Bristol deps/arrivals via WOTAN/ABDAL
In 20 years at EGGD, can't recall so much FIR traffic (Glider-World this week, it seems, plus heaps of GA, Filton IR trainers and Colerne Grobs up to the base of the airway) in the way of WOTAN deps and ABDAL arrivals as we've had in the past 3 days. Makes life at 'GD APR very taxing at times, especially for our low-time APR U/ts and OJTIs, trying to teach RAS requirements.
My personal thanks to anyone who does LACCS23 and who reads this for your co-op in giving us higher at WOTAN and south-side routes at short notice. Makes life oh so much easier, just to get our deps into controlled airspace that bit quicker.
Out of interest, are you guys on S23 aware of the FIR traffic that causes us to apply the non-standard (=weird and wonderful) headings and to call the S23 Planner with requests?
Do any of the BRS aircrew reading this appreciate the situation and just why you get amended airways clearances at the holding point accordingly on days like these?