Oil rigs

[Aerofoil]

I was just looking over my map and i noticed an oil field off the west coast near southport and it got me thinking.
It would be interesting to fly out to an oil rig just to circle it for a while taking some photos but what would the restrictions be for doing this?
And also would you have to switch to the rigs ATC frequency if it has one?

Thanks in advance

Dave

im referring to fixed wing aircraft btw. :ok:

[Keygrip]

I remember an exploration rig appearing just off the coast at Wallasey (3nm away) - it had an ATZ by definition that it an R/T frequency.

Had to call it - and always did - to fly through its zone.

[BRL]

It's the Lennox field gas rig. More can be found HERE (http://emit.demon.co.uk/webcam/what.html). There is another cam that looks out wider over the sea.

The field looks pretty amazing at night when burning its waste gas or whatever they burn. I was walking back to my mates house a few months ago from the pub at night and we could hear this faint roaring noise in the distance and a strange glow in the sky. Curiosity got the better of us and we got a cab down to the beach to see what was going on and it was the rig burning away. It looked amazing, it lit up the sea for miles around, just awsome really. If you do go up, try and get some pictures at night.

[Dewdrop]

You'd have to keep to the Alt minima and Blackpool approach might have something to say about it.

[LowNSlow]

Stay clear of the flare boom, usually mounted to one side of the platform itself. Sometimes there are BIG flames coming out of them......

Keep an eye out for choppers flying crews out to the rig too.
Some rigs are "not normally manned". They, obviously, have nobody on board to talk too but there will still be regular chopper flights ferrying maintenance crews to them.

[niknak]

In addition to the advice already given, it's essential that you take advice from both Blackpool ATC and Bond/Scotia Helicopters who operate the heli' rig flights in the Irish Sea.

Flying over the sea in the scenario which you're suggesting is very different from doing it over land if you're not used to it, especially at lower levels.
Quite apart from the rapid changes in the weather, the structure of the rigs themselves can often lead to unexpected turbulance in the slightest of winds. Also, be aware that birds can occasionally be a problem, and are more difficult to spot against the background.


Apart from that, you should get some sectacular shots of both the rigs, and if you're lucky, some of larger marine life which transits the area, enjoy.

[Keygrip]

Some rigs are "not normally manned". They, obviously, have nobody on board to talk too but there will still be regular chopper flights ferrying maintenance crews to them.
Whilst I agree with the above, I remember discovering that the guy(s) who answered our calls to the rig off Wallasey were not actually on it - they were broadcasting from some ground based station on the mainland - but that still gave the rig an ATZ.

[FlyingForFun]

Keygrip,

I'm confused by your claims that any airfield with a radio frequency has an ATZ. When we were flying in Florida, I can understand the logic behind using that assumption to simulate flying in the UK. After all, we were doing a UK test, and it's a close enough approximation to the UK to be able to work with.

But, as far as I'm aware, it's not actually true in the UK? I thought only licensed airfields have an ATZ? Good examples of airfields with radio frequencies but no ATZ would be Popham and North Weald - both reasonably busy, both have their own frequency, but neither is licensed, and therefore neither has an ATZ. The 1/2-million charts show all ATZs outside of controlled airspace, and it doesn't show an ATZ for either of these airfields.

For practical airmanship purposes, of course, you should give these fields a wide berth or else give them a call, and the ATZ dimensions are probably a good guideline. But I don't believe there's any legal requirement to do so.

Am I missing something?

FFF
-------------

[Keygrip]

Sorry for the delay - have been away for three weeks.

Short answer - YES - licensed airfields....not every.

Rule 39. Rules of the Air.

(1) Paragraphs (2) and (3) shall apply only in relation to such of the aerodromes described in Column 1 of the following table as are notified for the purposes of this rule and at such times as are specified in Column 2 thereof.

<<can't do columns - so will just do it in writing>>

(a)
Column 1: A government aerodrome
Column 2: At such times as are notified

(b)
1: An erodrome having an air traffic control unit or [aerodrome flight information service unit]
2: During the notified hours of watch of the air traffic control unit or [aerodrome flight information service unit]

(c)
1: A licensed aerodrome having a means of two-way radio communication with aircraft
2: During the notified hours of watch of the air/ground radio station

(2) An aircraft shall not fly, take off or land within the aerodrome traffic zone of an aerodrome to which this paragraph applies unless the commander of the aircraft has obtained the permission of the air traffic control unit at the aerodrome or, where there is no air traffic control unit, has obtained from the [aerodrome flight information service unit] at that aerodrome information to enable the flight within the zone to be conducted with safety or, where there is no air traffic unit nor [aerodrome flight information service unit], has obtained information from the air/ground radio station at that aerodrome to enable the flight to be conducted with safety.

(3) The commander of an aircraft flying within the aerodrome traffic zone of an aerodrome to which this paragraph applies shall:

(a) cause a continuous watch to be maintained on the appropriate radio frequency notified for communications at the aerodrome or, if this is not possible, cause a watch to be kept for such instructions as may be issued by visual means;

(b) where the aircraft is fitted with means of communication by radio with the ground, communicate his position and height to the air traffic control unit, the [aerodrome flight information service unit] or the air/ground radio station at the aerodrome (as the case may be), on entering the zone and immediately prior to leaving it.

............................................................ ................................

Air Navigation Order. Article 129 "Interpretations"

"Aerodrome traffic zone" means the airspace specified below, being airspace in the vicinity of an aerodrome which is notified for the purposes of rule 39 of the Rules of the Air Regulations 1996:

(a) in relation to such an aerodrome other than one which is on an offshore installation:

(i) at which the length of the longest runway is notified as 1850 metres or less:

(aa) subject to sub-paragraph (bb), the airspace extending from the surface to a height of 2000ft above the level of the aerodrome within the area bounded by a circle centred on the notified mid-point of the longest runway and having a radius of 2 nautical miles;

(bb) where such an aerodrome traffic zone would extend less than 1½ nautical miles beyond the end of any runway at the aerodrome and this sub-paragraph is notified as being applicable, sub-paragraph (ii) shall apply as though the length of the longest runway is notified as greater than 1850 metres;

(ii) at which the length of the longest runway is notified as greater than 1850 metres, the airspace extending from the surface to a height of 2000ft above the level of the aerodrome within the area bounded by a circle centred on the notified mid-point of the longest runway and having a radius of 2½ nautical miles;

(b) in relation to such an aerodrome which is on an offshore installation, the airspace extending from mean sea level to 2000ft above mean sea level and within 1½ nautical miles of the offshore installation;

except any part of that airspace which is within the aerodrome traffic zone of another aerodrome which is notified for the purposes of this Order as being the controlling aerodrome;

<<phew>>