Category D flight
 

Hi

I was on my way into LHR via the BNN hold last night when I heard a flight given an EAT to which they reported that they were a Category D flight to which the reply was "OK Disregard"

What is a category D flight & why do they jump the queue (25 minutes delay at the time)?

Thanks

TTO

Category "D" is the flight priority of that aircraft. A category D flight has priority over a "normal" flight.

The list of categories used are:

A
B
C
D
E
Normal
Z

Taken from the book:

A - Aircraft in emergency (e.g. engine fault, fuel shortage, seriously ill
passenger). Aircraft which have declared a 'Police Emergency'.
Ambulance/Medical aircraft when the safety of life is involved.

B - Flights operating for search and rescue or other humanitarian
reasons. Post accident flight checks. Other flights, including Open
Skies Flights, authorised by the CAA.

C - Royal Flights, Flights carrying visiting Heads of State
which have been notified by NOTAM/Temporary Supplement.

D - Flights notified by the CAA carrying Heads of Government or very
senior government ministers.

E - Flight check aircraft engaged on, or in transit to, time or weather
critical calibration flights.
Other flights authorised by the CAA.

NORMAL FLIGHTS
i) Flights which have filed a flight plan in the normal way and conforming with
normal routing procedures.
ii) Initial instrument flight tests conducted by the CAA Flight Examining Unit.
(RTF callsign “EXAM”)

Z - Training, non-standard and other flights.

Hope that helps :)

or have a read of cap 493 part 1,

Category D Flight
 

CAP 493
Manual of Air Traffic Services Part 1
Section 1 Air Traffic Services
Chapter 4 Control of Traffic
Part 10 Flight Priorities
paragraph 10.3.1 Fuel Shortage and Medical Emergencies
Page 6

"D - Flights notified by the CAA carrying Heads of Government or very
senior government ministers."

This document is filled with delightful information. You can download it from the CAA website:
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP493Part1.pdf

Happy reading! :8

Normally this info is clearly displayed on the FPS (Flight Progress Strip) and circled, or don't the NATS strip printers have the capability to do this?
Otherwise it would be hand written and circled - perhaps it was but the ATCO just failed to note it.

A lot of the flights we handle don't put it on the flight plan.

Thanks for the replies. It is all clear now. Still frustrating to be jumped in the queue though:{