UK en-route/airfield charts as Google Earth overlays?
 

Hi All,

Not sure if this is the right place to ask, but it seems an ATC related question to me!

Part of my work duties involves ensuring correct NOTAMs are raised for problems with the various radio masts and towers operated by my company. To aid this, I have the current list of all enroute obstructions, plus those specific to my work, as pushpins on Google Earth.

Occasionally, however, as has occured today, I come up against a mast which technically isnt high enough to be an issue, but due to its location may be a problem.

Ideally, to help me resolve these, I could do with UK airfield charts, and a UK en-route low altitude chart, in the form of an overlay for Google Earth, so I can see how things relate to each other.

Does anyone know where I can obtain such charts in an overlay(able) format?

Cheers

Martin

I've not see the actual airways as an overlay on Google Earth. But the inner geek in me would be interested to see this if there is one. I'm sure if there is a publicly available plug-in someone on this forum will know where to find it.

Hi,

I've just found this on Google.

Not sure if its any good since I'm not at home at the moment to try it on my copy of Google Earth.

Sounds like it might work though.

3dairspace.org.uk

Regards

have you tried skyvector.com ?

Doody,

thanks, just trying that out now, seems quite interesting. I have to admit im not conversant with the various classes, so a bit of research needed on my part.

A bit of background - the main problem I have is with our structures that are not high enough to be considered en-route obstructions, but are close to or within ATZ boundaries etc. These are a bit of a nightmare as to whether or not they are lit, and if they are, who is responsible for the maintenance of the lamps. This is why im trying to get such information onto my mapping, so I can superimpose my structure locations on the map with the various airspace regions, and see where any may come into conflict.

Cheers
Martin

I don't know if the scale would be large enough for you, but 'Memory Map' sell the CAA 1:250 000 airspace charts on a series of discs or downloads.
Basically, they are the quarter mil' OS maps with an overlay of aeronautical information, (including airspace categories), which I think extends up to 5000' amsl. It includes aerodrome traffic zones and ILS courses.
The data can be used in a Windows PC/Laptop or GPS device, but is not compatible with Macs I believe.

Obst lamp
I am not sure that I understand the problem. You say So what exactly is the problem - the establishment of a new mast or the unserviceability of the lighting on an existing one? What is wrong with having the set of three paper 1:500,000 aeronautical charts and merely comparing the known lat/long or as derived from Google Earth, and then seeing whether there is a nearby aerodrome. Whether the site is inside or outside an ATZ is not the criterion and I can't help feeling that you might be looking at the issue from a wrong angle by getting involved with other, irrelevant, aeronautical data. Would not your company have on record whether each mast constituted an obstacle and whether it was required to be lit?

2 s

We receive reports of lighting issues from many sources, often the public. We also own and operate several thousand structures, but also have installations on third party sites, often other telecoms companies, but also MoD, etc. There are also sites which may be lit as a result of previous issues/goodwill, where the official rules have been bent. I sometimes get into discussion with airfields who claim one of our sites should be lit, and I have to show that it shouldnt. Or vice versa.

GE has become a major operational tool for us, our mapping shows far, far more than just the location of a mast, but is an integrated system showing much technical information about our network. It is also the case that the system is used by other departments who have little understanding of many of these aspects. By having such information as overlays on the map, I can explain an issue to them by direct reference to all the information directly in front of them.

The overlay file mentioned in a previous post has proved to be just what was needed.

I do have structure specific files that show only our reportable structures, and these files have been approved by NATS as our reference for issuing NOTAMs.

A recent problem that demostrates the issue I have, was with proving responsibility for a site which was lit, but below the official height requirement, and located on a site which is not an official airfield, but nevertheless has frequent intense helicopter activity.(I cant say where as this is an MoD site)

Google earth overlays definitely exist and are used for development work within NATS. Why not contact NATS directly?

And, given that CAS is documented in the AIP, it's not that difficult to generate the required GE volumes programatically once the coordinates have been captured.