Daventry/CPT Departures, Birmingham

[Easy226]

Hi everyone, wanted to bring up a few questions due to movements today:
1.Today when the aircraft were on departure, the controller (130.92) today was directing them to 'ADMIN' instead of DTY, any reasons?
2. Also, when does the controller at BHX decide when to hand the plane over to the next sector?I've noticed that sometimes they will hand the planes over fairly qucikly and others not until reaching FL60 or later.
3. Why do aircraft have to be level abeam COWLY/CPT at FL190?
4. When aircraft are on the COWLY1E, they are usually put on a southerly heading by london (133.07) for a few minutes just after departure, before (usually) being cleared to COWLY. What is the reasoning for the radar heading?!
Look forward to the replies
Dan

[Bombay Bad Boy]

Hiya Dan....

A nice bit of meaty questions yr asking. Its been a long time since my LATCC days so I might get corrected on some issues but here goes.

Answer1 - Sure it wasn't ADMIS on B317? Were you routeing out via Clacton ? In that case MAYBE the controller was helping you cut the corner, giving you a more direct route, and possibly strategically placing you to solve further conflictions in the not too distant future!

A2 - Depends on the traffic situation, if the controller has no form of confliction between yourself and any overflights/ inbounds/ or coventry traffic etc Then you shouldnt be on the Brum freq for very long, obviously we dont want you leveling off unless there is some form of reason to stop continuous climb.

Tactically, the Brum controller may try and co-ordinate a higher level for you and you may climb higher than FL60 with Brum to solve a confliction, but this is becoming more rarely used due to new procedures between Brum and London (TC Cowly/Welin).

A3 - This is due to sectorisation of London's Airspace. We have a method of reducing telephone calls and co-ordination between sectors called "Standing Agreements". If the controller makes sure that his inbound/outbound aircraft are at the prescribed level then the next receiving controller will already be aware how he is receiving the traffic, and no conversation is needed with the preceeding controller.

Furthermore making the level maybe critical to missing another controllers airspace who is not expecting you ! for example, southbound at CPT FL190 (I think, might be wrong) you are entering the Capital sectors airspace, IF you are still at FL180 and havent made the "standing agreement level" then you are in TC North's/ bordering TC Souths airspace and this means telephone calls between sectors etc etc ..... (i could be slightly wrong on this one, soz TC if I am).

A4 - There are various reasons for Radar headings whether it be COW1E or anyother time. Maybe it was used to get you climbing and possibly an aircraft inbound to East Mids or Brum descending. Once 1000ft separation exists then there is no need for the heading anymore, thus own navigation.

Appreciate any help for elaboration from london guys, its not my forte anymore. Dan you can always ask further questions on Brums own Website Discussion pages (similar layout to prune). We are always interested in your points of view.

www.egbb.co.uk

Regards
BBB

[WMD]

Dan,

To answer some of the questions.

1. Dunno

2. You'll be handed to the next sector (Cowly) when you are climbing or at the standing agreement level and you are 'clean' of any other traffic and within the anticipated radar coverage of the next sector.

3. Level at FL190 as this is the standing agreement level between Cowly sector and Capital. (Capitals airspace at cowly goes from FL180 to FL210 ish). Why FL190? There are now 2 standing agreements off G1 into Capital at or climbing to FL180 so the level Cowly aims to keep you above the G1 traffic. It helps if you can't make the FL190 by cowly to tell us so we can back co-ordinate with S23(for the G1 traffic) if needs be.

4. To point you into some space to get you climbing. Mostly against Heathrow, Gatwick, Solent and Stanstead/Luton inbound traffic.

WMD.

[Easy226]

Thanks for the replies everyone, i thought that was the answer for question 4. BBB, yes you're right it will be 'ADMIS', i couldnt make out what EK40 was saying!
Thanks for the link to that web-site as well, it looks very good!!
Also another question, again Birmingham specific, i have notcied that runway 15 is used the majority of the time in the day and at night it is usually 33. Now i know that aircraft should land into wind, but it seems to me as if it is a continual process when having used 15 literally all day and then when it gets late evening, runway 33 suddenly comes into action. Is my meteorology revision up to scratch, or is it another reason?!!
Many Thanks
Dan

[TOM1]

Choice of runway is mainly wind dependent, not only surface wind but upper winds as well. I am sure you have realised by now that majority of the time Brum has a X wind. This only has to shift a few degrees and a runway change maybe required.

It is also fairly typical for the wind speed to decrease during the night and when wind speeds are low we have to use runway 33 as it is our "preferential" runway, more details about that if you need it on the Birmingham ATC web site.