MATZ penetration and communication with a military airfield
Bit like the USMC pilot of an FAA Sea Harrier who'd lost his radio off the south coast; saw a large 'harbour' and assuming it was Plymouth Sound, headed north east for Yeovilton. Came overhead this large airfield at FL160 and it had 2 parallel runways and 747s parked on it; realised it wasn't Yeovilton.
Guess where it was.
Guess where it was.
Calls to Airfields with MATZ
TO start with they are a dying breed rather than an expanding force, so not really a problem there. However what is becoming an increasing element is the reduced hours of operation of the service on offer.
As alluded before a MATZ is not controlled airspace and therefore not mandatory; however a call to the freq is sensible even if only to alert someone of your intentions. If they do not respond at least other aircraft on freq will hear and therefore be aware. In my neck of the woods the local MATZ service now notams its opening hours in the summer; however this hardly makes the operation easier to operate with as they also 'open up' at other times when suits. I always treat a MATZ as live and call, but then give my intentions rather than ask for permission (which I do not need). If there is no reply on the MATZ freq I then call twr and see if any one is at home. We all tend to know what goes on in our local area, but there is a responsibility of those who 'oversee airspace' to staff it as it should be and not put more 'issues' in the system.
As alluded before a MATZ is not controlled airspace and therefore not mandatory; however a call to the freq is sensible even if only to alert someone of your intentions. If they do not respond at least other aircraft on freq will hear and therefore be aware. In my neck of the woods the local MATZ service now notams its opening hours in the summer; however this hardly makes the operation easier to operate with as they also 'open up' at other times when suits. I always treat a MATZ as live and call, but then give my intentions rather than ask for permission (which I do not need). If there is no reply on the MATZ freq I then call twr and see if any one is at home. We all tend to know what goes on in our local area, but there is a responsibility of those who 'oversee airspace' to staff it as it should be and not put more 'issues' in the system.
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Sometimes north, sometimes south
Posts: 1,809
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
1 Post
Some of us are old enough to recall 30 odd years ago or more where the UK had military master diversion airfields which were open H24, fully manned and equipped with surveillance and talk down radar and also the ability to lay a foam carpet within 30 minutes if you needed to do a wheels up landing.
Now because of a paucity of such stations which are open H24 (peacetime Air Force now where the enemy doesn't attack at the weekends, bank holidays or outside office hours) there are times when vast swathes of the FIR is devoid of any radar service.
Now because of a paucity of such stations which are open H24 (peacetime Air Force now where the enemy doesn't attack at the weekends, bank holidays or outside office hours) there are times when vast swathes of the FIR is devoid of any radar service.
Why they can't have one person on standby to go in and provide a radar service in the event of Lossiemouth going below minima while a QRA flight is out beats me. And we're all paying for this bizarre pantomime of full ATC teams sitting around all night drinking tea waiting for an event that may never happen.
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Banished (twice) to the pointless forest
Posts: 1,558
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
There's now only one military airfield that provides an H24 LARS service, and the reason why remains a mystery. It has four based aircraft - Tutors, that never fly beyond the airfield's opening hours of 9 to 5; the airfield for which they are the diversionary airfield is only open weekdays 0800-1800 plus as required for QRA; and 90% of the LARS traffic is light civil aircraft on a Basic Service.
Why they can't have one person on standby to go in and provide a radar service in the event of Lossiemouth going below minima while a QRA flight is out beats me. And we're all paying for this bizarre pantomime of full ATC teams sitting around all night drinking tea waiting for an event that may never happen.
Why they can't have one person on standby to go in and provide a radar service in the event of Lossiemouth going below minima while a QRA flight is out beats me. And we're all paying for this bizarre pantomime of full ATC teams sitting around all night drinking tea waiting for an event that may never happen.
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Sometimes north, sometimes south
Posts: 1,809
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
1 Post
There are more aircraft based there, than you seem to know about.
Just the other day two Lossie Typhoons did a weather divert at night. Where did they go? Liverpool. Because Leuchars minima for runway 08 are significantly worse than Lossiemouth's for runways 05 or 10 - and significantly worse than pretty much anywhere with an ILS.
True. In addition to the Tutors there are four light civil aircraft. None of them fly at night either. Justification for a permanent H24 full radar service?
Just the other day two Lossie Typhoons did a weather divert at night. Where did they go? Liverpool. Because Leuchars minima for runway 08 are significantly worse than Lossiemouth's for runways 05 or 10 - and significantly worse than pretty much anywhere with an ILS.
Just the other day two Lossie Typhoons did a weather divert at night. Where did they go? Liverpool. Because Leuchars minima for runway 08 are significantly worse than Lossiemouth's for runways 05 or 10 - and significantly worse than pretty much anywhere with an ILS.
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Sometimes north, sometimes south
Posts: 1,809
Likes: 0
Received 4 Likes
on
1 Post
Join Date: May 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 269
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
The problem is that if everyone ignores the MATZ and this becomes an issue for the military then there is an easy solution - just replace the MATZ with controlled airspace. I don't think we'd want that to happen.
There are slight restrictions on Class G (including a MATZ) being uncontrolled.
If you are in communication with a controller (including for a Basic Service) then controllers can issue instructions. From CAP 493 (Manual of Air Traffic Services):
Libertarian enthusiasts might think that is a good reason not to talk to anyone, but I'm quite prepared to follow instructions for safety or say if I'm not going to.
If you are in communication with a controller (including for a Basic Service) then controllers can issue instructions. From CAP 493 (Manual of Air Traffic Services):
Instructions issued by controllers to pilots operating outside controlled airspace are not mandatory; however, the services rely upon pilot compliance with the specified terms and conditions so as to promote a safer operating environment for all airspace users.
Although IFR/VFR flight within Class F/G airspace outside the ATZ is permitted without an ATC clearance, controllers will act on the basis that pilots will comply fully with their instructions in order to promote a safer operating environment for all airspace users.
As I understand it, a controller can give instructions and expect a pilot to comply unless the pilot says otherwise. That is, the instruction isn't mandatory but you should say if you're not going to comply.Although IFR/VFR flight within Class F/G airspace outside the ATZ is permitted without an ATC clearance, controllers will act on the basis that pilots will comply fully with their instructions in order to promote a safer operating environment for all airspace users.
Libertarian enthusiasts might think that is a good reason not to talk to anyone, but I'm quite prepared to follow instructions for safety or say if I'm not going to.
Dunno about that, but he did a 180 and headed south west, saw a smaller multi runway airfield with military aircraft parked and made a dive for it. We had just had SSR fed to the radar display in the tower and our tower controller nearly had a heart attack when he saw the height readout unwinding at an incredible rate; I rushed upstairs in time to see a Sea Harrier on base leg; tower controller alerted the fire service in case it had other problems and we got a vehicle with a 'Follow Me' sign standing by.
They wouldn't let him fly it back to Yeovilton either; sent in a 2 -seater with a pilot to take it back and he went home in the back seat.
They wouldn't let him fly it back to Yeovilton either; sent in a 2 -seater with a pilot to take it back and he went home in the back seat.
Sea Harrier Diversion
Chev Where did he end up !!!, Seems it all worked out ok anyway, and nothing bent. Usually not a lot of fuel for fooling around in a S Har so right decision for someone not familiar with UK, and no radio.
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Aberdeen
Posts: 43
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I have been through Leuchars matz a few times, including on my flight test and I have always been given a “clearance” through their overhead. Bit of a nuisance if you are heading to Fyfe as it makes it a bit of a dogleg from the Broughty Castle VRP. I would reiterate the advice given above to listen out for a “height”. Nearly caught me out the first time but Leuchars is almost at sea level anyway so not much difference. Other MATZ are available with different Amsl.
By the time the other pilot arrived to fly it out, the radio had made a miraculous recovery.
