Alpha_Floor wrote:
Special VFR in Class A is possible in the UK apparently (if somebody could confirm this)
Not available in CTA/TMA only in CTR, there are no Class A CTRs in UK now, Jersey & Heathrow are Class D
Having said that, while ago I asked Exeter Radar for SVFR overhead at FL65-FL100 and got it !
Up in Scotland, gliders get VFR in Class A but it’s Letter Of Agreement between BGA & NATS
I am sure no way you can get SVFR in Class A connected directly to LTMA without 7700
Not possible to get pop-up airways IFR
LeSving wrote:
It’s the same in Norway, sort of. It’s probably the easiest way to bust airspace. You can be in contact with Polaris for hours, but it’s all your responsibility to say goodbye to Polaris, switch to the appropriate TMA and ask for permission to enter. Also, within controlled airspace, it’s you responsibility to stay out of any eventual restricted air space, ATC couldn’t care less.That surprices me a lot! Since you’re flying in Norway, you have a lot of more experience than me, but I cannot say anything negative towards Polaris (former Norway Control), they sended me over to the next TMA on my few flights inside Norway nicely. And the clearance for the next TMA came automatically with the appropriate ATC-unit, for example Farris cleared me easily with “continue in controlled airspace”. Maybe they did this, because I’m a foreign aircraft and they expect Norwegians to know the CAS-boundaries and so on?! Or was it due the fact that I flew on a flightplan?
Frans wrote:
Maybe they did this, because I’m a foreign aircraft and they expect Norwegians to know the CAS-boundaries and so on?! Or was it due the fact that I flew on a flightplan?
No, they do it most of the time, but I think what Lesving is pointing out is the fact that you should not fully rely on them. I had an instance or two where I had to call them and say that I should contact the next frequency for clearance (which is not much in 12 years, but still). So they mostly help you, but if they have something else popping up, they may forget to warn you about a restricted airspace. The same goes for France where I flew for quite some time, the FIS will most of the time tell you about a restricted airspace, but every now and then, they may not… That’s at least my experience in both countries.
Ah ok, that sounds still tricky, but at least reasonable! I guess that’s why the Swiss for example always give the pilot a waypoint to report, so they can’t forget to let you switch to another frequency in time. For example if you’re in contact with Zurich Info, and fly from e.g. Birrfeld to Locarno via Lake Lucerne and Gotthard, they will say something like “next report Buttwil”. If you report that point, they will say “for further routing contact Emmen Tower”. Emmen Tower will then say something like “cleared to cross CTR, report overhead Luzern” and if you report that city, Emmen will say “contact Buochs Tower” and so on.
Alpha_Floor wrote:
It happens in Spain very often as well. You may be VFR in Class D or (even Class E), and ATC will “de facto” separate you from others if they can.
“Separation” is a precise concept defined by rules. One of the responsibilities of ATC is to prevent collisions and this applies in all airspace classes. So in practise VFR traffic in class D will be given clearances that keeps it away from IFR even if it is not “separation” in the formal sense.
Thanks. That‘s what I was getting at above. But yes, in practice, they will likely always keep aircraft apart by much more than what is required for separation purposes. Countries with low traffic volumes can obviously afford to do that.
Does ATC actually operate any “standard separation” in CAS, for VFR, anywhere?
Everywhere I have been VFR in CAS, and particularly in UK CAS, the CAS was operated like Class B i.e. absolutely tightly.
I think GA density in CAS is extremely low everywhere in Europe. My wild guess would be 1% of OCAS density. Most pilots are too scared to ask for a transit, and frankly it is hardly worth the hassle a lot of the time, because you may get it too late, and a late dogleg (in case of refusal) is not a safe procedure.
Well, if you want to fly VFR through Switzerland for example, especially during the week, a CAS transit is almost unavoidable. A clearance is however obtained very easily (as long as it’s not the Zurich or Geneva TMA), even without flightplan or ‘life story’. Just something like this: “Meiringen Tower, HB-XYZ, Interlaken 6.000 ft, request to cross CTR direction Brünig.”, which will be mostily directly answered with “cleared to cross CTR, next report Brünig, QNH 1021” or something similar. I guess Swiss pilots are doing very well on asking for CAS-transits all the time. Austria has also some big TMA’s around the Alps, which are almost unavoidable when cruising VFR trough the Austrian Alps, but those are (at least with flightplan) also never a problem. Innsbruck Radar cleares you for example from Germany to Italy or vice versa directly upon initial call. There is no “threat” of getting rejected like in many UK stories, one just need to make the call.
Peter wrote:
Does ATC actually operate any “standard separation” in CAS, for VFR, anywhere?
Do you mean in class B, and IFR-VFR in class C? Sure!
Everywhere I have been VFR in CAS, and particularly in UK CAS, the CAS was operated like Class B i.e. absolutely tightly.
What do you mean by “absolutely tightly” here?
Peter wrote:
Everywhere I have been VFR in CAS, and particularly in UK CAS, the CAS was operated like Class B i.e. absolutely tightly
Maybe different in the US? for VFR there are “mighty Bravo/TRACON” and “Alpha +18kft flight levels” the rest is pretty much “relaxed for VFR”
In US Class D, which used for CTRs, I have flown so close to a B737 on final to be able to see pax heads inside and count it’s wheels !
ATC did only pass traffic info to both of us
One will never be that close to an airliner in UK Class D, it will be Radar Control Service not Flight Following to start with 
Not even when they are idling on Gatwick ramp during VFR transit at 1000ft or low IFR approach down to 200ft !
