Route advice
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Join Date: May 2019
Location: Leeds
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Route advice
Hi guys, this is my first post here - please be gentle!
I’m about 27 hours into my PPL, based at Sherburn and a couple of hours into my navigation phase.
I’ve happily planned my last two routes, but am now a little short of confidence when planning who I will be contacting.
My route is as follows:
Sherburn
Ferrybridge
Huddersfield/Crosland Moor
Coal Aston
Sturgate
Goole
Selby
Sherburn
Now I know that for/between Coal Aston, Sturgate and Goole, it would make sense/be necessary at certain altitudes to be in contact with Doncaster for the zone transit etc., but who would you contact between Hudds and Coal Aston? My instinct is London Info, but maybe I’m missing something obvious like a LARS?
Between Ferrybridge and Hudds, would you climb and contact Leeds? Or stay at 2000ft with Linton or maybe London info?
i don’t feel I’m strictly wrong with my instincts here (please say if I am!), but would just be interested to draw on everyone’s experience and see if there’s something you’d sooner do in my position?
Thanks in advance!
I’m about 27 hours into my PPL, based at Sherburn and a couple of hours into my navigation phase.
I’ve happily planned my last two routes, but am now a little short of confidence when planning who I will be contacting.
My route is as follows:
Sherburn
Ferrybridge
Huddersfield/Crosland Moor
Coal Aston
Sturgate
Goole
Selby
Sherburn
Now I know that for/between Coal Aston, Sturgate and Goole, it would make sense/be necessary at certain altitudes to be in contact with Doncaster for the zone transit etc., but who would you contact between Hudds and Coal Aston? My instinct is London Info, but maybe I’m missing something obvious like a LARS?
Between Ferrybridge and Hudds, would you climb and contact Leeds? Or stay at 2000ft with Linton or maybe London info?
i don’t feel I’m strictly wrong with my instincts here (please say if I am!), but would just be interested to draw on everyone’s experience and see if there’s something you’d sooner do in my position?
Thanks in advance!
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: london
Age: 60
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Not very familar with that area but it sounds like apart from the zone transit you'll be in G airspace the whole way?
so no one you need to speak to. So no right answers in fact. The thinking should be - who can I talk to that will give me any kind of traffic service. No point in talking tp london info, they have no radar, so think about who can offer you radar coverage as the starting point, along with whos traffic you might be conflicting with. Also see if any of the available radar services publish a listening squawk, That's also useful. Does that help?
so no one you need to speak to. So no right answers in fact. The thinking should be - who can I talk to that will give me any kind of traffic service. No point in talking tp london info, they have no radar, so think about who can offer you radar coverage as the starting point, along with whos traffic you might be conflicting with. Also see if any of the available radar services publish a listening squawk, That's also useful. Does that help?
Don't bother with London info on a short flight like this - it could take most of the time to get a word in and there's not much they can do for you.
Ferrybridge through to Coal Aston talk to Leeds. Tell them you are a student pilot on a navex and request a basic service. Thus you will have highly trained ATC with radar instantly available regardless of whether you are in their airspace or not. Amazingly they will keep an eye on you as they fully understand what "student pilot" means.
Then talk to Doncaster as you have planned. Use plain English (if the RT words escape you for a moment) and make sure to tell them if your route enters their airspace.
Main thing is not to allow the radio to distract you from the nav and look out.
Have a great trip and let us know how it went.
Ferrybridge through to Coal Aston talk to Leeds. Tell them you are a student pilot on a navex and request a basic service. Thus you will have highly trained ATC with radar instantly available regardless of whether you are in their airspace or not. Amazingly they will keep an eye on you as they fully understand what "student pilot" means.
Then talk to Doncaster as you have planned. Use plain English (if the RT words escape you for a moment) and make sure to tell them if your route enters their airspace.
Main thing is not to allow the radio to distract you from the nav and look out.
Have a great trip and let us know how it went.
Join Date: Apr 2006
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I am quite often in the area between Coal Aston and up through the Manch/Leeds gap near Crosland Moor and I always talk to Manchester, although if you can't get a word in put in the Manchester Listening squawk and listen out on frequency. The High Peak can get busy with Manchester big stuff at relatively low levels so they are usually quite obliging and like to keep tabs on whats in the area.
Note: Just watch out for the Class A at 3500ft!
Note: Just watch out for the Class A at 3500ft!
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Thanks!
Thanks so much to all repliers. All very interesting and informative responses (also don’t worry, I know I can ask my instructor, I’m just interested in different perspectives!).
Thanks again and I’ll let you know what ends up happening!
Rick
Thanks again and I’ll let you know what ends up happening!
Rick
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Hi again all!
Just thought I'd update you as to the flight as promised.
All went well (apart from really struggling to find Coal Aston - a serious lesson in chart reading, that one!).
As to R/T, we ended up as suggested, contacting simply Leeds Radar, followed by Doncaster. Both were extremely helpful when it came to airspace transit and made my journey as easy as it could be.
An important thing for me is to start learning to switch on to radio calls however. There were points at which Doncaster attempted to relay messages, but I was so task focused (on nav specifically) that I didn't even notice one or two of their calls. Obviously that's where the instructor steps in, but it still gave me a little heads-up.
Onwards and upwards - thanks again for your helpful advice!
Rick.
Just thought I'd update you as to the flight as promised.
All went well (apart from really struggling to find Coal Aston - a serious lesson in chart reading, that one!).
As to R/T, we ended up as suggested, contacting simply Leeds Radar, followed by Doncaster. Both were extremely helpful when it came to airspace transit and made my journey as easy as it could be.
An important thing for me is to start learning to switch on to radio calls however. There were points at which Doncaster attempted to relay messages, but I was so task focused (on nav specifically) that I didn't even notice one or two of their calls. Obviously that's where the instructor steps in, but it still gave me a little heads-up.
Onwards and upwards - thanks again for your helpful advice!
Rick.
