Olympic Airspace Restrictions
 

For those of you who fly in the South East of England, why not go on holiday for 2 months....:(


Airspace Restrictions

Flying is overrated anyway.... :{

A Prohibited zone is a portion of airspace where "the flight of aircraft is prohibited".

All IFR traffic to/from Heathrow, City etc. will be allowed into the Prohibited zone.

So it's not a prohibited zone at all, just a Restricted zone.

So, if words means anything, why don't they just call it that way?

That will make getting to France interesting if the weather is at all marginal. I am based north west of the zones.

Rod1

It will lead to some very interesting "choke points"

Nick

Okay - it might be a pain in the arse for a few weeks next summer but it didn't look all that onerous to me. I have lived and flown in countries where you needed to file a flight plan prior to every departure or circuit!

So I file, launch from aprivate strip, speak to ATC who'll verify my FP and clearance number. I'll then squawk my new personal code and long as I remain clear of the prohibited bit and speak to an agency, I should be able to wind my merry way to France through the restricted bit.

I'll need to learn how to file using their chosen website but it can't be that difficult, surely?

It might inconvenience me but I doubt it will stop me!

Stik

Nice bit of planniing where all traffic avoiding the western side of the zone will be channeled over Lasham, the busiest gliding site in the country.
Peak movements can exceed 200/hr. Winch cables can be up to 3000ft agl.

Don't worry - the CAA will be round to confiscate your winch cables and have the tow planes grounded on a technicality in early July 2012.

They will no doubt under-estimate the plucky resolve of the gliding community, which will resort to having teams of volunteers physically pick up the gliders and throw them into the air.

I'm already sketching plans on a similar line to ensure I can keep aviating from my local field for the duration, albeit with a rather truncated endurance - I've read the CAA Restricted Zone document (twice), and nowhere does it use the terms "Trebuchet", "Shopping Trolley" or "Huge Bouncy Castle".

I'm learning in a microlight at Plaistows Farm, just north of the prohibited zone, and squeezed between Luton, Stansted and the London TMA. It's hard enough as it is, and looking at that, it gets even worse. All very well to say squark a code, but what if you don't have a transponder...

I've got someone who keeps offering to take me up in leicestershire. I think once I have my license (must get it by next year, right?) I'll be driving up there for weekend flying!

Ah well, I knew there was a reason I was learning!

It should be remembered that these are just the temporary airspace changes for the olympics. There will be other security restrictions to flying imposed which will NOT go through any public consultative process.

Wonder what the authorities have in mind for zone-busters? Sidewinder up the proverbial? :eek:

This will effectively prevent operations of helicopters into London, from other than airports, for the entire period.

More evidence if it were needed that we now live in a Police state.

Good grief huge swathes of restricted airspace - why?

Not forgetting Lasham's next door neighbour, RAF Odiham, home of heavy rotary.

The "restricted" area is Class A anyway, which is pretty much restricted to we VFR bods. Glad I don't fly down there. Looking at the Southern England half-mil always scares me, what a horrendously complicated mess the airspace is down there. How anything moves at all is beyond me.

The "Prohibited" thing seems a bit overkill though?

Smithy

one hears rumours that in the south of the uk nothing will get airbourne without having filed a flightplan and been issued with an approval number

Can't see that happening wrecker, even for Europe/UK's typical standards that's totally bonkers.

Olympic Restricted Airspace

wrecker,looks like you are correct, also no solo student cross countries - just what the flying clubs and schools in the south east need during their best weather windows!

Captain Smithy. Unless I missed it somewhere, it didn't say that the restricted area was only from 2500' base. Most of that area (except LTMA and around the major airports) is fine to fly below 2500'.

As fireflybob says, its gonna be a complete pain for any schools in that area, or as I was thinking, for any new pilots that have just got their license and want to "fly local" to build hours!

Ah well, what fun! I reckon there is money to be made just filinhg flight plans for students!

Considering how much bother it is causing, the complete arse that has been made of it so far and the fact that Britain is grinding to a halt for a few weeks to allow this glorified school sports day to go ahead, is there anyone left aside from atheletes and politicians who like or are interested in this anymore?

Rhetorical question, before anyone bothers to reply. :zzz:

I have a friend who lives in Gosport who are renting their house out to the Latvian (or some such) sailing squad for the duration, and are going on holiday. They are very interested, as thanks to the visiting sailing squad, a large chunk of their mortgage will be paid off!

So, maybe that's an idea. Where could I go for two months that I could fly undisrupted, and not have to take it all as leave....I wonder if I can convince work to send me to california for the summer!

The thing which is really crap is that there is no way around the restricted zone to the east, because of D138. Unless one flies a long way out over the sea. How important is the western end of D138 in reality?

I wonder how closely VFR flight plans will be monitored. If they want waypoints and times at each WP listed, that will prevent sightseeing flights. What will be the flight plan format for this?

This is pretty drastic stuff, well OTT IMHO.

Hmmm. Owner of an aircraft based within the restricted zone and not fitted with a transponder (or indeed an electrical system).

Well there's always God's country to the North! Although getting out of London with that jackboot stamped over the airspace might make things difficult to get out of there ;)

Whole thing sends a clear message to me. London's closed for business at that time. Stay away.

Will we have TRAs implemented for safety & security reasons at school sports days all over the country whenever they're on? I await with trepidation.

Over reaction!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

Don't you think that you are all over reacting? The map on the website has no indication of the restrictions that will be placed within the "restricted zone".

I can assure you that the civil servants inital idea was a total air excution zone within 50 miles of the Olympic site.............. untill it was pointed out that the closure of all the London airports might effect attendance numbers!

Fortunatly more wise persons have been consulted and the Military have put in place a person who flys light aircraft and understands GA flying to moderate the antics of the Civil Service idiots.

I expect that the Restricted zone will most likely require the same sort of clearance that you would expect in class C or D airspace with the addition of a flight plan.

It does say no airborne flight plans, which (if the RA is treated as CAS) means no flight, VFR or IFR, unless a written flight plan is submitted.

That's what the website says, anyway.

They may well relax it later to "radio contact required" which would make sense because it would deliver the same "known traffic environment" which is all this can be possibly about anyway. They want to be able to spot unknown radar returns ASAP.

A and C

Have you read the links – the flight plan requirements – the clearance numbers before takeoff – the min equipment requirements.

Rod1

Don't forget that in amongst the temporary restricted and prohibited airspace there will also be temporary CAS. Primarily around EGLF and EGMC that will affect traffic at typical light GA levels.

Sounds as Bad as the Winter Olympic Flight Restrictions last Year in Vancouver
 

This was the occasion of a $900,000,000 security spendfest:mad:

Crews operating within the Restricted area were required to apply months ahead for security clearances.

A number of floatplane operations were seriously impacted because security inspection of pax was required and many of the locations did not get a staffed security post; so, had to make an intermediate landing or shut down service.

Flight schools were effectively shut down. There are a number of lawsuits filed for business losses.

References would be much appreciated.:ok:

ROD 1
 

This is for two or three weeks and most light aircraft have the kit required, so what is the problem?

The restriction is from July 13th to September 12th. Hardly 2 or 3weeks. I'm glad I don't run a flying school in the zone!

N to S transit to the east
 

I am not sure if I am reading the map correctly but there seems to be a piece of clean Class A (FL055+) in the middle of D138, so it looks just possible to squeeze past, along the edge of the RA. You will clip a tiny piece of D136...

There is going to be an awful lot of traffic trying to squeeze through there, at various heights up to 4300ft.

I can't see why the RA extends so far to the east. Are they using Southend to ferry a load of people?

I feel sorry for the schools in the area.

Bin Laden must be jolly pleased, to have the decadent west running around in circles like this. Thie must be the best value for money operation he has ever done.

It has to be said that actually the terrorists have won. The simple threat of 'something ' happening has lead the ar$e covering beaurocrats to try and shut down the airspace!

Given that they are already warning of a 'limited service' within the restricted area it looks pretty likely that this is a very topical challenge to 'my names Dave' talk about beaurocrats killing business.

We have 3 microlight schools at Damyns Hall. A lot of them don't have transponders. I wonder if non transponding aircraft will be allowed to fly.

So if you are a student, reading this and training anywhere within the zone whatever happens dont plan any solo or QCX during the period of exclusion!

Do these restrictions actuallys erve any purpose?

I have always thought if you had evil intentions, from anywhere around the zone you would be over the stadium in not very many minutes - realistically is there much chance of your being intercepted and "dealt" with? I wonder?

I thought it was only Lybia that was getting a "no fly" zone.
bb

I spoke to someone in the know about this, and "capacity restriction" was specifically mentioned. Apparently they are expecting thousands of extra flights due to rich oil barons, heads of state etc. visiting. So in other words, expect a lot of disruption.

Never seen such a bizarre overreaction to something that should be so innocuous.

Smithy

I think there is something seriously wrong when citizens are prevented from going about their legitimate business. This seems a gross over-reaction to the situation.

Perhaps we should also recall that it was, in my opinion, the actions of the western world in invading Iraq which have made the world a much more dangerous place.

I wonder how the French would have reacted to similar swathes of restricted airspace?