Now I am really confused! I got speaking to a controller at Aldergrove and he has said that they are required to separate ALL traffic regardless of weather, types, performance etc. They will not allow for example a microlight in the same sector as an airbus unless they are separated - I`m not sure where their sectors are and I`m not sure if this is a NATS thing or a local unit thing. Either way it seems to be creating a lot of work for the controllers!
When I explained the scenario I experienced he simply said that even though we could see the big shiny jet we simply were not considered separated in his opinion and therefore wouldn`t get a transit. I asked what if the airbus had been a VFR PA28 and we could each see each other, he said we still wouldn`t be classed as separated.
I went back to the guy I spoke to at Belfast City and he said if he applied those rules then City couldn`t function as they simply don`t have the space to operate this way, he said they regularly have helicopter traffic operating over the city centre at 3000 feet with an outbound IFR also going to 3000 feet, traffic information is passed and that`s it.
What happens at other areas??
