UK Danger Areas & Byelaws?

[Pierre Argh]

Whilst flight in a Danger Area might be a little foolhardy, it is not generally prohibited (in the UK). However of 144 Danger Areas currently listed in the UK AIP approx 25% are protected under by Byelaws, issued under the Military Lands Act 1892, meaning that unauthorised entry is prohibited into those areas.

However, as far as I can tell(?) the only way to discover whether a particular area has an associated Byelaw is to check the listing in the AIP (where the SI number is given at the end of the details - IMHO hardly conspicuous?).

What do others think about this? Are the "prohibited" Danger Areas marked on maps (on all the maps I've seen so far they're not marked any differently from the rest), should the AIP listing be more obvious (unless you read the notes at the beginning of the AIP entry, a note such as SI 1977/77 might be ignored?) Is there anything else that could be done... or do you think it doesn't really matter?

What are your thoughts?

[Tony Hirst]

They are marked on the CAA chart with a "*" type symbol. The explanation is embedded in the legend text.

[Pierre Argh]

thanks, I've not seen these maps. Explanation embedded in the legend, what does it say and do you think that's enough?

[Gertrude the Wombat]

These are the standard CAA half mil charts. If you are flying visually in the UK using some other chart, and have never looked at the CAA one, you would be well advised to make sure that your "some other" chart does actually contain all the information you need to fly safely and legally. (Of course if you choose never to enter any danger area then you will automatically obey these bye-laws, so no problem.)

The "*" and the legend are perfectly clear and quite adequate to convey the information.

But the chart does not have on it the phone numbers you can call in advance to check on danger area activity - for these you do need to look elsewhere, eg in the AIP.

[englishal]

My thoughts are that I wouldn't fly through an active danger area.

Also many have an associated phone number so you can call before the flight find out if it is active or not. If it is not, you can go right through without a problem....

[dublinpilot]

I've never really understood why a danger area that you can't enter isn't just called a restricted area, or a prohibited area for consistancy.

[Pierre Argh]

Gertrude... I don't fly, the reason I started this debate is linked to my dayjob - and do appreciate the sense of what you say!

DS: I've been told a pilot might indeed be prosecuted for "endangerment" but in order to do so it would be necessary to prove a "willful disregard" of the danger area.

DP: I was once told, one key difference between danger areas, prohibited areas and restricted areas is that in order to be able to legally enforce a restriction/prohibition the airspace has to be within a state boundaries (i.e. not over open seas etc)... but then the same requirement would have to apply to Byelaws (which, CMIIAW, are applied to Army overland ranges?)

Interesting comments, thanks pse keep them coming.