rich_g85
18th May 2012, 09:33
Hi all, Just been reading this article and it triggered a few questions. To set your expectations, I hold a PPL so have no experience of commercial operations beyond Flight Sim! BBC News - London 2012: Top pilot's 'most precious cargo' (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18006750) The article mentions that a new code ('CDR', presumably an IATA code?) had to be created for the flight because it "did not exist in the computer database that sets the course of a flight." Now I'm fairly sure the Airbus MCDU(?) uses ICAO codes, which for Culdrose (EGDR) would surely be in it's database? So what database does this refer to - baggage labels?! The article also mentions that "at Culdrose pilots have to be talked down by the controller instead of using radio signals to guide the aircraft". I'm presuming that means there's no ILS, but there is a PAR/talkdown approach? So if the weather today precludes making a visual approach, this type of approach would be provided? The next questions relate to the final stage of the flight. I presume the route would be airways until past Bristol (I'm only guessing here), then what happens? Presumably the flight will then drop outside controlled airspace, so will just have to take an ATSOCAS like any other aircraft? Would they request a Deconfliction Service from Exeter Radar? Are they responsible for navigating to Culdrose from that point (still IFR OCAS?) or would vectors be provided? Thank you for your time. Just curious to find out how this actually works! :-) Rich