PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Is it me... or the UK ATC system?
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Old 16th Jul 2012, 21:48
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peterh337
 
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I don't think there is any problem with Jepp data.

The main issue with the UK system is that many airports (especially ones frequented by GA, incluidng light jets) are in Class G (which is the only form on non controlled airspace in the UK, in general).

And the UK provides only a very fragmented ATC service in Class G.

If you stick to UK airports in controlled airspace (in most cases they are in Class D; a couple are in Class A) then you get the "classical IFR" ATC procedures which IFR pilots all over the world expect.

Once you drop into Class G then lots of things start to break down

One problem is that a non UK pilot can quite easily drop into Class G accidentally, because in "classical IFR" you don't carry VFR charts (which would clearly show the airspace classes) and the IFR charts show them very poorly, as weakly printed legends which few people look at.

Why the UK has this system I don't know; I've been flying only 12 years (1500hrs). It is probably to do with the way ATC is funded; it is not a "nationalised resource" like it is in nearly all countries. It has always been heavily into cost recovery, "user pays", and the extensive Class G airspace provides for easy VFR flying in which IFR (i.e. IMC flight) is permitted even non-radio. It is a quid pro quo on many fronts; the freedom of Class G means that very little in the way of ATC services needs to be provided; after all, you cannot "control" traffic in Class G and you cannot issue it with any form of a clearance (close airport proximity excepted).

The dissemination of aeronautical information is very variable. The AIPs are produced to fulfil ICAO obligations, not to deliver cockpit-usable documents, and for example the UK CAA is totally open about this when you ask their officials face to face. In southern Europe, the AIPs (as so much else) are full of out of date crap, and any airport op details ought to be verified with the airport directly. So Jeppesen step in with nice clear airport charts

Sometimes the pilot needs to be more pro-active, perhaps. For example ATC might give you an early descent, 100nm before the destination, pushing you into Class G and thus effectively cancelling your existing enroute clearance (which enabled you to penetrate all airspace classes, in accordance with standard IFR). You can refuse this, due to hazardous weather below. Actually this "early dumping" has been a hot topic in light IFR GA (sometimes pushing one into a flight at 2400ft, dodging traffic and low level convective wx) and it seems to be getting better.

Perhaps the best single thing is to be aware of which airports are in Class G. I notice some Jepp plates now say stuff like "procedure established outside controlled airspace".

Last edited by peterh337; 16th Jul 2012 at 21:49.
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