Hi guys. Interesting comments re. "report your level". MATS Part 1 (one of two items of essential bedtime reading) defines level as:
"A generic term relating to the vertical position of an aircraft in flight and meaning variously height, altitude or flight level". So now you know.
We need the check to verify that the reported level is +/- 200 feet from that shown on the Mode C on the radar display before the aircraft is transferred to Cardiff. Replies from flight crew of "approaching XXXX feet" aren't acceptable, I'm afraid, for that very reason.
Rev. Thrust: please don't be too harsh on CAA: they have a job to do and, in this case, using the HON VOR is surely better than a combination of DR tracking and back bearings off an NDB, from your viewpoint? I thought it was
quite inspired, actually...and helpful! The main thing is that we got the SIDs in place after so long and they're compliant with all required criteria, of that I have no doubt. Dealing with the Bristol/Cardiff airspace changes and SIDs/STARs was a huge undertaking for CAA, especially if you knew the amount of environmental stuff that went on for all concerned.
Bath Gap situation now? Great! No longer am I having to constantly scan the screen to see what's likely to conflict with you guys in the open FIR and (frequently) have the difficult choice of where to turn you for avoiding action to ensure the biggest "gap" (or just any gap) from other traffic. It's totally changed the way we operate and has increased my thinking-, speaking- and scanning capacity enormously. That said, we have made significant airspace sharing concessions to the gliding- and paragliding folk (amongst others) and have agreements in place which let them have access to the Bath Gap CTA up to 4500 feet and over the Mendips up to 5000 feet on good-gliding-weather days, non-radio. We've simulated it plenty but have yet to work it for real on a regular basis. There'll inevitably be more RT chat and some creative radar vectoring required by us, accordingly.
BF- hope we're getting the ILS intercept ranges about right when the back-track isn't required. It's odd looking at a totally different video map on the radar now from the one I've used for 21 years and all of us have been tending to take aircraft wider than we were doing previously, I think. We practiced use of the new airspace on simulators for hours and hours but it's a lot easier doing it for real, albeit there's still plenty for me to learn through sheer experience. My thanks to you for your patience and feedback.