Solent Radar- No SSR

[BEXIL160]

Dear All,

A "heads up" for you.

Starting Monday 19th April, and continuing for six weeks (or more?) SOLENT RADAR will be without SSR, although PRIMARY radar will still be available.

Without SSR the workload of the ATCOs will increase markedly as each individual a/c requiring a service has to be identified and tracked, without the benefit of Squawks and height readout. Not impossible, but given the number of a/c operating here, no mean task.

What does this mean to you? Well, Zone transits MAY become that much more difficult to obtain for a while, remember the workload has increased, so it would be a good idea to have an alternative up your sleeve.

Also it would be a Very Good Idea to have your position available as a range and bearing from SAM. This enables the ATCO to identify exactly which one of the myriad "blips" you actually are, and so greatly increases your chance of a CTR transit. (IFR or VFR).

Please remember this is not the fault of the individual ATCOs at SOLENT. For those interested, the SSR "feed" comes from Pease Pottage, near Gatwick. The aerial there is being removed / upgraded, hence no SSR at EGHI until it is replaced.

Hope this is of use.

Best rgds
BEX

[FlyingForFun]

Thanks for the heads-up, BEX.

Out of interest, do you know if this will affect the likelyhood of being able to do practice instrument approaches in VMC? My instrument flying is suffering from lack of practice, and I had planned a visit to EGHH to use their ILS whenever I get a chance because I like the place. If that's a no-no I can find somewhere else instead.

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

[rustle]

Bloody hell - a very useful post, thanks BEXIL160 :)

Now, no-one tell EVO, okay... :cool:

[BEXIL160]

Hello FFF,

Training at BOH shouldn't be affected (they have their own SSR), and very efficient booking system. The Bournemouth CTR and associated portions of the Solent CTA should not be affected.

IMC Training at SOU is likely be somewhat restricted, and transit of the Southampton CTR, and associated bits of the Solent CTA less easy.

Hope this helps

rgds BEX

[Evo]

Bloomin' 'eck, that didn't take long. I really wish I'd kept my mouth shut at that pub...! :O

Now where's Saab... :*

I have been allowed through, i'll have you know, and I've got the GPS track to prove it. Unfortunately it was one of most shockingly bad bits of Nav, so i'm not posting a link to it...! :{

[trevelyan]

...but I could as i was RHS....

;)

[WorkingHard]

Bexil160 - How very kind to post this for all to see. I do hope that every pilot will read and understand the implications and not give you any unneccesary workload. You have clearly demonstrated what so many of us know and beleive about pilot/atc partnerships where all should play thier part. Keep up the good work (here and in Solent).

[Evo]

...but I could as i was RHS....


I was worried you might say that - at least you know why i'm not posting it :O

[rustle]

Unfortunately it was one of most shockingly bad bits of Nav, so i'm not posting a link to it...!

You weren't, per chance, enroute to the mythical Farnborough MATZ (sic) were you? :rolleyes: :p

[Saab Dastard]

Evo - you called? :p

Hi to Trevalyan in the RHS - go on, publish and be damned!:}

I'm sure that Farnborough had a MATZ at some stage - just a bit before Evo's time, is all ;)

SD

[Monocock]

Without wishing to cause an uproar............I've never been given clearance to transit the Southampton airspace anyway and Lord knows I must have tried scores of times.

Will bear in mind the rest.

Thanks.

[big.al]

Only transitted Solent Zone twice (enroute to Guernsey, and then back) and Solent were nothing but helpful and efficient.

Hoping to do the same route again at the end of May, but after the helpful 'heads-up' from Bex, may decide to route around instead.

[Aussie Andy]

Likewise, I appreciate Mr. Bexil's notice - am planning to fly to Europe via the SAM - MP (Cherbourg) VFR route on 1st of May: given the above I will plan to route around SOLENT ZONE to do my bit to kepe the noise down on the day. Its not very onerous for me to go around them, and hopefully it will make life a bit easier for the controller(s) concerned on the day!

Andy

[cblinton@blueyonder.]

Bexil

Thanks for the post, I often transit via SAM on route to Jersey or france and was intending to transit next Friday so will make another line on the map.

Good Post:ok:

[BEXIL160]

I'm glad that there has been a positive response to this. Thank You All.

I should put my hand up here and admit that I'm not an ATCO at SOLENT itself, but I work in the big ATC place down the M27. The loss of SSR at SOLENT actually makes our task more difficult as well, as we look after the EGHI traffic from / to the South..

One thing I am keen to get across here (and most have taken this on board which is very encouraging) is that there really is a GOOD reason why CTR/CTA transits may not be available quite as often as now. It really isn't an "Attitude" problem of a few controllers. Honest. Some of the people at SOLENT are GA pilots, as I am, and we are well aware of the needs of ALL airspace users.

Anyway, folks thanks again for your attention. Hopefully normal service will be resumed in the fist week of JUNE.

Best rgds
BEX

[Saab Dastard]

What's the position regarding getting a FIS while operating close under / around the class D?

Is it better to say nowt and listen, or call up and increase the workload (but let them know who the blip is)?

SD

[IO540]

Monocock

I've got transit via SAM quite a number of times, IFR. I don't think they like VFR pilots asking for overhead transit, but that's not unusual. "IFR" opens the doors in lots of places.

They do offer VFR transit through the 2000ft CAS N of IOW (to save you flying through it at say 1900ft) at say 3000ft on occassions.

[BEXIL160]

SAAB....

Re FIS... Depends how busy they are. FIS in all reality means providing very little from an ATC standpoint. It does however mean the frequency can get somewhat cluttered. During high workload scenarios (not always apparent from how busy the freq
seems to be) lots of a/c calling for a FIS will not be a priority.

So, to answer your question, Give them a call. If they are busy they will request you to go to "your en-route frequency". What you do then is up to you, either carry on "listening" to the freq(which should give you a good idea of other traffic also asked to go en-route) or maybe call Bournemouth (who will be VERY busy). If you want SOMEONE to speak to, there's alway those nice people at London Information.

Remember OUTSIDE CAS you aren't obliged to speak to ANYONE, it's Class G and YOU are responsible for separation. VFR in its most rudimenatry form, see and be seen. Nothing wrong with that at all, just keep you eyes out of the cockpit and scan, scan, scan.

MONOCOCK...
Please don't take it personally. IFR (or VFR) Solent really do try their very best to grant CTR/CTA transits. There's usually a very good reason why you haven't been able to get across. Honest. The next few weeks however are going to be a little more difficult, as I have advised. Difficult, but not neccessarily impossible. Do try.

Rgds BEX

[Saab Dastard]

Bexil,

Thanks for the reply. I asked the question as I've often flown under their class D to the south of EGHI @ 1900 (Stoney Cross - Beaulieu - Calshot or vice-versa). I always work them for a FIS and they have often been quite twitchy about my altitude (even with SSR and mode charlie) with aircraft on approach to 02!.

So in the non-SSR situation I can imagine a number of TCAS alerts being reported when there is no alt info with the primary blip and if there is no means of communication (I'm talking to London - chance would be a fine thing!) then that's potentially a lot more work and /or stress then just giving me the FIS so they know who, where and how high I am - and can call me up to confirm.

Agreed - I don't expect them to give me much (if any) "information", but I'm listening to them to form a picture around the Solent and they get to know about me. Beyond the initial calls, nothing might be said until I call them to inform them that I'm climbing to x000 feet (I'm clear of their 2000' area) and will call them when leaving frequency.

SD

[big.al]

Bexil et al -

Can you confirm that Solent SSR is now fully back up and running? Another post I have listed (VFR in the vicinity of Farnborough Airshow) explains. I had planned to avoid Solent in case the SSR issue is still not concluded, but routing around to the East can only be done at low level without entering the Farnborough TRA....

Sorry to drag this one up again, but just found the original thread I as looking for...

[BEXIL160]

Al,

The Pease Pottage SSR head is indeed fully "s", and Solent have their Secondary Radar feed from it.

Best rgds
BEX

[big.al]

Thanks Bex - in that case it'll be GAM-DVT-CPT-SAM and then into Sandown from there.

Regards