At the time 'Biggles' said on various posts:
I had permission to cross Edinburgh CTA under the watchful eye of Scottish Radar.
Stuff about Scottish Radar seems to be from one person listening in. Maybe a pilot? Let the Inspector decide.
re Controller - of course, but I asked permission before entering the area and was granted.
I entered at 7,000 feet and left at 10,000 ft having made two requests for level changes cos of cloud tops.
I was not light headed and flew down to 7,000 immediately north of the CTA.
Thank you for your preview of the report to AAIB. Sorry to say there are a number of inaccuracies - such as I did speak to Edinburgh and they referred me to Scottish who gave me a squalk and confirmed it before entering.
And I was transferred out to Inverness (not Edinburgh) by Scottish, but was out of range at that point.
my changes of flight level were with the permission of Scottish. How did that endanger anyone? they had me on radar and my track and levels were both cleared. I was given the instruction to notify them if I made any significant turns but I did not.
I am as keen as anyone else to discover if there were errors but your detailed note, whilst showing a lot of knowledge of the circumstances, shows just how important it is to have an independent investigation that has all the facts, not just some, before it.
At least a court would start with the facts and hear both sides. You appear willing to do neither.
And now the AAIB say:
During this climb the aircraft entered Class A airspace at FL85 over Eskdalemuir, exiting into Class D airspace as it crossed into the Scottish TMA approximately 10 nm further north.
At 1440 hrs the pilot contacted the Scottish Area Control Centre (SACC), advising his intended route and his wish to climb to 9,000 ft to remain clear of cloud. The controller cleared the aircraft on track to Kinloss and asked the pilot to advise her before making any “big turns” because the aircraft was in the “TMA environment” and potentially in conflict with aircraft under her control bound for Edinburgh.
As the aircraft approached the lateral limits of the Edinburgh Control Area (CTA) from the south, the pilot requested and was cleared to make a further climb to 10,000 ft in order to remain clear of cloud. Five minutes later the pilot reported ‘cloud ahead the base looks quite high could I have permission to descend 5,000 ft same heading ’. Initially, SACC cleared the aircraft to FL70, due to traffic in the CTA, and instructed the pilot to contact Edinburgh Radar. The pilot read back the correct frequency but had not made contact with Edinburgh ATC before the aircraft entered the CTA. It exited the CTA northbound at an altitude of approximately 4,500 ft and continued to descend to 2,000 ft.
The pilot held a National Private Pilot’s Licence which does not permit flight under instrument flight rules and therefore does not permit flight in Class A airspace. There is no record of the pilot holding a valid flight radio telephony operator’s licence at the time of the flight.
Flight in Class D airspace requires a clearance either via radio telephony or by prior arrangement. The commander of an aircraft flying in an aerodrome traffic zone is required to obtain permission to do so from the associated ATC unit and to maintain a continuous watch for instructions (though not necessarily by radio). The Edinburgh ATC unit reported entry of the aircraft into the CTA without clearance as an infringement.
Infringement of controlled airspace and flight within the Edinburgh ATZ without permission did not directly affect the outcome.
Sorry Vince, but those professionals who told you at the time what you had done wrong, were funnily enough 100% right. You didn't listen to advice then and everything seems always to have been someone else's fault. If you still persist with that attitude today, then you have learned nothing and are a potential danger to everyone who is in the air and on the ground every time you get airborne.
If on the other hand, you have accepted the AAIB report and the failings which it has highlighted in your performance, and have taken appropriate instruction or guidance to bring yourself up to a safe standard of flying, then I wish you every success for future flights and welcome you in to the airspace as a fellow aviator who can display the necessary competence and skill which is required by us all.