Air traffic Information notice (ATSIN) No.17 issued by SRG is interesting and pertinent to this case. It defines Lapses and Mistakes etc. This is a civil notice and would not be issued to the RAF. This ATSIN was the result of work carried out by the Human Factors Dept of the Safety Regulation Group, Civil Aviation Authority.
From my interpretation, if a civil controller erroneously gave a wrong level for descent due to a lapse of memory or because of distraction - this would be viewed as LAPSE.
It seems that a similar occurrence involving an RAF controller is viewed as negligence(or worse) resulting in charges being laid that could lead to a prison sentence. Bearing in mind that the type of service being given to the subject aircraft (RIS under LARS) is applied by both military and civil units, this difference seems highly unjust. The treatment being meted out here seems to fall under the civil definition of VIOLATION :
'In a violation, the individual concerned, for whatever reason, deliberately contravenes a rule or procedure, even when he/she knows the required course of action'
From what I can gather from this forum DELIBERATE CONTRAVENTION does not apply in this case.
Best of luck Spot.
Last edited by Trick; 17th Jan 2003 at 09:33.