Olympics - Atlas Control
 

The CAA hosted a workshop a couple of days ago at the Belgrano to discuss the Olympics restrictions and how they will be managed.

I will put out the slides of the presentations and charts through PPL/IR and AOPA website when I get them (they said by this weekend) but in the meantime I'd like to thank the CAA. NATS and the RAF for the massive effort they are putting on to mitigate impact on GA.

There will be impact, of course, just like there will be on all aspects of our lives during next Summer, but I really don't see what more the three organisations could be doing.

Our biggest concern, that Atlas Control will not be able to cope, appears to have been dealt with. There will be 48 controllers in four watches, meaning 12 ATCOs at any one time, each able to manage 10 aircraft, so 120 aircraft in the air at any one time; the controllers will be RAF LARS/ATSOCAS ATCOs, drafted in from the North and West (so as not to take anyone from the SE, where they will still be needed.) They will be thoroughly trained in our funny SEern ways, our waypoints, geography and topography. Aircraft in trouble will be transferred to D & D.

The controllers will be backed up by a team of experienced assistants, who will deal with FPLs and permissions. Permissions will be texted as well as sent back via the AFTN route they arrived from. If a short delay would allow you to make a flight which would otherwise be denied, then you will be allocated a later EOBT and clearance, which you will be assumed to accept.

The CAA are doing a mass of modelling on choke points and were also asking for our help on that. They will be asking other nearby agencies to assist where appropriate.

The big message is that the system will work if people are co-operative and helpful. That is the carrot. There was an implied stick if people mess the system around by putting in FPLs that they don't intend to fly.

There will be massive publicity. Our job is to help get that information to people who are not normally plugged into the information network, the biggest worries being grass strip flyers, foreign PPLs and foreign bizjet pilots.

I posted the above on Flyer and PPL/IR and a couple of people raised very specific issues. CAA/NATS have been very quick to answer them.

I think many on here would be surprised how much effort is being put into supporting GA for that month.

Doesn't effect me but good to know that the southern mob are being looked after, well done all concerned.

I trust they will send the bill to Seb Coe.

I think that very little of the £9.7Bn will be ending up in the pockets of UK recreational aviation.

But I hope that this thread doesn't descend into another "who wants the Olympics?" rant.

The fact is that they are happening and the good news is that CAA/NATS/RAF are really busting a gut to keep the impact low.

Sounds from the above rose tinted views as if the 'powers that be' neglected to mention the plight of all non txpdr a/c, now consigned to be trapped at their hangarage/strips inside the massive Olympics outer ring no-fly zone for one whole Summer month.

i.e. Most LAA permit a/c, BMAA flex & fixed wing microlights.

Our polite & measured proposals to them of how to provide straight out & in routes have failed to produce answers. Moreover the Olympics web advice pages unfairly indicate they won't approve/disapprove pending applications for exit/entry lanes from strips near the edge of the zone until after an appeal deadline.

Makes sense to all apparently, except the above host country aviators who appear to be relegated to less than second-class citizens !

mike hallam.

That is quite true. You are permitted to formate on a squawking aircraft, and there is no published limit to the size of the formation.

The other possibility is to relocate for a month; several airfields just outside the RA are making very reasonable offers.

But I share your frustration. We did try but the whole thing is predicated on a "known traffic environment", and the Spooks would have nothing of it.

CAA/NATS cannot be blamed for this one.

If you look on Welcome to AOPA UK and open the Olympic Airspace Briefing Presentation tab, it will lead you to the PowerPoint presentation http://olympics.airspacesafety.com/m...ge_-_final.ppt .

This was given at the AOPA Bonus Day at Duxford and is very clear indeed.

A possible loophole in security?

Shambles
 

First day a shambles?!
Couldn't find flight plans, aircraft told to orbit as if we have nothing better to do!
It took them 20 mins not to find my flight plan despite having acceptance no.
Expecting me to waste my time and money just hanging around? Where the controllers RAF? No local knowledge?
Need to improve.

Did you really think it was all going to work seamlessly as if nothing has changed????

ATLAS
 

Filed two plans with Skydemon over two hours ago, 10min flt from Berks strip to White Whaltam direct,simple,to refuel and return.
No reply yet , can they be that busy on a Sunday with iffy wx??

It's taking them up to 5 hours to send the approval, don't ask me why 'cos I don't know; maybe the guy who does it doesn't work sundays.

Impromptu formations without a thorough briefing beforehand and a clear definition of the roles and responsibilities of all participating pilots are not legal.
You can't just formate on someone and ask if you can tag along! Even on the ground, if someone asked me before takeoff to lead them through the zone, I wouldnt't do it if I wasn't sure of their skills and trustworthiness.

Atlas
 

Eventually received an Ack for two flights today 4 hours after filing, just enough time to get to strip. Once airborne all worked ok, although the initial contact frequency controllers swamped at times with 5 or so a/c standing by.
Flexibility was aso being shown. An LX reg a/c just airborne VFR in the Denham circuit, called up 132.8 as 'Farnborough LARS' and asked for his IFR clearance to Glasgow. In spite of having no R112 code, was cleared to his initial IFR fix and passed to Airways, rather than told to return to Denham.

Olympics-flight plan
 

Tried to file a flight plan thro Skydemon and was informed that I was not verified to file flight plans despite registering and given login codes etc several weeks ago. Also told my map was out of date. Apparently ran out Saturday. Nobody in work so this weekend a total failure. Hope it improves.

the formation can't be more than 1nm apart

lenswings, somebody on the Flyer forum has had what appears to be a similar issue to yours. Tim Dawson of SkyDemon rapidly posted a response, which worked.

I had the same, only for me, when I hit the Submit flightplan button, it just didn't do anything, so I thought it had gone.

Clearing the cache then trying again, led to a Submitting to Server box, followed by a confirmation email and .... 30 minutes later.... an approval :)

Alex

I submitted a flightplan at 0200z for a 1300z departure by skydemon for which I quickly received a acknowledgement. By submitting at this unusual time I hoped I might catch them when they weren't too busy! By 1200z I'd heard nothing from Atlas so I phoned, managed to get through easily only to be told a text message had been sent sometime previously. No text has been received so far and its almost now STD. Anyone else had this experience? People on phone at Atlas most helpful and gave me my number.

Text messages frequently don't come through, or get delayed.