No RIS due too much traffic!
 

Got airborne this pm and called Waddington for a Radar Info Service only to be advised the Flight Info Service only available and no RIS due too much traffic!

Just wondered why this would be - were they short staffed perhaps?

All I wanted to do was have a radar service to get VMC on top. I have been declined RIS for other reasons previously but not too much traffic.

It's actually a valid reason, even though it seems like a cop out. When you've only got one frequency then by definition only one controller can be working it. If that person feels their workload is such that they cannot fulfil the requirements of a RIS then so be it.

How busy was it?

Happens quite a lot particularly north of Tollerton, especially near Syerston.

imagine the scene. You call a radar unit and are given a squawk then identified. On the screen there are 15 contacts in the next 5 miles of your flight, how on earth do you call all of those contacts? And even if you do no one else will be able to get in on the frequency for the next 5 mins meaning that I am providing 1 RIS when I could be providing 10 or more FIS'. In the situation described above the best you can really hope for is a generic warning to "keep a very good lookout multiple contacts ahead." That is generally the use of RIS limited due traffic density.

Hope that makes sense - quiz me more Thursaday if you wish!!

The theoretical number of traffic calls required is x (x-1) where x = the number of aircraft affected.

eg. 5 aircraft means (theoretically) 5 x 4 =20 traffic calls.
A sixth one calls and it goes up to 6 x 5 = 30 calls.
Then fireflybob calls and it goes up to 42 calls!

Then full RIS becomes uncontainable so it is downgraded to FIS generic warnings....

.....but then 'Duty of Care' raises its ugly head :{

TDM

Talkdownman

Sorry, your formula is wrongly applied.

This formula is used to calculate the complexity of inter group lines of communication, not communications between one person and five others - unless you normally allow your traffic to talk to each other with regularity ;)

In reality, the length of call will be more the determining factor. as EvilJ has pointed out.

It is very common not to be able to get RIS when required from many LARS units because a) they get busy and b) equipment doesn't always work.

For example, climbing through cloud during IMC lesson on Saturday morning between Henley and Woodley when I called and asked for RIS they initially said "yes" but after identifying me on SSR, said that due to equipment problems they had poor primary radar coverage in my area so RIS not possible and downgraded to FIS. Meanwhile as more people called the frequency they started to turn down even FIS for a little while as they were doing the one-armed paper hangar trick.

Its really not their fault - we have to remember that, right or wrong, the LARS service is not funded sufficiently well to give as more than a "best efforts" service. Would that it were otherwise... but the efforts of the guys in the LARS units is appreciated and I would recommend anyone do as many of us have done and pay them a visit to see what they are up against.

Roll on Private IR (there's a rumour!) so that we can get and choose a proper level of service in an airway when / if required. Today we don't have that choice.

Andy

There is something ironic about the contradictory drive to make us all visible, (mode S etc) with there being either too few staff at RIS units, or crap kit that does not work! Flying on Sunday in that no-mans gap between Coventry and Rugby in IMC and Coventry could not give us any radar cover, just FIS - not a lot of use really.

With all the “big jets” going into Coventry through open FIR, this could get really messy. Still, I’m sure the TCAS works just fine.

I think i'm right in saying that Coventry only 'mans' its radar at certain times so that service is only available then.
T2

Perhaps someone can clarify a point for me. We had an ATCO from Benson give a talk for a PFA strut years ago who said that the reason that they often can't provide either RIS or RAS cover is the zone of separation required is greater than that required for FIS. Therefore in a given block of air space only a certain number of RIS or RAS movements can be handled. FIS allows more movements through the same area. Am I right in thinking that FIS applies VFR separation rules whilst RIS and RAS use IFR separations?

My understanding is that FIS does not provide separations at all

What utter b:mad:ks

Separation has nothing to do with type of service required - purely as to whether the aircraft are VFR or IFR.

The only caveat with this is with RAS only, whereby you either get 3nm (horizontal) / 1000ft (vertical) separation between traffic known and being worked by you, which increases to 5nm / 1000ft if the aircraft is known to be working an adjacent agency and the mode 'C' data has been verified. If it's not known to you then it's 5nm / 3000 ft. That's why it's only available to IFR traffic.

If you have an IFR on a RIS you separate it from other IFR's and pass traffic on VFR's. If you have two VFR's on RIS you pass traffic information and that's it - you don't separate them.

Windy, you're either having a laugh or your airmanship is somewhere around that of the lowest common denominator.

RAS and RIS are services that are mutually agreed between pilots and controllers. These services are only applied if both parties can comply with the terms of the agreement. From a controller's persective, if he/she cannot provide an effective service then they will refuse to apply the service; there's nothing to be gained from 'leading the pilot up the garden path'. This is a decision made at the time, depending upon the general air traffic situation.

Talkdownman, are you really a controller?

And further to all that, under FIS, RIS and RAS the pilot is still ultimately responsible for ensuring separation from other aircraft.

Ludwig,

Going up the LIC gap give us at EMA a call, we're not a LARS unit but subject to loading we are usually happy to provide ATSOCA's (although that can depend who's on the desk at the time!!!!!!!!!)

Thanks for all the comprehensive replies!

I get the impression that some pilots think they might be in receipt of some sort of radar service when they are given a squawk for a FIS - as Evil J quite correctly states it is the pilot who is ultimately responsible for separation and perhaps it is timely to note that the legislation states that lookout must be maintained whether or not the aircraft is in receipt of an ATC service.

Finally, I am somewhat surprised, nay disappointed, that a minority of pilots seem happy to fly in cloud without any form of radar service - I suggest this is an airborne form of Russian Roulette.

Happy - no, but in some parts of the country there are times when you have no option :(

Also I'm going to disagree that the pilot is ultimately responsible for his own separation under a RAS.

MATS pt 1 Section 1 chapter 5 para 1.4.1

Now - that reads to me that until he disregards an instruction given under RAS it's the controllers responsibility to separate the aircraft - once an instruction is disregarded the pilot is effectively under RIS where it is their responsibility to provide their own separation.

Yup, on our way back up from LFAT Luton wouldn't give us a RAS through zero vis... that was understandable however, what with all the 'easy traffic' around :p

I obviously didn't phrase that very well. Still I got the clarification I wanted even if it made my ears burn.

Chilli Monster, thank you for your robust technical correction re RAS.

>Happy - no, but in some parts of the country there are times when you have no option <

Well I beg to differ but actually you do have an option - you either remain clear of cloud or do not go flying! That may be easy to say when there is a task to do but nevertheless it is AN option.

Another aspect local to Syerston/Tollerton is that I believe the motor gliders which operate from Syerston do not have Mode Charlie.

When one is instructing/general handling from Tollerton one usually goes North and East to keep clear of the EMA airspace. This tends to put one in conflict with the motor gliders from Syerston during climb and descent and, I presume, the lack of Mode C may increase controller workload?

Of course any form of control service in the open FIR (what I call "jungle airspace") is an anethma to certain airspace users and indeed whilst instructing VFR I don't particularly want any service (that includes FIS by the way) since extraneous RT chat can be a distraction to the exercise. This does not mean one is not prudent about where one conducts certain exercises or that one never listens out but if there is a thin layer of cloud and you want to operate VMC on top then I am only happy to climb through if I have some sort of radar service.

Sorry to stray a bit off topic but I think this is relevant to the debate.

ffb - it does increase workload as we may be calling traffic that is not relevant. I have of late taken to asking pilots I'm providing a sevice to if they have mode C - you would be suprised how many have diliberately not switched it on.

As you rightly mention those who think they are getting a radar serivce because traffic information has been passed (under 'duty of care') are the problem. If we could give a true FIS and not have to keep an eye on the traffic to advise about conflictions we would have more time to provide RIS and RAS.

PM