Heathrow Zone (Heli) Air Law question

[jellycopter]

Forgive me if I’m missing something straightforward here.

Today, whilst en route to Battersea via the Helilanes I heard Heathrow issue another helicopter (twin) a clearance from Ally Pally - Brent - Battersea “VFR Not above 1300ft on Heathrow QNH1023”.

Is this a legal height to fly over the congested area in respect to the 1000ft rule?

I've not studied the map to check the heights of every building along that route but I’m pretty sure there will be structures in excess of 300ft tall within 600m of the route.

Could this be a throwback to when Heathrow used to be Class A so that particular routing was SVFR so exempt the 1000ft Rule?

I note that the UK AIP entry for Heathrow exempts the 1000ft Rule along the Helilanes, but I don’t see any mention of it for Ally Pally to Battersea. Do we need a Route establishing to protect the pilots of the twins that fly that route frequently?

Please someone explain.

JJ

[ShyTorque]

Jelly, on an ATC clearance in CAS a pilot doesn’t have to comply with the 1,000ft rule, as in the case here, but there is no exemption from the 500ft rule*. Complying with the latter is forever more difficult over London due to the increase in high rise building projects; technically speaking consideration must be given to separation, even when following the published heli-routes!

Twin engined helis (obviously not singles) are commonly given direct clearances such as the one you heard.

*I do know of one pilot of a twin engined heli who bust the 500’ rule in a very blatant way trying to continue on the commonly given BRENT - BATTERSEA clearance in very low cloud and was reported to the CAA.

[love flying]

I wondered if the 500 ft rule can also be exempted by ATC?
ANO 2016, Schedule 3, Part 4 — Exemptions from low flying prohibitions The following aircraft are exempt from the low flying prohibitions in Part 3 (i.e. the 500ft rule): Aircraft flying in accordance with instructions given by an air traffic control unit.

[jellycopter]

Originally Posted by ShyTorque

Jelly, on an ATC clearance in CAS a pilot doesn’t have to comply with the 1,000ft rule, as in the case here,

That's an interesting take on things and something I always understood to be the case when I was in the military (you may have even be my instructor that explained as such!).

However, the exemptions from the 1000ft rule are clearly stated in the regs, and I can't find mention of an ATC clearance granting an exemption. Indeed, the Helilanes require an ATC clearance yet there's a specific exemption from the 1000ft rule in print in relation to those. Why bother printing it for the Helilanes if a simple ATC clearance implied an exemption?

####e, I don't suppose you've got chapter and verse to support your assertion that you could point me towards do you?

JJ