UK: Talking airspaces

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IAHM-COL
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UK: Talking airspaces

Postby IAHM-COL » Thu May 12, 2016 11:20 pm

Hi All,

[Disclaimer. To resolve differences on understanding, documentation and maps or charts shown in IVAO and Skyvector prevails!!]

I had noticed some amount of uncertainty in different people wanting to offer service of ATC this Fall, and seeing "as trouble" to coordinate with multiple ATCs in compact situations. Think... London.

I have been sayin' many times already that the problem is a lack of understanding of airspaces and control zones. Tipically, the control zones of ATC A and B are non-overlaping areas, and hand over of pilots should occurs very smoothly on the zones of airspace change.

BUT this does require every person involved to understand EXACTLY what is the position they are offering, and where their control zone ends, and where the pilot must be transferred to the following controller. Most interesting, per example, complex small areas in the UK can be further subdivided, but we will talk about this on subsequent posts.

For NOW

The Basics

In UK, the airspace is divided in Area Control (the upper zone - traffic en route), the Terminal Control (the traffic on transit), and the Airport control zones (or APP/TWR/GND).

Now, this is where it gets interesting. All charts are seen are a Top-down depiction of the airspace (as seen from above). and they look like a maze of rectangles within rectangles to the untrained eye!. Something like this (and with no colors!!!)

Image

The Airport control zones are smaller rectangles enclosing ONLY manned airports. Then they are surrounded by a tipically weirdly shaped polygon which is the Terminal area control. Which itself is either enclosed or overlapped by yet another set of shapes, which are the Area controls zones.

Those charts depict the lateral boundaries of areas at the same level (tower to tower, or area to area) very accurately, but some three-dimensional thinking begins to be necessary to understand the boundaries of contiguous zones of different levels. The charts use the nomenclature that look like this: (HIGH | LOW) to indicate the elevation profiles on a given point. As in (3500 ft | SFC) to indicate that such zone ends control at 3500 ft.

So, after looking such situation in the image above, and looking now laterally (from the side) instead of top down, this is the picture that must emerge:

Image


In such image we can see clearly when a pilot exits or enter different zones vertically, but we've got no clue on the lateral navigation limits.

I hope

That from the image above the first thing that must come clear is that

a pilot DOES NOT automatically enter your airspace just because he is within 100 nm of your location (nor any agreed upon radius!). Most importantly, at a give altitude, a plane can be exactly on top of your airport, and still NOT in your airspace, but indeed belonging to the control roster of a neighbor ATC fellow. (like, per example, your Area Controller!)
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IAHM-COL/gpg-pubkey/master/pubkey.asc

R.M.S.
If we gave everybody in the World free software today, but we failed to teach them about the four freedoms, five years from now, would they still have it?

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Re: UK: Talking airspaces

Postby IAHM-COL » Thu May 12, 2016 11:56 pm

No. It should not be messy

It certain locations (and London is a exquisite example of this) you would have MANY (read as MANY) controllers in a rather packed up situation. 8-)

The trick here is that everyone knows exactly the boundaries of his/her airspace. (for a reason you are the ATC, anyhow)

This mean knowing when a plane enters or exits your zone. (usually other's zones are not YOUR business unless they directly border your zone)

ALWAYS HANDLE OFF the pilot briefly before they exit your airspace. EVEN IF NO ATC is there to receive them

Code: Select all

ATC: American 2 5 4, you are exiting my airspace, contact terminal center at 111.52. Bye!


An schematic view of a rather dense situation

The chart may look like this. The chart tells you the lateral information, but not the vertical situation, which is written as altitude limits in the chart.

Image
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IAHM-COL/gpg-pubkey/master/pubkey.asc

R.M.S.
If we gave everybody in the World free software today, but we failed to teach them about the four freedoms, five years from now, would they still have it?

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Re: UK: Talking airspaces

Postby IAHM-COL » Fri May 13, 2016 12:12 am

Solving Scotland

This is the information for Scotland in IVAO

http://ivao.co.uk/atc/sacc/

Image

Then we find there are:

TERMINAL centers

Controlling SFC | FL600. Two of them:

  • WEST COAST. == Legoboyvdlp
  • MORAY == Available


AREA centers

These are limited up to FL285

  • Talla == IH-COL
  • Wallasey == Oscar
  • East == Oscar
  • Stafa == Oscar

Aerodromes centers

The list of full manned aerodromes for ATCs interested in covering Approach are listed in IVAO
http://ivao.co.uk/atc/sacc/

Meanwhile, in the absence of additional controllers we will provide

  • EGAA = Legoboyvdlp
  • EGAC = Legoboyvdlp
  • EGPH = IH-COL
  • EGCC = Oscar

NOTES:

Unless additional ATCs exists, IH-COL will offer full service down to ground in Edinburgh (EGPH). Legoboy will offer full service down to ground in Belfast (EGAA and EGAC), and Oscar will offer full service down to ground in Manchester (EGCC)
If more ATCs become available, Oscar position could be split as indicated by specific Terminal Centers.
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IAHM-COL/gpg-pubkey/master/pubkey.asc

R.M.S.
If we gave everybody in the World free software today, but we failed to teach them about the four freedoms, five years from now, would they still have it?

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IAHM-COL
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Re: UK: Talking airspaces

Postby IAHM-COL » Fri May 13, 2016 12:35 am

Attempting at Solving London :!:

AREA centers

Ivao tells us this http://ivao.co.uk/atc/lacc/

Image

This is the situation

  • S10, Lakes: Available
  • S28 Daventry: T-URBO
  • S26 Clacton: I am hoping eltgaton say yes to this one. Otherwise T-URBO
  • S20 Hurn: I am hoping Elgaton says Yay! to this one. Otherwise, Open
  • S35 Strumble: UNAVAILABLE. This is an FGUK restricted Airspace/ Military NOTAM. Traffic en-transit is limited to FL180 or above.

Terminal centers

Ivao tells us this http://ivao.co.uk/atc/ltcc/

Image

  • NW Deps. Open. But T-URBO takes over if no one is this Terminal Center
  • NE Deps. Open. but I am hoping ATCJay say yes to this one
  • REDFA . I honestly don't care about this one. I'd preffer merging with NE Deps.
  • SW Deps: ATC411
  • SE Deps: KOL? I believe. Missing confirmation

Aerodrome Approaches

Here, IVAO will give you a complete list of available manned airports on this area. But

  • EGSS: ATC-JAY (Are you willing to take the Clacton Area control?)
  • EGBB: T-URBO (unless other Approach coordinator becomes available)
  • EGKK: ATC1337 (? I am lacking confirmation)
  • EGLL: ACI (? I am lacking confirmation)
  • EGMC: available
  • EGLC: available
  • EGGW: available
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IAHM-COL/gpg-pubkey/master/pubkey.asc

R.M.S.
If we gave everybody in the World free software today, but we failed to teach them about the four freedoms, five years from now, would they still have it?

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Re: UK: Talking airspaces

Postby legoboyvdlp » Fri May 13, 2016 11:17 am

As WEST, It seems that I control all of Scotland above FL285 if MORAY is offline, and I control anything outside TALLA, STAFA, WALLASEY, or EAST from SFC to 600.
~~Legoboyvdlp~~
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Re: UK: Talking airspaces

Postby IAHM-COL » Fri May 13, 2016 11:41 am

Nah
Leave Moray alone.
you are good on those 300nm already
and yes. you are the upper levels of Talla-Stafa-east-walla (mostly)
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IAHM-COL/gpg-pubkey/master/pubkey.asc

R.M.S.
If we gave everybody in the World free software today, but we failed to teach them about the four freedoms, five years from now, would they still have it?

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Re: UK: Talking airspaces

Postby legoboyvdlp » Fri May 13, 2016 11:43 am

Mhm. Thanks!

I'd need help to draw the boundaries in OpenRadar... can't find coordinates anywhere!
~~Legoboyvdlp~~
Maiquetia / Venezuela Custom Scenery
Hallo! Ich bin Jonathan.
Hey!
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Re: UK: Talking airspaces

Postby IAHM-COL » Fri May 13, 2016 12:19 pm

I don't know much about OpenRadar files. But this is what I interpreted from IVAO
http://ivao.co.uk/atc/sacc/west

Make your you get clear also where you go SFC-FL600, and where depending on Scottish Terminal Centers *Talla, East, Stafa, Wallasey* your airspace begins at FL285

SKYVECTOR

Anyone else can take coordinates from there and make the OR configs. (maybe yourself Lego?)
https://raw.githubusercontent.com/IAHM-COL/gpg-pubkey/master/pubkey.asc

R.M.S.
If we gave everybody in the World free software today, but we failed to teach them about the four freedoms, five years from now, would they still have it?

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Re: UK: Talking airspaces

Postby legoboyvdlp » Fri May 13, 2016 12:36 pm

I'll do my best.
J
~~Legoboyvdlp~~
Maiquetia / Venezuela Custom Scenery
Hallo! Ich bin Jonathan.
Hey!
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Re: UK: Talking airspaces

Postby legoboyvdlp » Fri May 13, 2016 1:39 pm

Scotland West Boundaries completed.
Image
I'll see if I can do TALLA myself from SkyVector.
~~Legoboyvdlp~~
Maiquetia / Venezuela Custom Scenery
Hallo! Ich bin Jonathan.
Hey!
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