flying in the UK
Hello:
I have flown in Europe, Africa, Asia, America (like most people on this forum)...etc. and I am wondering if somebody could help me understand a few of the nuances associated with ATC in the UK.
First off, I think the ATC in the UK is superb, but I would like to understand a few of the different operating procedures as compared to the rest of Europe.
1. They (UK ATC) seem to offer pilots a choice of either de-confliction service or another service which I am not familiar with (ok..I am not familiar with either). What are the two services exactly and what do they mean to the pilot and why does no other ATC in the world do this type of thing? I hate to say it, but when going into or out of the UK and the controller asks which service I require, I simply say "de-confliction" since that is the only name I hear other pilots saying. I know this sounds silly...but trust me, there are lots of non-UK pilots simply saying "de-confliction service" because that silences the ATC.
2. Isn't the point of a SID to simplify a departure and keep all departing traffic uniform and doing the same thing? So why do the UK SIDS show min. and max altitudes on the departure waypoints...why not just be like the other SIDS in the world, i.e. give a climb altitude or FL and show an altitude to be at when crossing a waypoint if required? I get the whole step climb thing around London, but why have a SID like this out of Aberdeen for example?
Again, I think the ATC is top notch....but do the controllers know that some of the non-UK pilots have no idea about "de-confliction" or whatever the other choices are? It's like going to a Chinese restaurant your first time and not being able to read or pronounce what food you are ordering...so you just pick something because that stops the confusion from the waiter and keeps things moving along.
Thanks!