172driver wrote:
‘Cleared to’ in the US would mean you’re on an IFR flight plan.
I’m sure I was “cleared” when I crossed the LAX class B VFR, but of course I may not remember correctly.
Who had the idea of saying « not above » instead of « below » ? I know brits love their insular spirit but it just makes no sense.
In the US, ATC says « at or below ».
Maybe after brexit, they will change every word of aviation just for fun.
Absolutely. The new term “conspicuity” is just the first step in that process; they are testing the water on how many foreigners they can confuse with it, and if they manage more than 100/month they will roll out a wider programme which will include gems like defining airspace bases using the regional pressure setting 
I have had many VFR transits of Class D approved with “not above 2500ft” etc.
VFR in most of the UK can’t get very high before hitting “airways” which goes as low as 2500ft, in other places for VFR sky is the limit up to FL180 or FL120
Oxford do this “not above 2,000 feet until cleared by radar” business too which is over-reaching themselves given it’s Class G airspace. But I’ve always figured it’s not worth an argument.
The reason in Oxford is that the minimum holding altitude is 2,500 feet amsl and it is a busy corporate and IFR training base.
Airborne_Again wrote:
I’m sure I was “cleared” when I crossed the LAX class B VFR, but of course I may not remember correctly.
Yes, you were cleared INTO the LAX Class Bravo (Bravo requires explicit entry clearance if not on an IFR flight plan), but you were not cleared TO anywhere. Small but important difference.
Charlie wrote:
which is over-reaching themselves given it’s Class G airspace.
This is because the UK strangely permits ATC in uncontrolled airspace.
I believe SERA will in future fix this problem by requiring ATC controls traffic inside controlled airspace only.
In the US the phraseology is “at or above” and “at or below”. Although one foot doesn’t matter much, picky controllers will correct you if you don’t read back “at or”. Much less possibility of confusion. Though doubtless not ICAO, start rant-fest about the US doing things its own way etc.
“This is because the UK strangely permits ATC in uncontrolled airspace”
Oxford has an ATZ and ATC who manage it? outside ATZ you can fly as you wish
I don’t think it’s UK specific, St-Cyr and Toussus near Paris have proper Ground/Tower ATC in plain Class G even with no ATZ or CTR concept…
