In an attempt to reduce airspace infringements back in 2008 "Scottish Information" introduced an FIR squawk of 7401. The basis for this was although traffic working Scottish Information will only recieve a non radar "Basic Service" any other radar unit whom see's the Squawk will be aware that traffic is working "Scottish Info" and should it appear that the aircraft is tracking towards their piece of controlled airspace and about to infringe will advise Scottish to transfer the aircraft to their frequency so as to avert any possible infringement. The full details can ben seen in
AIC 5/2008but I will highlite the bullet points here...
SCOTTISH FLIGHT INFORMATION SERVICE - INTRODUCTION OF SSR CODE 7401
3 ATC Procedure for dealing with potential/actual airspace incursion
3.1 When a radar controller observes an aircraft displaying a 7401 code, under circumstances where an airspace violation is, or is
about to be, occurring, he/she may contact Scottish Information to attempt to identify the aircraft and arrange for it to be transferred to
his/her frequency, if necessary.
4 Scottish Information Action
4.1 Under such circumstances the Scottish Flight Information Service Officer (FISO), acting on the instructions of the relevant ATC
controller, will assist in the identification and transfer of the aircraft. The RTF procedure to be used by the FISO will take the following
or similar form:
‘(aircraft callsign) instruction from (ATC unit) squawk ident’
followed by:
‘(aircraft callsign) at (ATC unit) request contact (ATC unit and frequency) immediately’
4.2 When the ATC controller has resolved the situation the aircraft may return to the Scottish Information frequency and, if an SSR
code change has been made, may again be requested to squawk SSR code 7401.
Note: It should be noted that this instruction only applies to aircraft receiving a Flight Information Service from the FISO at Scottish
Information on frequency 119.875 MHz. Aircraft receiving FIS from Scottish ACC on 127.275 MHz, 124.500 MHz or 129.225 MHz
should squawk 7000 or any code designated by the Air Traffic Controller whom may use his/her radar-derived information to
assist his/her task.
In general this has worked well but sadly in the last few months a total of 5 infringements have occured with aircraft busting the Aberdeen CTA/CTZ whilst working Scottish Info. It appears at times Aberdeen have not reacted in accordance with the AIC until the said aircraft had busted their airspace. At the end of the day it is the pilots responsibility to avoid but I feel also the onus is also on ATC to make every effort to stop these infringements before they happen. I know for those of us that operate the FIR sector at Scottish we make every effort possible to avert any infringement but being a non radar sector we have to totally trust and rely on accurate postion reporting from the pilots and when they report over position "A" they are indeed overhead and not 5 miles west!!
