Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Aircrew Forums > Military Aviation
Reload this Page >

why use the Lichfield crossing at present?

Military Aviation A forum for the professionals who fly military hardware. Also for the backroom boys and girls who support the flying and maintain the equipment, and without whom nothing would ever leave the ground. All armies, navies and air forces of the world equally welcome here.

why use the Lichfield crossing at present?

Old 1st Jul 2020, 08:32
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: uk
Posts: 589
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 1 Post
why use the Lichfield crossing at present?

Sitting at home very bored and watching flightradar24, I notice that the tankers heading for the North Sea are leaving Brize and crossing the airway at Lichfield.

In normal times I could understand this, used it myself when I was working for the Queen, but why go northwest for 100 miles when your destination is northeast?

Given the amount of Air Traffic on the airway system at present, why not just get airborne from Brize and point it at the North Sea?

And wonderful to watch the C19 at BHX yesterday afternoon - excellent!
staircase is offline  
Old 1st Jul 2020, 09:47
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: Pathfinder Country
Posts: 505
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Maybe its just a habit' & they can't be ar**d to re program the FMC'?
aw ditor is offline  
Old 1st Jul 2020, 09:51
  #3 (permalink)  

"Mildly" Eccentric Stardriver
 
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: England
Age: 77
Posts: 4,131
Received 215 Likes on 62 Posts
Or possibly "use it or lose it"
Herod is offline  
Old 1st Jul 2020, 14:12
  #4 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: home for good
Posts: 494
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
"Morning ATC/EuroControl, can we file OAT direct to AAR xxx?"

"computer says no"
Sandy Parts is offline  
Old 1st Jul 2020, 14:41
  #5 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Wildest Surrey
Age: 75
Posts: 10,799
Received 90 Likes on 63 Posts
Originally Posted by staircase
Sitting at home very bored and watching flightradar24, I notice that the tankers heading for the North Sea are leaving Brize and crossing the airway at Lichfield.

In normal times I could understand this, used it myself when I was working for the Queen, but why go northwest for 100 miles when your destination is northeast?

Given the amount of Air Traffic on the airway system at present, why not just get airborne from Brize and point it at the North Sea?
They would have file a flight plan, wait for it to work through the system (maybe 30min) then request a clearance to join controlled airspace and route through it for a considerable distance.
When you're in a hurry and have chicks to feed, maybe using the corridor was the most expeditious way of getting there.
chevvron is offline  
Old 1st Jul 2020, 14:56
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Highlands
Posts: 88
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Back in the day as well as the Lichfield Corridor there was a crossing service from Daventry (Mil) subject to a pre-note - does Swanwick Mil still have this option?
BlackIsle is offline  
Old 1st Jul 2020, 16:22
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Wildest Surrey
Age: 75
Posts: 10,799
Received 90 Likes on 63 Posts
Originally Posted by BlackIsle
Back in the day as well as the Lichfield Corridor there was a crossing service from Daventry (Mil) subject to a pre-note - does Swanwick Mil still have this option?
They did in 2008; I handed them a Hawk Biggin to Valley and they accepted it.
I thought there was another corridor along the north edge of the LTMA passing just north of Luton; does this not exist now?
chevvron is offline  
Old 1st Jul 2020, 16:57
  #8 (permalink)  
Below the Glidepath - not correcting
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: U.S.A.
Posts: 1,874
Received 60 Likes on 18 Posts
Originally Posted by staircase
Sitting at home very bored and watching flightradar24,...
I completely agree. You are very bored...
Two's in is offline  
Old 1st Jul 2020, 17:10
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: UK
Age: 55
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Originally Posted by chevvron
They did in 2008; I handed them a Hawk Biggin to Valley and they accepted it.
I thought there was another corridor along the north edge of the LTMA passing just north of Luton; does this not exist now?
There used to be a corridor (the fillet?) by Luton in order for Eastern Radar (Premier Radar unit) to descend Upper Heyford inbounds from their East Fix (VARRK).
Rev I. Tin is offline  
Old 1st Jul 2020, 18:26
  #10 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Posts: 659
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
For those that are really interested......

https://www.aidu.mod.uk/aip/pdf/enr/ENR-6-3.pdf
Chris Kebab is offline  
Old 1st Jul 2020, 19:59
  #11 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Just outside Newbury
Age: 55
Posts: 288
Received 28 Likes on 4 Posts
The Westcott corridor?
Maxibon is offline  
Old 1st Jul 2020, 21:03
  #12 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: east ESSEX
Posts: 4,624
Received 65 Likes on 40 Posts
There`s also something called VFR....
sycamore is offline  
Old 1st Jul 2020, 21:31
  #13 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Wherever it is this month
Posts: 1,779
Received 75 Likes on 34 Posts
Originally Posted by Maxibon
The Westcott corridor?
If you think a spiral climb in the overhead to FL230 is a better use of time for a tanker out of Brize than zig-zagging through the Lichfield, yes

It was always good fun getting up there straight from takeoff at Marham in a heavy Tornado, especially on the southwesterly runway with the big fuel tanks. Just about do-able with a reheat climb and a headwind. ATC: “Do you need a turn to be at FL240 by the corridor?”... every time Not so much fun trying to herd a stream 4-ship up there on a cloudy STANEVAL check with the junior pilot clowning around at #2, only one radar working in the back 3 and ATC insisting on standard formation before entering the corridor. The good old days! I should imagine a total non-event in F35 with all that power and situational awareness.

Last edited by Easy Street; 1st Jul 2020 at 21:46.
Easy Street is offline  
Old 2nd Jul 2020, 06:45
  #14 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: uk
Posts: 589
Likes: 0
Received 2 Likes on 1 Post
Very bored Two's in - well until Saturday when my local re-opens.

As for a spiral. There is the nub of my question, why conform to normal operations? Why not just call London and have them watch a continuous climb on a direct track, given that there is next to nothing in the airway?

The various corridors are the way to go in normal times, but perhaps a bit of thought outside the box given the amount of traffic over the last few months.

Perhaps the real answer for me is less internet and back to Classic FM and Private Eye!
staircase is offline  
Old 2nd Jul 2020, 08:40
  #15 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Wildest Surrey
Age: 75
Posts: 10,799
Received 90 Likes on 63 Posts
Originally Posted by sycamore
There`s also something called VFR....
Not in Class A airspace there's not and there's a lot of that below FL195 between Brize and the North Sea; even above FL195 where it's blanket Class C airspace, you still need an ATC clearance and a flight plan for VFR flight.
chevvron is offline  
Old 2nd Jul 2020, 08:43
  #16 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Wildest Surrey
Age: 75
Posts: 10,799
Received 90 Likes on 63 Posts
Originally Posted by Maxibon
The Westcott corridor?
Yes; don't know if it still operates but it was (I think) FL200 this being below most overflying airways traffic and above traffic in and out of the LTMA airfields.
chevvron is offline  
Old 2nd Jul 2020, 09:45
  #17 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Here and there.
Posts: 1,141
Received 55 Likes on 28 Posts
Unless things have changed any controller worth his salt should be able to arrange an airways crossing if he picks up the phone and talks to the sector controller.
A normal unit would obtain a procedural crossing or, as we had with autonomous radar status at Boscombe, would either offer a radar control crossing service, a coordinated crossing service or, as was most normal the civvy would just tell us to take 5.
There was something rather satisifying taking a Tornado North east from Boscombe, turning it north through A25 and handing it over to London Mil on the north side still in its unrestricted climb.
SATCOS WHIPPING BOY is offline  
Old 2nd Jul 2020, 18:51
  #18 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Wherever it is this month
Posts: 1,779
Received 75 Likes on 34 Posts
I think we have identified that post #2 nailed it
Easy Street is offline  
Old 2nd Jul 2020, 18:57
  #19 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: N.O.Y.B.
Posts: 272
Received 2 Likes on 1 Post
Daventry corridor is still there at FL100. Wescott is FL240 for westbound and 230 the other way. The tankers could always ask for a direct route once they're on their way to the LIC and get across south of the corridor at a level that suits them and the sector chief.
Il Duce is offline  
Old 2nd Jul 2020, 21:52
  #20 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: Starring at an Airfield Near you
Posts: 370
Received 11 Likes on 6 Posts
"Chief, Console X, request cleared flight path, TELBA - POL, FL 250, My 61X1, NE BZN 10 Miles, tracking 015, estimate TELBA time ZZZZ"

"Cleared flight path approved, TELBA - POL, FL 250, subject Speedbird 1234 climbing through FL250"

Problem was when you got: "No cleared flight path available due traffic - take 5. bzzzzzzzzzz" That was NOT the time to be 'taking 5' (5 NM or 5,000ft, uncoordinated) for the first time!
Downwind.Maddl-Land is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.