Could someone in the RAF ATC community explain the mysteries of making contact with Brize for a Zone Transit?
Uniquely, for Brize alone, the Southern England & Wales Frequency Reference Card has a footnote "Brize Norton - Prefered initial contact frequency is 124.275".
On a couple of occasions recently I have called up on that frequency requesting a Zone Transit, only to get a snappy response "Call Brize Zone on 119.00". As that frequency is maked on the 500 mil chart, I would have done so had it not been for the card footnote.
On neither occasion did the the LARS operator on 124.275 ask me to "Pass your Message/Details", so I can't see the point of the apparently unnecessary initial call.
Nearby Bristol run a very efficient Zone Transit service using their 125.65 LARS/RAD/APP frequency. Why is Brize unique in having a seperate Zone frequency, and why the requirement to call their LARS first?
