As the result of an overriding safety concern in relation to number and severity of airspace infringements in the vicinity of London Stansted Airport, the establishment of two Transponder Mandatory Zones (TMZ) has been approved by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and will take effect on 24 September 2009.
Transponder Mandatory Zone
A TMZ is defined, as a volume of airspace where aircraft wishing to enter or fly within the defined area, will be required to have and operate secondary surveillance radar equipment. TMZs are notified for the purpose of Air Navigation Order 2005 Article 20(2). This equipment must include a pressure altitude reporting transponder capable of operating in Mode A and Mode C and has the capability and functionality prescribed for Mode S Elementary Surveillance (general exemption for VFR flights for aircraft equipped with Mode A/C until March 2012). The pilot of an aircraft that wishes to operate in a TMZ without such serviceable transponder equipment may be granted access to the TMZ subject to specific ATC approval.
London Stansted Transponder Mandatory Zones
The London Stansted TMZ are detailed on the chart below.
Transponder Mandatory Zone Access
Suitably equipped aircraft may access a London Stansted TMZ without ATC approval although such traffic is strongly recommended to afford itself of either an ATSOCA service or make use of an appropriate Monitoring Code (A0013).
The pilot of an aircraft that wishes to operate in a London Stansted TMZ without serviceable transponder equipment as defined in paragraph 2.1 may be granted access to the TMZ subject to specific ATC approval. This approval may be obtained from Farnborough Radar on frequency 132.800 during their hours of operation (0800-2000 Winter (Summer 1 hr earlier)) or from Essex Radar on frequency 120.625 at other times.
Statutory Instruments
Stansted TMZ is implemented by means of The Air Navigation (Restriction of Flying) (London Stansted Airport) (No. 2) Regulations 2009 (S.I. 2009/2020) which come into force on 24 September 2009. The SI is available at:
UK Statutory Instruments 2009
A copy of the AIC is available at
http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/aip/current/aic/yellow/EG_Circ_2009_Y_076_en.pdf