Kent Radar 'Black Hole'

[CapCon]

Looking at the LARS coverage diagram ( http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/aip/current/enr/EG_ENR_6_1_6_3_en.pdf ) there appears to be an area around Lydd that is outside of radar coverage. Obviously the radar coverage boundaries are there to give an indication of the limits of each radar station and are not exact.

My questions are, has anyone had successful radar contact with a LARS station in this area and if so, who were you talking to? I'm talking mainly about Traffic and Deconfliction services and plan to be flying IFR OCAS.

Thanks in advance

CapCon

[chevvron]

I believe the Manston radar has a range restriction; Farnborough LARS East has coverage using the radar at Pease Pottage (just south of Gatwick) but it's outside their 'official' LARS area.

[Fuji Abound]

You will certrainly get cover from Farnborough just to the west of Lydd at any reasonable height. I have many times switched to Farnborough on the climb out west bound through 3,000 feet and worked Farnborough fine.

Going eastbound towards Headcorn Farnborough will provide you with cover to the otherside of Headcorn but not quite as far as Canterbury (level dependant) and will often tell you, you are approaching the edge of their cover, but they will carry on providing a service if you ask. Manston will cover you from Canterbury down to east of Lydd when their head is operational. If things are murky and you need it Gatwick will work you well east of their zone.

All in all their is a corridor between Manston, Gatwick and Farnborough where you may not get cover but it is quite small. Of course if Manston is in op once you get east of Canterbury you might just as well be in the wilds of Scotland, and God forbid you are forced to land - the natives will almost certainly eat you.

[chevvron]

The Pease radar gives coverage much lower than 3000ft; I've watched traffic over Pevensey Bay on it as low as 200ft!

[NorthSouth]

That's because Pease Pottage is looking straight down a valley to Pevensey Bay. Go further east (Hastings and beyond) and the base of cover goes up significantly - although given that CapCon wants to fly IFR there and the MSA is 2100ft, there shouldn't be a problem with radar cover.
NS

[chevvron]

It also looks straight through the Arun gap so you can see traffic just above ground at Shoreham!! Yes it does have some areas where the low cover isn't so good, but it can see you at 2500ft when you're 15nm to run to Le Touquet.

[ChampChump]

once you get east of Canterbury you might just as well be in the wilds of Scotland, and God forbid you are forced to land - the natives will almost certainly eat you


If we haven't had our daily supply of taxmen and politicians or anything else that tastes a bit like chicken, it's possible.

[CapCon]

That's great, thanks for all the information. I was hoping the answer would be to stay on Farnborough as I'd already be talking to them outbound from Biggin. Heading up today so will see if it actually works in practice.

Thanks again :ok: