took an hour.
We just missed.
I saw the first officer in the VC-10 and I watched every single window in slow motion go past me. For some reason or another I do not remember seeing the wingtip.
To me, the most surreal part was watching the slightly black trail of the VC-10 engines disappearing into the distance without so much of a single degree of a heading change. They had simply not seen us.
Needless to say, we gave up what we were supposed to be doing and landed and fairly promptly, went down to the Farmers Man in Benson village for a quick nervous breakdown.
A couple of weeks later, I was called by a Wg Cdr in Flight Safety at MOD and he wanted to know how I knew that the VC-10 concerned was G-ARVH. I told him that I had read it off the tail-bullet. "Bloody Hell" said he "you must have been close!"
It transpired that the VC-10 was on its way from Wisley to Bedford to do some blind landing trials and they had decided to go VFR at 3,000 feet via Woodley and they admitted afterwards that they had disgegarded military holding patterns for Benson, to them, Benson was simply an ATZ.
I dreamed about the encounter for quite a while.
I therefore find it quite pathetic to find fellow private pilots (I presume) arguing about the semantics of what they think an ATC unit actually said to them which so upset their afternoon bimble when THEY KNOW THEIR RIGHTS!
For God's sake people, communicate with one another. It is quite amazing what you can achieve if you are nice to each other.
It is so much better than waking up in the middle of the night in a muck sweat trying to work out why you are still alive despite others.
The weather was CAVOK. As he turned off the end of the downwind leg of the hold on to the final approach course, he realised that he had turned too tightly and so he rolled the wings level to make an attack on to the ideal bearing.
It was at that moment that my world went into slow motion. I obviously couldn't see into the turn from the right seat but I suddenly had a windscreen full of BOAC VC-10 moving left to right. I grabbed control and tried to go down and right but everything had gone into very slow motion. It was like every second took an hour.
We just missed.
I saw the first officer in the VC-10 and I watched every single window in slow motion go past me. For some reason or another I do not remember seeing the wingtip.
To me, the most surreal part was watching the slightly black trail of the VC-10 engines disappearing into the distance without so much of a single degree of a heading change. They had simply not seen us.
Needless to say, we gave up what we were supposed to be doing and landed and fairly promptly, went down to the Farmers Man in Benson village for a quick nervous breakdown.
A couple of weeks later, I was called by a Wg Cdr in Flight Safety at MOD and he wanted to know how I knew that the VC-10 concerned was G-ARVH. I told him that I had read it off the tail-bullet. "Bloody Hell" said he "you must have been close!"
It transpired that the VC-10 was on its way from Wisley to Bedford to do some blind landing trials and they had decided to go VFR at 3,000 feet via Woodley and they admitted afterwards that they had disgegarded military holding patterns for Benson, to them, Benson was simply an ATZ.
I dreamed about the encounter for quite a while.
I therefore find it quite pathetic to find fellow private pilots (I presume) arguing about the semantics of what they think an ATC unit actually said to them which so upset their afternoon bimble when THEY KNOW THEIR RIGHTS!
For God's sake people, communicate with one another. It is quite amazing what you can achieve if you are nice to each other.
It is so much better than waking up in the middle of the night in a muck sweat trying to work out why you are still alive despite others.
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Outside Controlled Airspace
1.5 An Approach Control unit at an aerodrome outside controlled airspace shall provide ATS to aircraft, as determined by the Aerodrome Operator and approved by the CAA, from the time and place at which: arriving aircraft place themselves under the control of Approach Control until control is transferred to Aerodrome Control;
departing aircraft are taken over from Aerodrome Control until they no longer wish to receive a service or are 10 minutes flying time away from the aerodrome, whichever is the sooner;
overflying aircraft place themselves under the control of Approach Control until they are clear of the approach pattern and either no longer wish to receive a service or are 10 minutes flying time away from the aerodrome, whichever is the sooner.
1.5 An Approach Control unit at an aerodrome outside controlled airspace shall provide ATS to aircraft, as determined by the Aerodrome Operator and approved by the CAA, from the time and place at which: arriving aircraft place themselves under the control of Approach Control until control is transferred to Aerodrome Control;
departing aircraft are taken over from Aerodrome Control until they no longer wish to receive a service or are 10 minutes flying time away from the aerodrome, whichever is the sooner;
overflying aircraft place themselves under the control of Approach Control until they are clear of the approach pattern and either no longer wish to receive a service or are 10 minutes flying time away from the aerodrome, whichever is the sooner.
Aircraft within an ATZ are required to comply with instructions from the ATC unit. Although flight in Class F and G airspace outside the ATZ is permitted without an ATC clearance, controllers will act on the basis that pilots will comply fully with their instructions in order to promote a safer operating environment for all airspace users.
As the OP was outside the ATZ the first part of quote is irrelevant. The rest fails to take account of the current "ATSOCAS" requirements
Is the manual required reading/study for ppl's?
Last edited by PA28181; 28th May 2015 at 21:35.
overflying aircraft place themselves under the control of Approach Control
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As ATSOCAS exists, a "procedural" service is
As a "deconfliction/procedural" is only available to flight under IFR the OP cannot comply/request if VFR.
A Procedural Service is a non surveillance service in which deconfliction advice is provided against other aircraft in receipt of a Procedural Service from the same controller. The avoidance of other aircraft is the pilot’s responsibility.
Is the manual (of Air Traffic Services Part 1) required reading/study for ppl's?
Not normally, but if one is going to publicly claim that ATCO's are not doing their job correctly by exceeding their powers, as done early in this thread, then it is helpful to know their job description as laid down in their ‘bible’ MATS Part 1. MATS Part 2 also exists but is not generally available since it is each unit's local procedures as approved by the CAA.
For what it's worth, I frequently fly a glider in the vicinity of Cambridge Airport under a basic service and feel that I get an excellent service. Sometimes I get a clearance I cannot comply with (like maintain 4,000’ – but to be fair that’s more likely to come from Lakenheath), I explain why I cannot comply and come to a more appropriate agreement. It’s not a problem.
Especially when they have instrument traffic in the hold, or on approach outside controlled airspace, working in the way laid down in MATS Part 1 creates a safer environment for all. Most of the instrument traffic seems to be training in light aircraft with relatively few commercial movements.
Willing acceptance of and compliance with their clearances OCAS is to our benefit since they are LESS likely to feel they have to go for Class D which means that we can be excluded.
For what it's worth, I frequently fly a glider in the vicinity of Cambridge Airport under a basic service and feel that I get an excellent service. Sometimes I get a clearance I cannot comply with (like maintain 4,000’ – but to be fair that’s more likely to come from Lakenheath),
Under a BS, I trust that the "clearance" to which you refer is actually "for co-ordination, request you..." which is a perfectly routine request under BS.
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Dialogue is usually along lines:
Pass your message.
Glider XXX is 4 miles North West of your field at 4000’ routing overhead towards the wind farm. Request Basic Service.
Glider XXX, QNH is nnnn. Basic Service. Report descending below 2500’.
Nnnn, Basic Service. WILCO. Glider XXX
However on occasion I have been “cleared” overhead. Sometimes I'm instructed to report on reaching a certain point such as overhead or after completion of crossing of extended centre-line etc..
Pass your message.
Glider XXX is 4 miles North West of your field at 4000’ routing overhead towards the wind farm. Request Basic Service.
Glider XXX, QNH is nnnn. Basic Service. Report descending below 2500’.
Nnnn, Basic Service. WILCO. Glider XXX
However on occasion I have been “cleared” overhead. Sometimes I'm instructed to report on reaching a certain point such as overhead or after completion of crossing of extended centre-line etc..
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Flying overhead Cranfield a very common experience is I report my level and routing (via the beacon), and they ask if I am VFR or IFR. In the usual UK 'IFR exists only in your own head OCAS' situation, I am usually IFR, I.e. I have chosen a level consistent with my heading IFR and am above MSA so I can be IFR if I want.
They don't want me IFR because they will then have to deconfiict me from the IFR training traffic so they usually request I overfly them VFR. If I am in VMC I comply but it does make a bit of a nonsense of the idea of procedural deconfliction...
They don't want me IFR because they will then have to deconfiict me from the IFR training traffic so they usually request I overfly them VFR. If I am in VMC I comply but it does make a bit of a nonsense of the idea of procedural deconfliction...
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They don't want me IFR because they will then have to deconfiict me from the IFR training traffic so they usually request I overfly them VFR
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