Flying on edge of Stanstead Zone.. Flight Plan/Nav
 

Folks,

I am planning on doing this navigation up to Cambridge tomorrow via Earls Cone and was thinking of going the route below.

http://i59.tinypic.com/ekoz9.jpg


I had initially planned to route around the CTA and go up to 'Chedburgh' but thought as it is disused it won't be a good VRP. So I opted for the above route instead an report at Haverhill.

It is close to the Stanstead CTA and I wondered if there was anything special I should consider... I don't know what the wind is doing tomorrow but I could end up blown into the edge of the CTA.

Scoobster

Ask for a Transit?

That'll work. (Edit: the original route, not the transit.)

Personally I go very slightly further out and use Waits Farm as a turning point - I've never actually seen it, to me it's a point in electronic space identified by VORs or pre-programmed into the G1000 in the club aircraft.

Earls Colne sometimes like you to fly over or round, rather than through, their ATZ. If the cloud base is at 1999' and the cloud is freezing, or you don't have an instrument qualification, you may prefer to go round rather than over, so should plan for that.

Calling Cambridge and saying that you're at Haverhill works fine.

I don't have GPS.. so I thought trying to identify waits fm, chedburgh from the air might be difficult as I couldn't locate on google earth..

I assume I would have to transit over the runway threshold and haven't done a transit before.. would be good experience.. but thought of doing a direct to Haverhill for Cambridge?



Scoobster

Flying on edge of Stanstead Zone.. Flight Plan/Nav
 

Ask for stanstEd :)

Avoid Airspace with AirspaceAvoid
 

If you have a smartphone with GPS you could use Airspace Avoid, a freebie app from the PocketFMS folks. That may help ease tension while in the proximity of Stansted.

Good luck with the trip.

WKW

The plan would be to do a landing at Earls Cone.. for experience.. joining procedures etc.. coffee chat loo etc and then out to Cambridge..

I picked Haverhill as it seemed the only reasonable VRP other than the disused airfields dotted about..and the windfarm is a good feature..

I used to have a fear of airspace and would go miles out of my way just to avoid it.
I finally realised that Controlled airspace isn't the land of Dragons and Demons, so started to request transits more frequently than not. Lo and behold I was given transits more often than not.
Don't avoid transits through fear of a refusal or doing the wrong thing. If you are given one, just accept it and remember they are in control until you leave.

This is the route I would select. It is easy, unstressful and Chedburgh is actually rather obvious.

Excellent initiative as there are DISUSED AIRFIELDS and there are disused airfields.

Look up 'Chedburgh' on Google Maps - the outline of an airfield is obvious just south of the village.


You are perfectly entitled to fly as close to CAS as you wish, but you are not entitled to enter it without permission. You seem to be planning to fly less than 1/2 mile from the boundary which gives you no margin for any errors - No lapse in concentration; accurate, correct Heading Holding, DI perfectly aligned with compass and, as you have already identified yourself "could end up blown into the edge of the CTA".

There are quite a few Infringement Reports where the pilot says, after the event, that they should not have planned to fly so close to the edge of CAS as it gave them no leeway and that this was contributory to their infringing.

There would be no problem flying this close to airspace if there were obvious landmarks (eg a dual carriageway) that could always be kept between you and the airspace boundary - but any landmarks seem pretty sparse in this part of the SE and you cannot move your Track slightly further out due to Ridgwell Gliding Site.

You don't have a GPS. Do you have a DME? If so set it to Stansted and, if you really want to fly this route, never let it show less than 11 dme distance.

You won't get blown into the CTA if you are below 1500 feet, and personally I wouldn't dream of flying in that neck of the woods without a GPS, (even if that does mean I'm not a real man.)

I agree with both Level Attitude, and Flybymike.

What level were you planning to fly?

If you must fly so close to the edge of the CTA, fly at 1400' on the Stansted QNH, then if you drift towards CAS you will be just below it.

Also, don't forget about the TMZ below the CTA.

In any case, at least use the Listening Squawk, and listen out with Stansted, but why not pre-empt the situation by calling them in good time, and saying that, as your track may go just inside the CTA, you are requesting a crossing clearance.


MJ:ok:

I tweaked the route slightly to go via Chedbugh as was the original plan.

I thought that going the most expeditious route via Haverhill would be better due to time, building up skills for CPL etc but there isnt much in it from a time perspective.

I might try for a zone transit on the way back...:}

Scoobster

Why ever not? They cost absolute peanuts these days, and you don't have to use it, just have it switched on in case.

I'd go direct from Earls Colne to Cambridge at 2-3k and call Stansted and ask for "transit the NE section of your controlled airspace at 2k from Earls Colne direct to Cambridge".

Keeps you out of the way of too many gliding sites. They might say "not above 2000" or something and IF you don't get a transit you can drop down to 1400' (bit low for my liking though) or scoot further east.

by talking to them you are unlikely to infringe them, and if you get lost then they can help before it becomes a crisis.

just my view...

PS I also wouldn't avoid the 2500 bit of Class A to the SE of STN but go below sub 2500 DCT EC. You will be down there anyway as the TMA is at 3500' and you'll be landing Earls C. Much easier than jiggling about all over the place.

Well done Englishal, wondered when someone would mention the gliding sites....cables up to 2000 can hurt.

GTW,

I'm intrigued by your comment. Earls Colne is A/G Radio. Are they giving instructions or making suggestions? What happens if you just tell them you will be transiting the zone? I cannot tell from Scoobster's map, but I assume the ATZ is Class G.

Going around North - East stub at Stansted
 

This is a regular route for me, and although I usually have the gps on and use it, failsafe is the disused railway line that takes you Halstead, Gosfield, Haverhill. If you follow the old tree lines and cuttings you will be between the TMZ and Ridgewell - but still keep eyes peeled when passing. Check it on your half - million. If you use quarter - million, even better.

They're making suggestions.

My recollection is that you can fly in someone's ATZ if you have sufficient information to ensure the safety of the flight. If they say "it's a bit busy in here, we'd rather you kept clear" I don't mind going a mile or two to one side or the other.

It's no big deal to pick up the VOR radial or the magenta line again once I'm past. Or, I could even look out the window.

The cloud base was absolute appalling today.. 1600ft with an expectation to lift. That didn't happen going "North" so headed down "South" to Biggin Hill.

I was taught to fly using visual features so just trying to stick to this.. Although a GPS as a backup could have helped today also.

Will investigate further and see what I can buy for a 'backup'.

Englishal - I didn't understand the above?

Scoobster