Controlled airspace transits - local tips

The problem is that this is how it’s taught at PPL, so what d’you want the poor guys to do?

Yes, I know. In the UK too (at least I conclude this from the typical five-minute-radio-calls starting with G-xxxx callsigns). So lets hope that many pilots reads internet forums to find out how it can be done elsewhere!

so what d’you want the poor guys to do?

I don’t mind the POB information, but they don’t need to tell their current squak and much more.
On a busy day you have to wait quite a while to find a gap.
If you need a flight plan activation or coordination with Langen Radar and you have to wait 10 mins to get in it feels like ages.

Most people think they will give them a traffic service, but they don’t. You sometimes hear complaints like: ’ Langen Information, d-e… there was a plane flying close to me, didn’t you see it?’

Some more local tips from the (southern) UK:

• Southampton aka Solent zone prefer transits at 4000ft if possible (there is a nice gap across the middle of their standard routings at that altitude).
• 9 times out of 10, Gatwick will grant a crossing perpendicular to their runway.
• The new Southend zone are being extremely helpful, and can be relied upon to grant a crossing.
• Brize will always grant a crossing, but make sure you are familiar with their VRPs.
• Doncaster will always give a transit above 3000ft. If you have the relevant ratings theyc an also negotiate a crossing of the low airways to the north west for you.
• Newcastle will always give a transit above 4000ft (and I’ve never tried lower).
• Liverpool will readily give transits north-south, but going south they have a tendency to dump you on top of Hawarden with little notice.
• Scottish TMA have to be some of the most helpful controllers in Europe. They will bend over backwards to accommodate what you want to do. We should all be very nice to them in return…
• Ostend seem to like a routing DVR-KONAN-KOK (and reverse), and above FL70 they will reliably negotiate your clearance onward into Belgium. Beware if you are VFR at FL100 or above, they might assume you are IFR and hand you off to London Terminal Control – immense confusion (and amusement) follows.

In general, I find that crossing perpendicular to active runways is almost always granted. Being flexible helps everyone, I tend to ask for something like

G-YC Request transit east too west, VFR, can accept any level below cloudbase altitude

or on a clear day:

G-YC Request transit east-west, VFR, I can accept any level and routing.

In the UK (especially around places like liverpool with low level class A), I often make use of my IR and state:

G-YC Request transit north-south, IFR or VFR, I can accept any level and routing including class A if IFR

Ostend seem to like a routing DVR-KONAN-KOK (and reverse), and above FL70 they will reliably negotiate your clearance onward into Belgium.

This is the standard route for VFR to cross channel into Belgium. I prefer the route TANET- VABIK because you can climb higher over the channel and go direct into Brussels Radar 131.1

Beware if you are VFR at FL100 or above, they might assume you are IFR and hand you off to London Terminal Control – immense confusion (and amusement) follows.

This is normal as Brussels Radar can only forward to London Control. LC is not a big deal, you tell them that you don’t want/able to fly in controlled airspace and they give you a basic service till they hand you over to London Information shortly after. I usually leave (Belgian) controlled airspace at VABIK in FL100.

! ! ! sidestepping

Where do I find the coordinates for VABIK and TANET (and so many more) ?

Where do I find the coordinates for VABIK and TANET (and so many more) ?

Unless you have access to flight planning or navigation software with a waypoint database, you will have to look them up in the national AIPs. VABIK is in Belgium and can be found here for example:

http://www.belgocontrol.be/website/eaip/eAIP_Main/html/eAIP/EB-ENR-3.3-en-GB.html

Where do I find the coordinates for VABIK and TANET (and so many more) ?

VABIK and KONAN is on the UK CAA map, TANET is 51° 26’ 58N 0° 55’ 32E

Most navigation apps are capable of showing waypoints, you just need to activate it.

Sorry, not quite a response to the question, but related and curious.

So what I was taught at PPL (transiting Luton):

G-xxxx request zone transit and basic service (squawking 7000 or the listening squawk)
Luton: May give a squawk telling me to remain outside CAS then pass your message
G-xxxx, PA-28 from Denham to whereever, location (i.e. VRP or “just south of x”), altitude, QNH, request zone transit and basic service
Luton: G-xx, not above x altitude, over the whatever threshold, QNH, Report wherever.
G-xxxx: readback, wilco, G-xx

Is this too much (for the UK)? Could I reduce the exchange by starting the call (assuming that I’ve listened out and there is no taking off or landing heavy and remaining outside CAS) with:

G-xxxx, PA 28, location, altitude, QNH, squawking (7000 or listening squawk), request zone transit and basic service?

Just wondering if it’s OK to volunteer up the information in the first call and which they will presumably need / want anyways. I’ve heard a bit of both and done the same when approaching airfields, but interested in your views from a low hours PPL.