Originally Posted by
Duchess_Driver
There are three 'relevant' LARS providers available in that area now: Brize, Oxford and Farnborough North - with Benson being able to 'chip' in when they're not busy with their own patch. Whether there is a 'policy' effort to use one provider (Oxford Radar, perhaps) I don't know - but again, they're optional calls if you want cover.
Sadly Oxford is not a LARS provider and the services we do offer are from within our controller spare capacity (although we did offer to do LARS and were given a refusal by DAP). Brize and Farnborough are the only LARS provision within the area although the Westcott area and the route toward WAP, albeit within the Farnborough north AOR, affects Benson and Oxford. Brize LARS is only 0900-1700 so we do find ourselves picking up a lot of transit outside those hours. The loss of Coventry radar means both Oxford and Brize probably having to work aircraft further north which reduces controller capacity even further. A review of capabilities and who does what, and where, might be useful. Albeit to late for the 4 victims of this accident.
Regards Fred