Originally Posted by London Mil
Have we agreed yet that, despite the legalities, it isn't overly clever to play around unannounced in a bit of airspace where you know there is an increased risk of another, dissimilar aviation activity?
Oh. So you will not get heavy military helicopters operating outside the Odiham MATZ close to Popham - an area notified as being where there is increased risk of another dissimilar aviation activity.
Personally, I will avoid the MATZ when IFR but if VFR, I will simply notify the unit of my routing and level which will be based on QNH.
These days, there is no more risk of collision flying good VMC within a MATZ than flying in the rest of the Class G.
I often wish I had not bothered to call when we get all this waffle about QFE (there goes terrain awareness out the window) and fly at or below or above xxx height.
The Controller in a MATZ has the same ability to approve, refuse or control a MATZ transit as an AFISO or A/G operator has the ability to control a transit of their ATZ...........None
The response to a call indicating a flight (not getting a RIS or RAS) will transit the MATZ should be "G-ABCD roger, Traffic information......
That enables me as the person responsible for 1 the safety of the flight and 2 not colliding with other traffic to make an informed decision just like we do when transiting an ATZ with no ATC service.
Farnborough operate the Odiham MATZ. Never had to obtain a MATZ transit from them. Never had one approved. Always get traffic information (usually gliding at the field) and never had a complaint from Farnborough - one of the busiest LARS units in the country.
If Farnborough can operate that way why can't the rest?
Regards,
DFC