Priority Z - Training Flights
 

From 30 April 2003, the Manual of Air Traffic Services (MATS) Pt 1, the ATCOs bible, has training flights listed now as Category Z, ie: the lowest priority of them all. These categories are used by ATCOs for tactical handling of flights, ie: to determine which ones go first or not.

Until now, they were not specifically listed, so it was assumed they were categorised as a 'Normal Flight' (neither a high nor low priority).

Just a heads up to let you know, when you have to query why your flight has had a 30 minute delay and zero priority, and other flights are apparently queue jumping.

I thought that training flights were always treated with the lowest priority. After all, if you have commercial traffic, especially with CTOTs to contend with, then training flights are bound to come last.

I have always expected to be at the bottom of the ladder! At least it is now official! ;)

situation normal
 

Training has always had the lowest priority , once going into Ostend IFR in a PA28 I was asked if I was a training flight When I said that I was not a Boeing 707 was put in the hold to let me in first as he was a training flight !.

Agree with the above comments, it's just that training flights had not not been listed as such for many, many moons.

I hope this does not lead to a detioration in the flexibility of ATCOs in accepting training flights, particularly at busier airports.

True - they might use this as a 'nail in the coffin' to stop training flights at busier airports but I suspect that you won't notice any change in how ATC look after training aircraft, whilst on frequency, since they have always been deemed as low priority.