I wonder if any of the Scottish instructing/examining fraternity can shed some light on a point that has been the topic of some conversation recently.
The short runway at a particular scottish airfield has a permanently marked displaced threshold for obstacle clearance (trees in the undershoot that have since been chopped down). The aerodrome is licenced and the declared distances and runway markings still depict the displaced threshold although the obstacles for which it was put in place no longer exist.
I believe that there is a point of view being given that, unless a flight is being operated for public transport, the displaced threshold can be disregarded and that an aircraft can be landed before the displaced threshold, on the white arrows.
It has always been my belief that, regardless of whether a flight is being operated for public transport or otherwise at a licenced aerodrome, touching down before the displaced threshold is "strictly verboten" and is a reportable incident until the threshold and declared distances are amended accordingly.
Am I being overly sensitive about this, or have I missed something in the ANO or Aerodrome licencing documents that permits a displaced threshold to be disregarded for non-public transport flights? Is there perhaps a local exemption or permission in place that permits this pending the change of the runway markings and declared distances?
I would be grateful for any clarification or pointers to references that may help as I confess to being rather confused by this!
Cheers
