Leeds Class A Airspace
 

Leeds is usually Class D and so generally welcoming to VFR GA flights. I was checking the NOTAMs this morning and found the following:

Q)EGTT/QACCA/IV/NBO/AE/000/085/5352N00140W010
B)05/11/01 09:50 UTC C)05/11/01 10:50 RAC (B2131/05)
E) AUS 05-11-0172/4822/AS6
TEMPO CONTROLLED AIRSPACE(CLASS A)ESTABLISHED AS FOLLOWS
LEEDS BRADFORD CTA/CTR FL085/SFC 0950/1050. CONTROL AUTHORITY LEEDS
BRADFORD
F)SFC G)FL085

Firstly, why would Leeds upgrade to Class A for one hour this morning (I don't recall any VIPs in the region). Otherwise why would this be done?

Secondly - for those who have been flying for a while, is such activity not unusual?

Thanks in Advance

Mydata

Camilla P-B popping in for lunch?

she is in the USA...

It is standard practice for the arrival of a Royal Flight. I believe Prince Andrew was in the area today.

Thanks Dylan. Looks like whomever was here is returning home as we type.

Q)EGTT/QARCA/IV/NBO/E/050/190/5348N00152W009
B)05/11/01 16:15 UTC C)05/11/01 17:05 RAC (B2133/05)
E)AUS 05-11-0173/4824/AS6
TEMPORARY CONTROLLED AIRSPACE ESTABLISHED AS FOLLOWS
AIRWAY W2D FM LEEDS BRADFORD TO POL FL050/FL190 1615/1705. CONTROL
AUTHORITY LEEDS BRADFORD ATC/MACC
F)FL050 G)FL190

I guess this is one of the 'purple corridors' that we hear about but - for me - seldom see.

Why does a Windsor rate class A airspace please?

To keep you Republicans out :E

Dont be so presumptious Mr squibbler. I am not a republican. I believe in a meritocracy and a monarchy. The two are not mutually exclusive.

What is the point of telling every would-be terrorist where the royals are flying today?

Also I really cannot see the safety benefit to the VIP being transported of being inside Class A. Why not just give them an RIS all the way? They probably get that anyway. Class A offers no protection from someone busting it accidentally or deliberately.

Purple Airspace is no more.... it is now called CAS-T.

Giving a RIS wouldn't achieve much. As you could legally get within feet of the aircraft.

At least with Class A the CAA can throw the book at you if you forget to read NOTAMs/inadvertantly penetrate.

So the CAA "throwing the book" at some one makes for a safer flight? Yes AlanM I realise that is not what you were saying but surely this is a stupid archaic practice that needs to be stopped. Is it simply a way of ensuring the royals are seen to be kept away from the peasants who normally use this airspace?

The point is that if someone is going to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, they are no more likely to end up near a VIP than anybody else, and the tiny number of royals flying around makes a mid-air with one of them even more exceedingly unlikely than is already the case (very exceeding unlikely) anyway.

All this does is that it wastes ATC resources managing this stupid Class A, for the benefit of those few who actually go to ais.org.uk and do a Narrow Route Briefing, while conveniently announcing the very spot to anyone who might want to get close deliberately.

IMHO it is a very good job the ais.org.uk website didn't come on line while the IRA were still properly in business.

I am not anti-royal; I just think the temp airspace is a complete waste of time. They'd be far better off doing an unannounced flight, in or out of CAS.

Oh dear, a touch of the old PPRunus Senseofhumourfailuritis I fear ;)

Squibbler," a touch of the old PPRunus Senseofhumourfailuritis" after the day I had you were spot on and I am suitably chastened. Thanks

This happened a couple of weeks ago as well ; I was actually lined up on the runway at Leeds when my VFR departure clearance was cancelled, and ATC asked me (rather breathlessly) if I could accept a special VFR clearance instead, as they had become Class A and had "purple airspace" (obviously old habits die hard, then!).

If I'd known it was His Royal Andyness popping in for lunch with you, Dylan, I'd have polished the old bird up a bit .... :D Anyway, I'm pleased to report that my SPECIAL departure went ... umm ... well, exactly the same as all the others I've ever done, really ....

Does strike me as a load of old cobblers ..... and no, I'm not anti-monarchy, I just agree with some of the comments above regarding safety ... surely better to keep a low profile if you want to be safe ?

FF :ok:

I shall ask him if next time he comes for tea he could come by car and not cause all this confusion:}

Look on the bright side, if someone launches a Stinger or similar at the royal flight and they are well separated you are less likely to get hit by accident.:E :E

OK I'll get my coat, I don't need the threads bad taste award

The Royal personage arrives by jet through Temporary Class A airspace, transfers to a helicoter and departs VFR into the wilds of Class G with no "protection" or NOTAM for civil operators.

Now that makes sense does it not!

Regards,

DFC

Dylan

I trust tea and biscuits at the flying school were up to scratch and that HRH made a contribution to the tea and milk fund ;-)

The talk here of the need for a low profile brings to mind something I read recently whereby someone called one of the RAF phone helplines to check on 'purple corridors' but was challenged that talking of such matters was a matter of national security and that no information would be given. The fact that this was an information line to get information on the Red Arrows and Queen's Flight was over the head of whomever was answering.

Mmmm, it's not like they couldn't pop into their nearest airport briefing room and pick up all the details. A point that I seem to recall was the subject of an equally sensationalist headline in the Sun a few years ago.