Teesside Controllers

[Flock1]

I am a student pilot about to fly my solo cross-country. My route is Leeds - Gamston - Teesside - Leeds.

Basically, all i want to know are the procedures for entering and leaving the Teeside Zone.

This is what i assume will happen.

On the Gamston - Teesside portion of the trip, I will fly to Northallerton VRP and depending upon the wind, I will get directed to the Motorway Junction VRP for a straight in approach on 05. Or I'll be directed in via Redcar VRP for runway 23.

Is this about right?

Also, will you be kind to students like me, who are scared of you lot lurking in the tower? Will you get angry if I mumble or stumble over my readbacks?

Cheers in advance for any help you can offer me.

[R200EGNM]

Hiya Flock1,

I'll leave someone more qualified to let you know about the procedures, but when I did my QXC (Leeds - Newcastle - Tesside - Leeds) the boys and girls at Teeside were fantastic.

I wouldnt be worried about talking to them they are great (even when I gave them the wrong exiting VRP so they had to change the strips :D) End of the day remember its just Class D airspace like at Leeds so there won't be any major procedural differences so just sit back and enjoy it.

Good luck with it! Will be lots of fun I assure you.

[eyeinthesky]

There is of course nothing wrong with asking for help from here, but haven't you been briefed or even taken into the Teeside CTR by your instructor??

Seems like some shabby standards to me.:mad:

[Samwise]

Flock1

Assuming that you'll be working Leeming on the way North from Gamston, they'll pass your details to us, so we'll know you're coming. Just make sure that they transfer you to us before the boundary of the Class D airspace - they sometimes get busy and forget - remember that they are also working UHF frequencies .

If it seems that they are not transferring you in time, don't be afraid to tell them that you're leaving their frequency to call us, hopefully in the vicinity of Northallerton (the AIP stipulates a minimum of 10 mins notice, but we frequently manage with less).

You can normally expect a join directly onto the appropriate base leg, but we do sometimes get busy spells so you may be asked to orbit at some point.

We would not instruct you to route via any of the VRP's (R being for reference- not reporting), to avoid the "honey-pot" syndrome :ok:

Finally, relax, enjoy your flight, if you need help, let us know, we can identify you easily if you have a transponder, and help you find your way, or just give you a QDM if required.
:O

[Flock1]

Thanks for all the tips so far.

Samwise,
I'm now a bit curious though. On my solo qualifier, I am required to get a signature from someone. I assume that this will be one of the good people in the tower (or am i wrong about this?)

Also, just what exactly would constitue a fail. Would it be requesting a QDM? Or is this allowed?

Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.

[mad_jock]

They are great at Teeside and have to put up with many exam callsigns cocking up thier RT.

You will be fine doing a QXC with them.

Only thing I would advise is take your passport with you and don't take any nav gear out the aircraft (espesially if you have a pair of dividers on sharp pencil etc). The security there are particularly anal retentive and you are a major risk if they knew you could stab yourself with your Nav dividers.

MJ

[HiSpeedTape]

Hey Flock 1. If you are from Newcastle what on earth are you doing your PPL at Leeds for? There are good flying schools at both Newcastle and Teesside. Newcastle and Teesside ATC are both generally very helpful and polite and I know you would have recieved a full briefing from your instructors at either venue as well as having conducted a dual XC before your solo XC so you would know what to expect. I know that the current Airport management at NCL are anti Private flying but we just ignore them and get on with it anyway. Luckily ATC are a great bunch and dont put too many obstacles in your way.

Best of luck anyway but ask for a briefing from your instructor before you launch off.

HST


:ok:

[Samwise]

Flock 1

With regard to your X-cty form, normally our Airport Duty Officer will meet you at your aircraft, if only to make sure that you pay the landing fees :yuk: . He normally will bring you over to us, or at least point you in the right direction, and warn us over the ground r/t so that someone can let you in.

It's normally our Tower controller that signs your form.If there were any major problems we'd normally just have a quiet word with you, but I get the feeling that this will not be necessary.

Just asking for a QDM will not result in a fail. In fact I think that you'd have to cause a major incident e.g. a airprox or something, or give us the impression that it would be dangerous for us to let you continue. I can only remember that happening once in more years than I care to remember :D .

Don't be afraid to ask anything when you visit, even just for a look into the radar room. We're normally pleased to show you around, or try to answer any questions you may have := .

P.S. Thanks for all the kind comments about our unit.

[alphaalpha]

Hi Flock 1:

I am not an instructor, but I suggest that it would be GOOD airmanship to ask for a QDM if you need it. Something to be praised, not criticised. Don't be afraid of ATC, they're your allies.

Enjoy your QXC. It is one of the highlights of your flying career.

AA.

[mad_jock]

I am an Instructor and I think that if you need to get a QDM its alot better airmanship to ask for one than get lost.

Don't look apon the QXC as an exam test.

Look apon it as a lesson in organising and handling a normal flight.

Your instrucor wouldn't let you loose without being confident that you wouldn't cause mayhem. Have some faith in your own abilitys.

Enjoy the trip.

MJ

[Flock1]

Cheers everyone who has taken the time to reply to my initial posting. My X/C was cancelled over the weekend due to poor weather, but I'm booked in again next weekend.

Before I am let loose though, my instructor has told me that we will both do a dual trip from Leeds to Teesside, so that i can get a feel for the airport. He has told me that I will be fine!

So just one final query really - what are the landing fees at Teesside. Do I need to take my heavy-duty wallet with me?

[duir]

Am based at Teeside (PPL) and I particularly like the airfield. Its easy for the folks just starting out yet it is still international and has heavy metal popping in and out. The airspace is class D and is not as much work as LBA. However I have recently had some poor ATC whilst completing my IMC rating. Once they left me in the hold for over 10 orbits while military traffic were given priority.
On another occasion during and procedural NDB DME the controller sent me 12 miles away then asked me to go VFR to Scotch Corner (whats the point of that then? I can do VFR in my sleep!). To add insult to injury he then told me that I had missed the Localiser, on an NDB DME approach.
At that point my instructor informed him we were just following instructions...10 second break followed by new Adult controller replacing the YTS boy and subsequent approach was totally slick and Proffesional. I know people have to start somewhere but when its costing over £100 per hour its a bit frustrating!
Conclusion- You will be fine with Teeside its easy to locate( just look for the chimneys of the Green factory Smokey Joes at the end of 23)ATC is mostly Very Good and its a top notch airfield to
visit.
Finally enjoy your Qualifying flight it's a truly great achievment.
Good Luck.

[bids]

samwise...check your messages

[Flock1]

I Finally went up to Teesside today for a quick sortie with my instructor. As you have mentioned - it was painless and straightforward.
I was cleared in direct form Northallerton with only a single orbit to hold me up.
I would like to thank the controllers who were manning the tower today, and I apologise for my errors in radiotelephony:
"Teesside Approach. With you at 1900ft en-track Northallerton. G-XX"
When in actual fact I was only at 900ft. Whoops!
But you didn't shout at me- (probably because you were so incredulous at by mistake perhaps!!)

Anyway, when I visit durung my QXC, is the offer of a tower visit still available? I would love to see what happens in there!

Flock

[Flock1]

Finally did my QXC. Teesside ATC were extremly helpful! So I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Controller who gave me a guided tour of the tower. It was most informative and eye-opening! I felt most welcome.

Cheers!

[jsf]

Congratulations on your successful QXC

jsf