Extension of London LARS

[Mike Cross]

With my AOPA UK (http://www.aopa.co.uk/) hat on:-

London LARS has been extended full details here. (http://mrc0001.users.btopenworld.com/docs/LARS2.pdf)

Sticky mods?

[KeyPilot]

Nice to get a favourable development in GA for a change!

Am I the only person wondering why they have bothered using so many points to define the boundary around Stansted? They seem to have specified points in the polygon which move the overall shape a matter of a few hundred years.

[BackPacker]

Maybe as an experiment to make boundaries that are important to visual pilots, easily identifyable landmarks, instead of some randomly defined point or line on the map? Or maybe as an easy prompter for London Info (who is not radar equipped, as far as I know) to know when and where to let an aircraft freecall Farnborough?

If I were to plan a flight through there (not likely in the near future, but maybe coming spring/summer) I would pick one of those points that define the LARS as one of my turning points, and plan to switch to Farnborough there.

[paint_the_sky_blue]

Any idea if this will make it on to the next southern half mil????

PSB

[Mike Cross]

Why not suggest it? The VFR Chart Editor is a PPL and she doesn't bite (as far as I'm aware):)

http://www.caa.co.uk/default.aspx?catid=64&pagetype=90&pageid=2149

[znww5]

Publication of the Southern half-mill has been delayed, so it's possible.

[chevvron]

Backpacker has it right; the boundary was defined with places marked on 1/2 mil charts, taking into account the boundaries of adjacent LARS units (although not all of those are 7 day ones!)

[WindFarmer]

Putting the boundary on the map would be very sensible.

Does anyone have an idea on how the rigid the boundary is? A lot of my flights are near the boundary area so I'll regularly be hopping in and out of the new northern LARS area.

Should I call or not, and will I be dumped as soon as I cross the boundary, even if I plan to recross 10 minutes later?

[chevvron]

I couldn't possibly comment, but if there's no-one else to 'play' with, I'd tend to let you stay on frequency.

[chevvron]

LARS East re-opened at 0900 this am.

[chevvron]

Anyone listening to 132.8 today would have heard Farnborough ATIS; this was intentional for technical clearance of the new transmitter.

[alphaalpha]

The northern extension of London LARS is one of the topics for the Duxford Safety Bonus Day on 12th April. NATS will be there to talk about it and answer questions.

Other topics will be Steve McKie (NATS) showing radar replays of airspace infringements; Irv Lee with weather tips; AOPA with their Wings Awards scheme to keep PPLs flying, safely; and David Cockburn of CAA on safe use of GPS. It will a very informal meet and chat day, with David giving two presentations at 12.00 and 14.30.

It's a Duxford Bonus Day, so big Bonus discounts apply to landing and admission to the museum. It's also possible to drive in.

More details here
http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=314306

and please phone for PPR (even if driving) 01223 833376.

Should be a good day -- hope to see you.

Alan.

[chevvron]

Watch the NOTAMs; North Sector starting training runs on Sat 1 Mar.

[AlanM]

Good news Chevvers!!!

guess it must be soon, having seen your boys and girls at the Sim yesterday!

[TC_LTN]

To celebrate the opening of Farnborough LARS North Sector 3 we flew the perimeter of the Sector 3 from/to RAF Halton, this morning. Farnborough opened the frequency at exactly 10:00 and I called overhead Wing a second later. Despite some moderate turbulence and a ground speed of 197 knots at one point we managed to scrape our way around the north of LTMA without infringing (AFAIK).

http://www.halton.flyer.co.uk/FlyerForum/FarnboroughNorth.JPG

Congratulations to everyone at Farnborough and the rest of NATS for delivering such a major enhancement to ATSOCA services around the LTMA.

[TheOddOne]

I used the new service for the first time today. I was on a ferry from Biggin to Denham and was 'encouraged' to call by Thames Radar. Usual excellent professional service, but very quiet, due to the wx; only a Cougar up from Elstree opposite direction to Southend sharing the frequency. Snow showers and a little light chop probably kept others at bay.

I think it wasn't going live until April; perhaps some more publicity is required if it's now live.

132.8. Another frequency to remember!

Cheers,
TheOddOne

[chevvron]

Opening again at 1000 today; east sector will open simultaneously to give a 'seamless' service all round the London area (west sector open anyway)

[chevvron]

Thanks to all those who called 132.8 between 1000 and 1200 today; I'm now valid and it's open again now for a couple of hours.

[TC_LTN]

Called at 1330 with no reply.

[DenhamPPL]

I called on Thursday (6th) at 13.50 requesting a F.I.S and got a prompt reply on 132.8

Unfortunately they couldn't see my squawk on their radar (although they said they could see it on the Heathrow radar?). Due to "staff training" they were going off frequency at 2pm so I got a rather brief F.I.S:rolleyes:

Looking forward to a full time service sometime soon and hoping that everyone in their area of coverage will use the service so we can avoid any airprox events or zone busts.

[chevvron]

Farnborough has access to several different radar heads in order to service East and North sectors;the 'main' head for north is situated at Stansted but due to maintenance, this was supplanted by the Debden radar which is really designed for en-route rather than terminal tasks; Heathrow radar heads are also available.
North sector was open from 1000 - 1600 on friday and 1000 to 1700 today.

[Lurking123]

Nobody think of using Northolt's head?

[TC_LTN]

The radar located at Northolt is primary only and not piped into the NATS network. Coverage from Stansted, Debden and Heathrow primary and secondary sources should be more than adequate for the Sector 3 task in normal circumstances.

[Lurking123]

TC, you're having a laugh, aren't you? Debden doesn't see very well down that way and we all know how well the Stansted radar doesn't see Cirrus (especially those which are working Thames Control) in that area. :oh: As for 'Northolt isn't piped into the NATS Network', I would hazard a guess that Farnborough has only recently gained the luxury of more than one or two radar sources so there has probably been a fair bit of piping-in done already. There is only one primary radar that has good solid coverage there; I suspect the reason behind radar selection is more business based than common-sense based.

[TC_LTN]

Lurking

I bow to your superior knowledge.

[zkdli]

Don't you just love anonymous fora?:) very modest TC LTN:)

[chevvron]

As the Northolt Watchman radar is not 'owned' by NATS, it cannot be used. I must admit it would be useful, but Stansted and Debden are available (but not at the same time), as are the 10cm (old) and 23cm from Heathrow. What the coverage of the 'new' Heathrow 10cm will be like we don't know; it's only just being/been calibrated.
Farnborough has always had primary and secondary 'feeds' from other radar sites by the way, ever since the first SSR displays in 1981.

[Leezyjet]

I used them on the 19th on a flight from Stapleford to Sheffield City. Had FIS all the way from Stapleford to DTY VOR before switching to EMA radar.

Only probelm was they were trying to contact us around Halton but we were only at 1,000ft around there so I think we may have been too low to receive them due to the terrain, but once we climbed to 2500ft we could pick them up again.

Great service, will be using it again for sure.

:D

[chevvron]

Don't you know Halton has an ATZ? If you were at 1000ft you should have been talking to 130.425.
Yes we know there's a 'blind' area on 132.8, the techies are working on it.

[TotalBeginner]

I flew to Wycombe Air Park today and used the LARS north service while routing through the Stansted / Luton gap. I must say I was very impressed. Definitely worth a call! :ok: