De commissioning of Navaids at Glasgow ?

[Spambhoy]

Saw a story today that states the ground navaids at the airport will be taken out of service next year ?

I’m aware of the utilisation of GPS elsewhere, but I thought DME/NDB/VOR was your “get out of jail card” ?

The timescale seems a bit optimistic to me, out with the operational ramifications ?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-42681134#comment_129309684

[DaveReidUK]

All flights are being moved to Prestwick. :O

[Spambhoy]

If I read it correctly, the only navaid that will be taken out of service in the GOW VOR (and presumably the DME also).

So maybe there will still be a 'get of jail' card. Presumably there will still be a surveillance service provided for the airport for the foreseeable future, you know, to sort out the aircraft which do not turn up all nicely spaced for when they line up for the ILS, so there will still be other options if everything goes wrong with Plan Z.

So the press have basically misread the brief, i.e. the planned, national decommissioning of en-route VOR/DME's is all this is about and the ILS/DME remains in situ. NATS communications at their best.

[VictorCharlieSierra]

Personally I would say it's poor reporting from the Beeb as opposed to NATS communication.

Reporting Scotland tonight had Glasgow Airport's Head of Communications standing in front of the VOR, with the reporting quoting 'getting rid of this outdated ground based navigation system' ie just the VOR.

It's on the iPlayer if you fancy a wee watch.

[Spambhoy]

The building contains a combined VOR/DME.

[NorthSouth]

I believe a DME will be retained on the site when the DVOR is removed, to allow for DME/DME RNAV as a back-up when GPS fails. Timescale has slipped progressively from the first announcements of VOR withdrawals in 2009. GOW now forecast to be withdrawn in 2019.

As regards poor communications, I see Glasgow Airport personnel repeating the claim made by Edinburgh when it filed its ACP last year that "the airspace hasn't changed in 50 years". What utter BS. Quite apart from the fact that there were no such things as SIDs and STARs 50 years ago, there was no VOR at Glasgow and the controlled airspace was a combined CTR with Prestwick.

Edinburgh's ACP still suspended. I wonder if Glasgow will fare better.

[topdrop]

the airspace hasn't changed in 50 yearsIt's still got air in it!!:)