When I'm going "oop north" from Sywell or Fowlmere I sometimes don't bother to talk to the RAF MATZ controllers if I'm way above them, say 7 to 10 thousand feet. But I only do that if I'm squawking Mode C, so that they can see that this little blip is a mile over the top of their MATZ.
Anyone floating around East Anglia for the first time should expect the Lakenheath / Mildenhall CMATZ to be a bit "different" from yer average RAF MATZ. For one thing they are much more likely to be working at weekends than an RAF MATZ - in fact Ican only rememberfinding them not there one one occasion. For another, you can expect some high-speed American, and some of the controllers can be under the distinct influence that they own the zone and can give instructions in it. (Some however are exceedingly easy-going and friendly.) However, I do not recommend arguing with them, they usually have a pretty fair reason for what they say, like wake turbulence from the departing C-5, C-131, C-17, KC-135 or other Big Heavy traffic. There is no futrue in being legally in the clear at the cost of getting squashed by a Galaxy. They will also give you a squawk before they engage in any further discussion. I have sometimes found it useful to call up and give my *intentions* rather than make a request, making it clear that I do not want to go through the ATZ. If they have a good reason for thinking that their intentions conflict with mine, e.g. they're just about to launch a trash-hauler, or recover a trio fo Jolly Green Giant choppers round the back of Ely at low level (happens quite a lot) then they advie appropriately and I take notice. Since Sept 11 they are *very* keen on people not entering the ATZ for either airfield, and I am happy to oblige, it is easy to weave clear even if teh cloudbase is keeping me low.
Last edited by Lowtimer; 24th December 2003 at 22:56.