In the spirit of MP activity, here's a copy of my letter to my MP sent 12 September 2002:
================================
I want to call your attention to the recent changes in NOTAM service that has been implemented by NATS/AIS (National Air Traffic Services/Air Information Services)
NOTAMs (Notices to Airmen) are a vital service by which current operational matters are made known to pilots. Recent examples affecting myself are a change in instrument approach procedures at Farnborough, a large crane operating close to Blackbushe, various “temporary restricted areas” (TRA’s) due to scene-of-crime investigations or foot-and-mouth etc., and parachute jumps and Red Arrows displays in the vicinity of Farnborough/Blackbushe/Camberley.
In the interests of flight safety, it is critical that pilots should be able to get this kind of information easily.
I’m sure I don’t need to explain that the outcome of not having this information could be disastrous.
Until 21st August 2002 NOTAMS were promulgated by daily navigation bulletins that were very easy to get from the AIS website. (
www.ais.org.uk)
These are known as A1 & A8 bulletins.
The A1/A8 NOTAMS were sorted by Latitude (first) then by Longitude, such that finding NOTAMs that may affect your flight was relatively simple: You knew the Lat/Long co-ordinates of the area where you would be flying so you checked those NOTAMs.
The changes made by NATS on their website have made information very much harder to get and use.
The output is no longer sorted by Lat/Long, but by “type” and alphabetically by ICAO code. (Most airfields worldwide have an ICAO code, all UK fields starting EG. So Heathrow is EGLL, Farnborough is EGLF, Gatwick is EGKK, and Blackbushe is EGLK etc.)
Sorting alphabetically by ICAO is useless when you are attempting to get some situational awareness of an area, as the codes do not work that way!
The other major issue with the new system is “missing” NOTAMs – there are many reported cases of data appearing in the old A1/A8 format, but not appearing on the new issue…
During 2002, the CAA commissioned an independent trio of pilots into a team, known as the “On Track Team”
The following text is taken from their website (
www.flyontrack.co.uk)
We are a team of three independent (non CAA) pilots, who have been asked by the CAA to have a fresh look at the whole subject of Airspace Infringements from the pilot’s perspective, under a project entitled “On Track”.
Although there is considerable information through the normal reporting system, less detail is available on why infringements happen. It is only after we know why they occur that improvements to “the system” can be made. “On Track” aims to collect as much of this detail as possible, to identify causes and promote suggested improvements.
The “On Track” initiative was the first time General Aviation (“GA”) pilots could contribute, anonymously if required, to a safety “forum” – especially in the realm of airspace “busts”.
The scale of disappointment of the NATS changes is easy to see if one has a look at the comments on the “On Track” message board.
The “New AIS Service” thread dwarfs anything else on there.
Comments are not only from GA pilots but air traffic controllers (ironically some employed by NATS).
Were that insufficient feedback, there is a thread running on PPRuNe (Professional Pilot’s Rumour Network) in the Private Flying forum (
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthr...threadid=66083)
This thread now has over 120 contributions again with many from air traffic controllers as well as pilots.
The situation is very dangerous. Some airfields are without NOTAM information. Some pilots are without NOTAM information.
The A1 & A8 bulletins which we relied upon previously are still produced daily by NATS/AIS. They have simply ceased to be available to GA pilots or regional airfields. This adds insult to injury.
The A1 & A8 data is available to “MARS” terminals – these terminals are in all BAA airfields, Jersey, and several other locations – and the underlying data (including the Lat/Long info) is still input by NATS/AIS.
(MARS = Met. and AIS Retrieval System)
It is because of the numerous shortcomings of the new AIS website, and the knowledge that A1/A8 data is still available that GA and others are increasingly frustrated with NATS.
Yesterday, 11/9/2002, NATS released a statement regarding the new offering, and it failed to address one issue that had been raised either directly to NATS or via one of the forums mentioned above. (Which NATS insist they are monitoring)
See:
http://www.ais.org.uk/aes/en/image/N...11-09-2002.pdf
I have raised an “MOR” (Mandatory Occurrence Report) regarding NATS/AIS due to the failings of the new system. This forces the CAA Safety Data Department to investigate further.
I am aware that several other pilots either have done, or will do, the same.
I have also written to the Air Accident Investigation Board (“AAIB”) to ask if they can lend some weight to our request for changes at NATS/AIS.
Without some additional pressure, hopefully from yourselves, we cannot possibly fight our corner.
So what do we, GA pilots, actually want?
1. A return to the daily A1 & A8 NOTAM briefings, available on the AIS website – as described above, this data already exists so a simple URL will solve this problem. (This at least until all of the problems with the new system are resolved)
2. A reasoned reply to all of the (growing) requests from ATC and pilots, and not “spin” per the current announcement.
3. Some dialogue between NATS/AIS and the users of the system! If the old website had mentioned this new service offering* most of these issues would never have arisen.
* The changes to AIS information were announced in an AIC (Air Information Circular) in May 2002. Ref: AIC 54/2002 (Yellow 85) 30 May
4. A genuine trial-period, so that users can use both old and new systems, gain confidence that nothing is missing, and learn how to use the new system properly
Please help us!
Please ask the Minister concerned why this situation has been allowed to spiral out of control.
Please ask NATS/AIS what they are actually doing about the situation.
Many thanks for your time, and assistance.
Signed.
================================
And here's the response received:
================================
THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY BLANK
================================
Ah yes, British democracy at its finest.
So to answer your question, bpilatus, don't waste your time.