LHR Delivery

[Alaskaman]

Can anyone tell me why EGLL delivery is closed to from 1400 - 1500 LT? I never have needed a clearance during that time, but the 10 - 1P7 STARTUP 3.2.3 has a break in available time to call for clearance.

Just curious.

Thanks in advance.

[Gonzo]

The Delivery Frequency is not closed. The paragraph you are reading should say that early clearance is not available in advance of you reporting ready. This is intended to reduce the workload for the Delivery controller as we will be changing runways when on 27 ops at 1500 local.

Requesting clearance from 1400L to about 1445L means the controller has to make a punt on your departure runway as that point, and then possibly have to change it when you do actually report ready.

[Alaskaman]

Thanks very much Gonzo,

So during that time period just report fully ready and that gives the controller a much better shot at selecting the correct runway for you. Calling fully ready at 1430 would be the worst time because then you'd (ATC) have to evaluate how the taxi outs are going to see if I can make the current runway or then new runway. Correct?

Thank you again.

[Gonzo]

That’s correct!

[Alaskaman]

Ok, since you did so well with that last one, how about one more :)

I tried to post this earlier and it never made it on. I fear i've broken some unknown rule so I'll try to word it as generic as possible.

Flying the UMLAT 1 sid, we made the D10 LON restriction above 4000. Shortly after, around 4300' (and prior to UMLAT) were cleared to "climb to FL100". The UMLAT restriction is mandatory 6000. I believe the clearance should have been "climb unrestricted to FL100" and barring that we should level at 6000 until UMLAT and then continue climb to FL100. As we approached 6000 the controller stated "turn right heading xxx" which then made the UMLAT restriction a moot point, but am I correct that this was an incomplete clearance? We discussed and the consensus was that the controller must have known he was going to take us off the SID and therefore did not state 'climb via' or 'climb unrestricted'. Thoughts?

Also, if he had left us on the SID, my contention is that we should have leveled at 6000 until UMLAT given the clearance we received ("climb to FL100"). Does anyone concur or is this a common procedure at LHR and I'm wrong?

[BARRY_SCOTT]

From FODCOM 09/2010 (don't know if it's been superseded).

In the UK, for all stages of flight, instructions to climb or descend cancel any previous restrictions,
unless they are reiterated as part of that instruction. Additionally, to emphasise the UK differences from
ICAO, when an aircraft is on a SID and is required to climb directly to the cleared level, ignoring the
vertical profile of the SID, controllers will include the word ‘now’.
e.g. “Jet 123 climb now FL 120” means that the aircraft should climb directly to FL 120, ignoring the
vertical profile of SID.
When an instruction is issued that amends a SID route, the level restrictions associated with that SID
are no longer applicable. Therefore, in such circumstances, controllers will reiterate the level profile to
be followed as part of such an instruction
e.g. “fly heading 095, climb now FL 80” or “route direct EFG, climb now altitude 5,000 feet”.

[Gonzo]

Yes, UK has not yet adopted the ICAO PANS ATM doc 4444 amendment for the climb/descend phraseology, so ‘climb xxx’ implies all restrictions cancelled. The restriction should be re-stated if still needed.

UK AIP GEN 1.7-50 and -51 refer.

[Alaskaman]

found it, thanks very much!