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Controlled airspace transits - local tips

This is picking up from Lenthamen’s post here

Can people post tips on how to get CAS crossings.

For example, you can usually cross the Southampton (EGHI – Solent Radar) Class D if you head towards it at 4000ft, VFR via the SAM VOR i.e. overhead the airport.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

You can cross the western side of Heathrow (LHR) by asking Heathrow Radar on 125.625.

The usual clearance is “cleared VFR via Ascot – Burnham not above 1200 ft.” Since it changed to Class D last year they sometimes modify the clearance to “remain West of a line Ascot – Burnham”.

I use it to get in and out of Fairoaks and have never been refused a clearance. Out of Fairoaks the FISO will give them a call when you’re taxying. Coming South, I call them abeam Bovingdon so they have two or three minutes’ notice.

Spending too long online
EGTF Fairoaks, EGLL Heathrow, United Kingdom

Can people post tips on how to get CAS crossings.

Before I start an old discussion again, I want to clarify that in my understanding everything apart class “G” that one encounters in Europe is controlled airspace.

So for Germany it goes like this: Most of the country is class “E” (= controlled airspace) from above “G” up to FL100 (higher in the Alpine region). Nothing is required to fly there as long as one stays outside TMZs (transponder mandatory zone). Flying through these requires nothing but a transponder squawking 7000. No radio calls, no nothing.

Flying through these “wedding cake” structures made of airspace “D” and “C” above and around the larger airports requires permission by radio (no flightplan or anything else). The frequencies where to get those permissions from are printed on the ICAO chart and probably also on the scanned/computed charts displayed by tablets and glass cockpits. Apart from Frankfurt (almost never) and Munich (sometimes) the crossing permission will be granted within seconds. Maybe a specific route or altitude/level will be required, but it’s the second easiest thing after flying IFR. If you want/need to do it at low level, maybe due to clouds, most often you will be asked to do a midfield crossing because this keeps you away from the approaches and departures. On a very quiet winter afternoon you might even get one of those at Frankfurt – it never harms to ask – and it is really spectacular.
Similar applies to “penetrating” into the airspace C above FL100. Officially you need a mode S transponder and 8,33kHz radios but again, asking never hurts. If it is the only way around some weather and traffic permits, an excemption may be granted. Gliders and paradroppers fly there all the time, so it can’t be difficult.

Most military airspaces are inactive during the weekend (apart from the ones around the big US/NATO bases like Ramstein). The status is best obtained via the FIS frequency printed on the ICAO chart. During weekdays, via the same frequencies you will get the military frequencies from where you might (or might not) get crossing permission. It will be granted on most occasions unless there is some active shooting or flying taking place.

One speciality is VFR night. A flightplan and an ATC clearance are required. When the military low-level night flying routes are active, a minimum altitude will have to be maintained.

EDDS - Stuttgart

Yeah this wrong use of CAS among UK pilots is very tough on the rest of the world… where is this emoticon that hits its head against the wall?

Belgium can be crossed easily.
They have certain rules for crossing Brussels TMA VFR.
If you can fly FL80+, crossing will always granted, below it depends on traffic situation and routing.
(The big boys want to come into Brussels)
The big problem is you need a flight plan available to them, so make sure you have read ENR 1.11 of the Belgian AIP and put EBBRZTZX (for Brussels TMA) into your addressing. EBOSZTZX is needed if you come from the UK and fly via Ostend TMA.

ATC there is very accommodating and friendly. Don’t get to intimidated by the maps and all the TRAs.

I have been refused controlled airspace in Belgium once, because they closed all controlled airspace due to ash cloud.

United Kingdom

Flying through these “wedding cake” structures made of airspace “D” and “C” above and around the larger airports requires permission by radio (no flightplan or anything else)

It does require a flightplan (SERA). It’s just that the various countries have very different ideas about what a flightplan is and entails.

One speciality is VFR night. A flightplan and an ATC clearance are required

Again, you can only speak for Germany, since every country deals with VFR night in different manners. Oh, and Germany does no longer require a clearance for that.

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

So for Germany it goes like this: ….. Similar applies to “penetrating” into the airspace C above FL100. Officially you need a mode S transponder and 8,33kHz radios but again, asking never hurts. If it is the only way around some weather and traffic permits, an excemption may be granted. Gliders and paradroppers fly there all the time, so it can’t be difficult.

I have been given 8.33 frequencies a lot over FL100 recently, mainly above Frankfurt.

Most military airspaces are inactive during the weekend (apart from the ones around the big US/NATO bases like Ramstein). The status is best obtained via the FIS frequency printed on the ICAO chart.

There is another way to check whether an ED-R is active: AirSpace Usage Plan

One speciality is VFR night. A flightplan and an ATC clearance are required.

Since introduction of SERA, no ATC clearance is required for NVFR, but you must be in contact with ATC (Radar)

United Kingdom

Again, you can only speak for Germany, …

This is why, at the beginning of my posting, I wrote: “So for Germany it goes like this:”

Ah, and one more thing: If – when flying inside German airspace – you ask for a crossing permission or the status of some military airspace, please! do not tell the story of your life over the radio. The relevant frequencies tend to be very busy at times, covering large sectors. Especially when flying low you won’t hear many of the other aircraft – so even if it seems to be quiet, it might not really be.
If for example you want to take a shortcut by flying through airspace C/D above Stuttgart airport, you call Langen Radar (the frequency is on the ICAO chart and on the visual approach chart of EDDS) and say “Callsign, Cessna 152 (so he knows your speed), position 5NM north of LBU VOR at 5000ft, request to cross aisrpace C from LBU towards SUL VOR”. If he needs to know anything else (he won’t) he will ask.

Last Edited by what_next at 19 May 10:37
EDDS - Stuttgart

please! do not tell the story of your life over the radio

This is very common on the FIS frequencies:

Sis is D-E…, Tschessna 152, from Niederoberhausen to Oberniederhausen, Squaking 7000, 2 persons on board. We want to cross Stuttgart airspace Charlie in 2 miles. are we needing a clearance? We have a CVFR licence. krkrkrkkkr (Interference with the next station)

Too funny sometimes

United Kingdom

Sis is D-E…, Tschessna 152, from Niederoberhausen to Oberniederhausen, Squaking 7000, 2 persons on board. We want to cross Stuttgart airspace Charlie in 2 miles. are we needing a clearance? We have a CVFR licence. krkrkrkkkr (Interference with the next station)

The problem is that this is how it’s taught at PPL, so what d’you want the poor guys to do? They’re only doing what they’ve learned. And in France, ATC will ask you how many POB.

Bordeaux
52 Posts
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