Gatwick Transit / Redhill

[mur007]

I'm thinking about flying from Biggin to Shoreham and asking Gatwick to let me transit their airspace on the way. On the map it says I need to get permission from Redhill to cross their ATZ so I was just wondering how others have done this previously - fly around / over Redhill? Or a quick call to Redhill and then back to Gatwick? It will be my first time going through Gatwick's airspace so any tips would be gratefully received!

[Satcop]

Mur007 you have two choices: 1. Call Gatwick after leaving Biggin request the transit and tell them you wish to route via the Redhill overhead. They will issue a clearance into the CTR/CTA and either suggest you call Redhill or they'll co-ordinate directly. Most likely they'll get you to change to Redhill.

2. Plan to enter the Gatwick CTR via Buckland VRP that'll keep you outside the Redhill ATZ (keep a good look out for traffic leaving or joining via the M25/M23 Junction VRP). Also look out for helis entering/leaving the Redhill Local Flying Area via Buckland they will be at 1500ft QNH.

Which ever one you opt for make your call to Gatwick Director as early as possible as they will need to check with Gatwick Tower if you plan to route overhead the Airport.

[FlyingGoat]

Mur007
As Satcop mentions, call Gatwick Director a.s.a.p. but try and get the Gatwick ATIS before you make contact. If you mention zone transit in your first call they'll give you a squawk. You'll need 3000m min. vis. to transit the zone and min. ceiling of 1,000' for Special VFR.

I've had two clearances, depending on runway in use and other traffic, neither involving Redhill:

1) Direct Shoreham, on the BIG radial (204?) which neatly takes you over the Godstone Railway Station VRP and abeam Handcross VRP - don't ask for a frequency change until you're south of the zone just south of Cuckfield.

2) East and south of East Grinstead. Taking the 180 radial out of BIG VOR gives you that, and pick up the 236 (?) radial off MAY direct Shoreham.

Worth reading their laid-down procedure and double-check NOTAMs at both end......of course, and take care with those guys jumping off Devil's Dyke as you get to the Downs.

[Fuji Abound]

Redhills atz is easy to avoid go west or east as you prefer.

The transit is easy tell gatwick you want a zone transit direct shm and you will get it or not depending on traffic. Forget about radials (unless you havent got a gps) no one is interested - gatwick will either ask you to remain 10 degrees west of track or on track they rarely give you a streer via vrps and i have never heard of them giving a radial. If it is not busy you will get a clearance overhead the threshold possibly with an orbit overhead the north terminal but the director needs to coordinate this with the tower so the clearance can be a little longer coming. I have lost count of the number of transits, they are rarely a problem and gatwick are usually very helpful.

[FlyingGoat]

Fuji - I wasn't implying that anyone was going to give radials - it was just helping to visualise a track on the map.

As Godstone Railway Station VRP is associated with Redhill, not Gatwick, maybe that's not such a brilliant idea (see above).

Any Redhill-based pilots care to comment?

[Deeday]

Any Redhill-based pilots care to comment?See Satcop's post above for a Redhill-based ATCO.

[Satcop]

Jollyrog - you make it sound much more complicated that it really it is.

Mur007 - if you fly between 2000ft - 2400ft QNH you can, subject to clearance from Gatwick, route directly over Redhill without talking to us (we need permission from Gatwick to operate above 1500ft within the ATZ) and you'll above our traffic.

Getting a crossing through the Gatwick CTA/CTR may look daunting but in practice it is not too difficult for a competent pilot, even those that fly fixed-wing aircraft :)

[Fuji Abound]

Satcop - exactly.

I dont see why you would be any where near Redhill going from Biggin to Shoreham.

As Satcop said dont make a big deal out of it, give Gatwick a call as soon as you have signed off with Biggin and ask them for transit, tell them your heading or the heading you want and given how close you are already to the zone be prepared for an orbit.

Its fair to say that if you want a transit over the threshold that is more taxing. There is some co-ordination at Gatwick's end as I mentioned earlier and you may well be asked to orbit over the north terminal. You have obviously got to be on top of your game and the aircraft otherwise you will be a pain, so I wouldnt rush into this unless you feel happy doing so.

The stub is NA 1,500 so an alternative is to route into the stub, giving Gatwick a call as soon as possible to ask for a climb and transit above 1,500 or via the inner stub which is of course class D from the SFC. You are quite entitled to remain below 1,500 anyway but I think if you intend to do so courtesy demands letting Gatwick know you are there and know what you are doing, and if they refuse the climb you just continue as is.

[mur007]

Okay, thanks to everyone who replied - that is exactly what I was looking for and is very helpful indeed. Many thanks!