Pilot Controlled Lighting - UK
Join Date: Jan 2008
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It annoys that when conducting a night nav exercise in a single engine piston and the donk quits (Obviously this isn’t the Rotax more reliable aircraft cause that’s not approved for night flight). I’m smack overhead an active aerodrome but I have to ditch in the blackness cause it doesn't have PCL – madness.
OK, that seems to cover licensed aerodromes but what about the (increasing) majority of airfields that are not subject to CAP168? The CAA has no control over the use of radio at unlicensed airfields - that's a matter for Ofcom, however it might be re-named in the future.
Join Date: Aug 2003
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OK, that seems to cover licensed aerodromes but what about the (increasing) majority of airfields that are not subject to CAP168? The CAA has no control over the use of radio at unlicensed airfields - that's a matter for Ofcom, however it might be re-named in the future.
The more annoying part is that even when when airports permit 'unlicensed' after hours operations they are still licensed aerodromes from the perspective of not allowing PCL. My local field has PCL, but only for the copper chopper.
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The CAA has no control over the use of radio at unlicensed airfields - that's a matter for Ofcom.....
And CAP 168 is a document published by the CAA setting out rules and so on in order to implement its obligations and policies. To that end, CAP 168 Chapter 6 para 11.1.3 (and many other references) are there because the CAA wants them to be there.
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Not true, I'm afraid. Take a look at ANO Article 205/206 and the radio station licensing procedures applied by the Directorate of Airspace Policy.
Join Date: Jun 2003
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The problem I see with PCL is that, to avoid pranksters, one should use a different frequency, but which one? One cannot just pick one at random...
An SMS controller is far better. Texts work fine below about 2000-3000ft.
What would be the market? I have a product which accepts SMS to control things, but does not currently have a relay contact. This could be added though.
An SMS controller is far better. Texts work fine below about 2000-3000ft.
What would be the market? I have a product which accepts SMS to control things, but does not currently have a relay contact. This could be added though.
They have it at my favorite strip Badminton! Mind you for the couple of times the Earl uses it, £2060 for Spectrum Pricing will make it an expensive landing. If an aircraft calls to announce its arrival, how could connecting the receiver of that signal to a lighting system be illegal? The alternative would be the Armstrong method, where his lordship's butler pulls a handle in the palace connected by a suitable system of gears and linkages to the lighting switch at the airfield when he hears the aircraft transmit.
CAP168 has no legal status and contains the following statement:
CAP168 has no legal status and contains the following statement:
The purpose of this document is to give guidance to applicants and licence holders on the procedure for the issue and continuation of or variation to an aerodrome licence issued under Article 128 of the ANO 2005, and to indicate the licensing requirements that are used for assessing a variation or an application. The document also describes the CAA’s aerodrome licensing requirements relating to operational management and the planning of aerodrome development. This document represents the minimum standards necessary to meet the licensing requirement.
Last edited by Whopity; 28th Jun 2010 at 17:19.
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I know it's some time away to us impatient, devil may care, flying types but a satisfactory resolution to this problem approaches............
....and I never thought I'd say this, but it's.........
EASA
See they have a different idea about regulation and litter their regs with AMCs. Alternate Means of Compliance. Seems to me that coming up with some Euro-babble to satisfy Cologne shouldn't be beyond our collective wit.
BTW Rogerp, You win - well done. I've sent you a sumptuous ice lolly!
Sir George Cayley
....and I never thought I'd say this, but it's.........
EASA
See they have a different idea about regulation and litter their regs with AMCs. Alternate Means of Compliance. Seems to me that coming up with some Euro-babble to satisfy Cologne shouldn't be beyond our collective wit.
BTW Rogerp, You win - well done. I've sent you a sumptuous ice lolly!
Sir George Cayley
Join Date: Oct 2005
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Who needs lights at a grass strip at night. I always managed with a mate at the
side of the threshold with his headlights on.
If you can't see the strip at 50ft then time to go elsewhere.
Some of you guys should try outback flying in Australia sometime.
side of the threshold with his headlights on.
If you can't see the strip at 50ft then time to go elsewhere.
Some of you guys should try outback flying in Australia sometime.
Join Date: Jan 2011
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Sorry to resurrect, but with the long nights and short days of January, this is of more practical concern than back in June. I just gently enquired whether there is any chance in the future for PCL at Kemble (sorry, Cotswold), and was told rather emphatically that this is TOTALLY ILLEGAL in the UK, even for unlicensed airfields. According to the AIP entry for Kemble, "Aerodrome lighting does not conform to CAP168 and is not available for licensed operations", yet lighting can be used unlicensed by coughing up £150+ for someone in the tower to switch it on.
So there we have it: the lighting does not conform to CAP168, but can be used, whereas PCL also does not conform to CAP168, and is therefore illegal....
Can anyone come up with some legal obstacle other than CAP168? Of course, there are other obvious commercial reasons why airfields might not want PCL (for which I have some sympathy), but it would be good to know the truth why something almost universally available in the US is (almost?) unavailable in the UK.
So there we have it: the lighting does not conform to CAP168, but can be used, whereas PCL also does not conform to CAP168, and is therefore illegal....
Can anyone come up with some legal obstacle other than CAP168? Of course, there are other obvious commercial reasons why airfields might not want PCL (for which I have some sympathy), but it would be good to know the truth why something almost universally available in the US is (almost?) unavailable in the UK.
Join Date: Jun 2009
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Here in Sweden PCL is very common and typically on the TWR freq (or the traffic frequency if the field has no TWR). A 15 minute timer is common. When I was working on my NQ flying circuits at an airfield with PCL (ESSU, if anybody cares) I got a nice surprise when the lights went out on short final. Nothing to do but go around, ofc.
The CAA's concern about the integrity of the lighting system - including getting them switched on - is easily dealt with by mandating an alternate if PCL is planned to used or, alternatively, holding fuel + a responsible person able to switch the lights on manually. That's what Oz does.
Typical CAA bull****.
Typical CAA bull****.
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Pressing the PTT button is rather easier than fumbling around with a mobile phone trying to send an SMS. And of course, as we all know, the latter would interfere with the aircraft's navigation systems and you'd end up in the wrong place! 
In South Eastern France, it is CAA policy to ensure that as many airfields as possible have pilot controlled lighting. They deal with the integrity issue by checking the bulbs work once in a while, and installing a backup generator. They then mess it up by reserving night operations to locally based aircaft in too many places, but at least you can arrive back home without problems.
In South Eastern France, it is CAA policy to ensure that as many airfields as possible have pilot controlled lighting. They deal with the integrity issue by checking the bulbs work once in a while, and installing a backup generator. They then mess it up by reserving night operations to locally based aircaft in too many places, but at least you can arrive back home without problems.
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IO540, as you no doubt know using your mobile whilst airborne is also illegal, but for much better reasons than PCL being so, which may well seem no more than pointless Blinkered British Bureaucratic Bollix. (and its got nothing to do with messing with your nav kit either)
Hotel Mama and others, the "truth" is very simple. The VHF a/g frequencies are allocated (by whoever allocates the electromagnetic spectrum, ie not the CAA) for voice comms only. PCL is signalling which (surprise!) is a different classification to voice, ergo; illegal. Anywhere else such distinctions might be ignored, but you ain't anywhere else, so it sticks. Elsewhere people tend to be sufficiently responsible to use such things correctly, here we seem to have a way of taking the p!ss out of such concessions. It wouldn't be long before some berk started using PCL for starting his central heating or sending burst transmissions to a fax machine, so the bureaucratic mind just says, "No!".
Hotel Mama and others, the "truth" is very simple. The VHF a/g frequencies are allocated (by whoever allocates the electromagnetic spectrum, ie not the CAA) for voice comms only. PCL is signalling which (surprise!) is a different classification to voice, ergo; illegal. Anywhere else such distinctions might be ignored, but you ain't anywhere else, so it sticks. Elsewhere people tend to be sufficiently responsible to use such things correctly, here we seem to have a way of taking the p!ss out of such concessions. It wouldn't be long before some berk started using PCL for starting his central heating or sending burst transmissions to a fax machine, so the bureaucratic mind just says, "No!".