Pat Malone, the following is a quote from the D of T report on LARS funding. If the cost is £7-8 million, who's paying it and where is the money going, because I know for a fact it isn't going to the LARS providers. (Got to
www.dft.gov.uk search for LARS and you'll find the full report).
'How LARS is funded
7. The current level of funding for LARS is approximately £1.6 million per year. The service is paid for via the Eurocontrol route charges system as an element of the UK's unit rate. All aircraft above 5.7 tonnes pay route charges and thereby contribute to the cost of LARS. Aircraft between 2 and 5.7 tonnes flying under instrument flight rules (IFR) also pay route charges. Aircraft between 2 and 5.7 tonnes flying under visual flight rules (VFR) and all aircraft below 2 tonnes are exempt from route charges. Effectively, this means that LARS is currently funded by commercial airlines and business aviation of whatever nationality flying in UK airspace.'
Also TC_LTN, it's not Farney who's defeated his own argument it's you - quote: '...IMHO, NATS will not ditch providing a LARS service as long as the IFR traffic they are contracted to provide a service to, are operating in Class G airspace with little protection other than the 'known traffic environment' generated by the LARS service.' It's not up to NATS, it's up to TAG Aviation, they pay NATS to provide an air traffic service and effectively foot much of the LARS bill at Farnborough. And that's twice now you've given TAG the clue that if Farnborough had a CTZ it could ditch LARS.