UP18
 

Hi

I have a question about UP18.

Is this an EGPD only arrival airway only or can it be used for departures as well? I Have noticed EZY & KLM using it and recently BAW when arriving to EGPD but cant recall them using it for the return leg.
If anyone has an information I would be grateful as I'm really scratching my head on this one.

Thank You

After a quick look at the latest EGPD AIP I could find no SIDs, but due to noise abatement it seems that southbound departures from all runways are generally routed via the PTH VOR, thus avoiding UP18. (ref EGPD AD 2.21, letter e)

I have been out of the system for some time.

You should consider P18 as a part time airway:

NATEB - ADN CDR 1 Fri (or the day preceding a PH) 1500 (1400) to Mon (or the day following a PH) 1000 (0900); Tue-Fri 0530-0900 (0430-0800).May-Sep, Mon-Thu 1900-0900

The convention is that UP18 is a one way airway so when P18 is available it is there for Aberdeen inbounds. However having said that Eastern Airways ( EZE ) use P18 because when the airspace disappears they had an arrangement with Swanwick Mil to provide a Radar service.

During it’s operational hours Flybe used to use it for southbound flights. My last ever live ATC transmission was to BEE24KE a Dash 8 Aberdeen to Leeds. Sadly airline and route no longer exist.

KLM would appear to use it however they were probably just routing direct to the UIR boundary ( saving the planet! ) and they were just passing through the airspace 🤔

P18 was established to protect flights by providing controlled airspace. When the airspace expired I enjoyed telling the aircraft “controlled airspace has left you. What service do you require?”

Hope this helps a little.

Rgds
AyrTC

Hi

Thank you, much appreciated.

Departures can use P18 but routings to London airports are restricted via NATEB, so most of the southbound traffic has to route via P600.

Thank you.