ATC Familiarisation Flights
 

Pre September 11th, ATC could fly in the Jump seat on a familiarisation flight (or standby ticket..). This could be really helpful as we got to see the other side of the radio!

NATS have suspended the scheme due to cost since. However, do any UK based airlines still allow Air Traffic Controllers to fly in the Jump Seat still if it was arranged on a individual basis?

I can only speak for BA, the revised policy for use of the flight deck jumpseat is very restrictive (in accordance with CAA rules). However, I quote "It is BA policy to support the international practice of carrying representatives from Air Traffic Services or similar bodies on route familiarisation flights where it is BA's view that the individual will benefit from observing take-off and landing procedures from the jump-seat".

Contact BA Flight Operations department to get the low-down on the procedures you must follow to arrange such a flight.

In my experience, the rules are VERY well adhered to in order to prevent any un-authorised access to the flight-deck.

Hope this helps.

F33

thanks for the reply, that is great news.

It is important that we can all appreciate the 'other side'. We welcome pilot visit to towers any time, it can be very informative.

Can't help on the truck end, but if you were to post a request on the PPL's forum I'm sure you'd find no shortage of people (myself included) more than happy to take you up for an hour or two for a share of the costs - which could readily be around £30/hr, or about half the running cost of a fairly conventional privately owned light aircraft. Whether this would be as useful as an airline trip would presumably depend upon where you work as an Air Trafficer, but certainly anybody who works LARS would probably learn quite a lot.

G