Ban around schiphol for GA?

[vanHorck]

A link just appeared on the Dutch news
NOSJOURNAAL - Schiphol weert sportvliegtuigjes (http://www.nos.nl/nosjournaal/artikelen/2009/4/3/schipholweertsportvliegtuigjes.html)

It says GA is no longer allowed around Schiphol from tomorrow because the (mode S ?) trnsponders of all GA aircraft clutter the screens of the controllers.....

The Dutch CAA has criticised Schiphol for not being prepared.

The ban is currently for a period of 4 weeks

[BackPacker]

AIP supplement here: http://www.ais-netherlands.nl/aim/misc/EH-eSUP-09-04-en-GB.pdf Doesn't mention anything about a four-week period though.

This is absolutely unbelievable. Particularly the fact that you cannot route via PAM anymore is very, very annoying. Thank god the Soesterberg CTR is now closed so you can go around the east side more easily.

And the most idiotic thing is that this was never a problem before Mode-S. Until a few months ago, you were supposed to turn your transponder OFF (standby) underneath the Schiphol TMA 1. Then everybody was forced to fit Mode-S and one of the promises was that we didn't have to worry about that rule anymore. Now everybody has Mode-S, the transponder prohibited area is gone and there's too much clutter on the radar screens.

So instead of reinstating the transponder prohibited area, they just seal off the whole area for VFR traffic wholesale SFC-1500'. And for those that do not know the area: 1500' and up is the Schiphol TMA (class A).

[dirkdj]

I was flying along the coast to and from Texel two weeks ago and Amsterdam info had problems with my mode-S reception. I can only think of a bit of mud on the antenna after takeoff at Texel since the equipement passed the annual transponder check two days before and worked well for everybody except Amsterdam.

There must be a way to filter out all transponder replies with VFR codes or below certain altitudes. London and Paris have a lot more IFR/VFR traffic mix than Amsterdam and don't complain.

A few years ago, with another airplane, Amsterdam complained that we were inside the TMA, two altimeters and our alticoder showed that we were well below and we were asked to switch off the transponder. No complaints from anybody else. Aicraft are used weekly for IFR flights all over Europe.

[vanHorck]

Sportvliegtuig-verbod Schiphol - Binnenland - Telegraaf.nl [24 uur actueel, ook mobiel] [binnenland] (http://www.telegraaf.nl/binnenland/3634947/__Sportvliegtuig-verbod_Schiphol__.html)

This is the article where it says the Dutch CAA has (initially) given Schiphol 4 weeks to come up with a solution

[Johnm]

There must now be a case for a major review of EASA as a regulatory body and its relationship with national bodies.

European aviation regulation is slowly degenerating into dangerous chaos, with EASA allegedly creating uniformity, but with a level of complexity in some areas that is unmanageable, while states such as France and Holland are making national rules that make a nonsense of the single European sky concept.

AOPA?????

[bookworm]

There must now be a case for a major review of EASA as a regulatory body and its relationship with national bodies.

EASA does not regulate rules of the air, nor yet operations. The only likely result of such a review would be that EASA should be given such power in order to put an end to this sort of major screw up on the part of the Netherlands.

BTW, the ban is on VFR not GA.

[BackPacker]

BTW, the ban is on VFR not GA.

More specifically, the ban is on VFR traffic with a mandatory active mode-S transponder. However if your aircraft is exempt from the requirement to carry mode-S (gliders, motorized traffic below 1200') the ban apparently does not apply to you. Regardless of whether you actually have mode-S or not. Furthermore, if there's a rule that forbids you from using your transponder you're also exempted.

At least, this is how I read the highly ambiguous wording.

This is the Dutch AIP GEN 1.5 (Aircraft instrument requirements):

4 SSR TRANSPONDER
4.1 Elementary surveillance

Aircraft shall be equipped with a mode S transponder with elementary surveillance (ELS) functionality. The equipment must be in accordance with the technical specifications laid down in ICAO Annex 10, volume IV, amendment 77.

Activation of mode A/C transponders is prohibited in the Amsterdam FIR.

Exempted from the mandatory carriage of a mode S transponder are:

* motorised VFR flights in class G airspace below 1200 ft AMSL (excluding the NSAA, see ENR 2.2).
* non-motorised aircraft (gliders, hanggliders, parasailers or balloons) outside the transponder mandatory zones (TMZ) and NSAA, see ENR 2.2.

Carriage of a mode S transponder is strongly recommended in the UK North Sea area V, this recommendation is published in the UK AIP and regulation.

This is Dutch AIP ENR 1.6 (Radar Services):

2 SECONDARY SURVEILLANCE RADAR (SSR)
2.1 Transponder operating procedures
2.1.1 Normal procedures

1. The provisions of ICAO (Aircraft Operations Volume I, Flight Procedures, part VIII, chapter 1) apply.
2. Except when conditions in item c and d are met, pilots shall operate transponders in accordance with ATC instructions. In particular, when entering the Amsterdam FIR, pilots who have already received specific instructions from ATC concerning the setting of the transponder shall maintain that setting until otherwise instructed.
3. IFR flights about to enter the Amsterdam FIR who have not received specific instructions from ATC concerning the setting of the transponder shall operate the transponder on mode A code 2000 before entry and maintain that code setting until otherwise instructed.
4. VFR flights in the Amsterdam FIR shall activate their mode S transponder and select mode A code 7000 unless otherwise instructed, except below Schiphol TMA 1.
5. Gliders starting with the use of a winch are advised to activate the transponder only after the winch is disconnected. The high climb-rate during a winch-start can lead to unwanted “resolution advisory” warnings on ACAS systems.
6. In accordance with ICAO Doc 8168 (PANS-OPS) Volume I, part VIII, 1.3; the flight crew of aircraft equipped with mode S transponders shall set the aircraft identification in the transponder. This setting shall correspond to the aircraft identification specified in item 7 of the ICAO flight plan, or, if no flight plan has been filed, the aircraft registration. In order to be interpreted properly, there must be no spaces between the designator letters and flight number, nor any additional/superfluous zeros preceding the flight number. For details see ENR 1.10 FLIGHT PLANNING, 3.2.1 ITEM 7: aircraft identification.
7. In case the aircraft identification can be entered manually, entry should be part of the start-up procedures.
8. Correct setting of aircraft identification is essential for identification and correlation (of radar track with flight plan data). An incorrect setting of the aircraft identification will be reported to the Dutch aviation authorities.

And here's the wording of the AIP Supplement that's active as of today:

The SRZ Schiphol is prohibited for all VFR traffic with mandatory active mode S transponder from GND to
1500 ft AMSL and active H24.

(For those not familiar with the area, the SRZ lies fully beneath the Schiphol TMA 1.)

So I'm a VFR pilot flying below 1200' in an aircraft that happens to be equipped with a mode-S transponder but according to GEN 1.5 carriage of a transponder is not required. I'm flying underneath the TMA 1, so my transponder is off according to the regulations in ENR 1.6. I intend to enter the SRZ. Legal or not?

[BackPacker]

It gets weirder and weirder. On ATCBox, somebody pointed to an AIC which is in force as well (Aeronautical Information Circular Series NETHERLANDS 01/09 (http://www.ais-netherlands.nl/aim/090101-090212/eAIP/html/eAIC/EH-eAIC-09-01-A-en-GB.html)).

The Ministry of Transport announces in cooperation with the Ministry of Defence that the exemption for the mandatory carriage of a SSR mode S transponder for motorised aircraft below the Schiphol TMA 1 is cancelled with effect from March 12th 2009. From that date motorised aircraft below the Schiphol TMA 1, executing a VFR flight above 1200 ft AMSL shall carry an active SSR mode S transponder. All aircraft with an operational SSR mode S transponder have to activate the transponder below the Schiphol TMA 1.

[...]

Aircraft with an operational SSR mode S transponder have to activate the transponder in all types of airspace, even when it is not mandatory to use a transponder in that area.


[...]

Motorised aircraft that are not equipped with a SSR mode S transponder have only access to airspace with class G below 1200 ft AMSL.

So if you did the investment and fitted your aircraft with mode-S, you've got to turn it on at all times and this means that the SRZ around Schiphol is off-limits. But if you decided to delay and do not have mode-S, you can legally fly around up to 1200' without a transponder. And since the SRZ only applies to "VFR traffic with a mandatory active mode-S transponder", the SRZ doesn't apply to you.

Question: what happens if "accidentally" the circuit breaker popped while I was approaching the SRZ at 1200' or below, making my expensive mode-S unserviceable?

[Johnm]

I think I finally understand why we used to refer to completely incomprehensible prose as "double Dutch":*

[BackPacker]

Just for those keeping an eye on this. I have a legitimate enough reason to operate in the SRZ this afternoon, although it's not strictly one of the reasons mentioned in the AIC. I phoned the Operational Helpdesk and got permission without too much fuss.

They have a limited number of slots available for operations in the SRZ and while the exceptions named in the AIC take priority, they do accommodate other requests as well, provided that the request is genuine and legitimate, and slots are available.

[Rotorblast]

A0371/09 - SRZ SCHIPHOL ESTABLISHED IN THE FLW AREA: ALONG NORTHERN BORDER OF SCHIPHOL CTR (http://www.airwork.nl/bulletinboard/showthread.php?t=6184) 2, FROM NE-CORNER SCHIPHOL CTR (http://www.airwork.nl/bulletinboard/showthread.php?t=6184) 2 A STRAIGHT LINE TO THE JUNCTION A6/A27, ALONG THE A27 TO THE BORDER OF SCHIPHOL TMA 1, ALONG SCHIPHOL TMA 1 (SRZ HILVERSUM (http://www.ehhv;nl) EXEMPTED) TO THE INTERSECTION WITH A12, ALONG A12 TO SE-CORNER OF SCHIPHOL CTR (http://www.airwork.nl/bulletinboard/showthread.php?t=6184) 3 A STRAIGHT LINE (ATZ VALKENBURG EXEMPTED) TO 521130N0042254E, ALONG THE COAST TO NW-CORNER SCHIPHOL CTR (http://www.airwork.nl/bulletinboard/showthread.php?t=6184) 2.

AREA GND/1500FT AMSL PROHIBITED FOR VFR (http://www.airwork.nl/bulletinboard/showthread.php?t=7378) TRAFFIC WITH MANDATORY MODE-S TRANSPONDER. EXEMPTED ARE: POLICE, SAR, HEMS, ENVIRONMENTAL FLIGHTS: MILITARY FLIGHTS, TRAFFIC WITH DEP OR DEST EHAM, EHHA, EHYP. AREA PPR FOR SPECIFIED COMMERCIAL VFR (http://www.airwork.nl/bulletinboard/showthread.php?t=7378) TRAFFIC, COORDINATE WITH OPERATIONAL HELPDESK, SEE WWW.LVNL-OHD.NL (http://www.lvnl-ohd.nl/).

REF AIP SUP 04/09 AVBL ON WWW.AIS-NETHERLANDS.NL (http://www.ais-netherlands.nl/). GND - 1500FT AMSL, 04 APR 00:00 2009 UNTIL 04 MAY 12:00 2009 ESTIMATED. CREATED: 03 APR 17:31 2009

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