FWIW I used the Non-Standard Flight bit of the AUP for the first time a week ago and it worked very smoothly. The on-the-day approval came through quickly (and was a lot further in advance of the flight than with a phone call). Heathrow had all the relevant details when I pitched up, and used that phrase I love to hear “free rein in the City Zone”
bookworm wrote:
“free rein in the City Zone”
Let me guess, saturday afternoon or sunday morning?
Stansted Zone transit using the NATS Pre-Notification tool
An exciting flight across one of London’s busiest airports. Have to love technology – I would be interested to see how it’s done the other side.
Here’s the practical flying side of the Airspace User Portal. Under the former system for general aviation pilots wishing to transit into controlled airspace, the air traffic controller responsible has no prior knowledge of the request and therefore has little opportunity to formulate a potential plan for the crossing.
I’ve provided some literature for those who like to watch and read or just read if they don’t have time for videos. 
Read more on the website: https://www.theflyingvlog.uk/?p=6006
Here’s the practical flying side of the Airspace User Portal. Under the former system for general aviation pilots wishing to transit into controlled airspace, the air traffic controller responsible has no prior knowledge of the request and therefore has little opportunity to formulate a potential plan for the crossing.
It‘s nonsense, nevertheless and another example of the UK way of overcomplicating these things. There is NO need and NO potential for the controller to advance „formulate a plan“ for a simple CTR crossing. One, because it isn‘t complicated to start with (especially at an airport with a single runway) and two, because he can‘t pre-plan a sequence anyway, as he cannot know at which time exactly the crossing traffic will appear on frequency and at the zone boundary.
The worst bit IMHO actually is that pilots actually believe this helps in a pre-planning of the transit. The only useful bit is that they thereby send a few aircraft/flight details, which, if the pilot is proficient on the radio, takes 5–10 seconds of airtime. But it doesn‘t allow pre-planning of the sequencing itself.
Hear hear!
boscomantico wrote:
It‘s nonsense, nevertheless and another example of the UK way of overcomplicating these things. There is NO need and NO potential for the controller to advance „formulate a plan“ for a simple CTR crossing. One, because it isn‘t complicated to start with (especially at an airport with a single runway) and two, because he can‘t pre-plan a sequence anyway, as he cannot know at which time exactly the crossing traffic will appear on frequency and at the zone boundary.
I agree it’s not complicated. I’ve transited with a call-up 10-15 times across all the London Airports. I’ve only ever been refused once, and that was because there was a great huge Thunderstorm just to the south of Gatwick (Albeit this was 7-8 years ago and I didn’t see it from near Biggin). There is a reliance though that the estimated time of transit is accurate. So again I can’t really comment on that.
boscomantico wrote:
The worst bit IMHO actually is that pilots actually believe this helps in a pre-planning of the transit. The only useful bit is that they thereby send a few aircraft/flight details, which, if the pilot is proficient on the radio, takes 5–10 seconds of airtime. But it doesn‘t allow pre-planning of the sequencing itself.
When I visited Swanwick, they do (at least for Heathrow) – have a list of which aircraft are landing, and the time they are separated by. They use something called AMAN and XMAN along with TBS to provide this data to the controllers. There’s a magneta line behind each aircraft based on this data where that aircraft should be for the most efficient use of the runway.
I think they can also add some times within this gap, for runway checks or getting departures out. My experience is edited down, and I am not sure if it is apparent but originally there was no way that I could get across where I did. It’s why I had to question what ATC wanted me to do.
I guess most peoples view on here, is that this tool is pointless and that modernising the way things are done isn’t always a good thing? Or is it just seen as NATS telling GA to go away? I am curious on this answer.
Assuming you have transponder and vmc prevails and no land clear/overflying rule, there is literrally no planning required for a vfr crossing of a CTR/ATZ if done at 1000ft agl overhead the runway numbers crossing perpendiculair on the runway extended line (except hitting other VFR traffic on opposite way)
The notification tool sends details rather than ATC having to write them and give you a log of the transit but has zero planning value, actually I do request other transits than the one listed and atc sometimes give you other ones….
I guess most peoples view on here, is that this tool is pointless and that modernising the way things are done isn’t always a good thing? Or is it just seen as NATS telling GA to go away? I am curious on this answer.
IMHO this is just a “typically British large organisation must invent the most complicated way of doing the job” thing. I doubt that the actual working ATCOs think it is a good idea, though I am sure that they wish PPL training was a lot better, especially on handling the radio.
I don’t think it’s about planning, it’s just about saving controller workload creating the strip.
Let me guess, saturday afternoon or sunday morning?
Yes.
Peter wrote:
I doubt that the actual working ATCOs think it is a good idea
Definitely saved them to write details, actually when I tried once it I got transponder XXXX and clearance right away (ATCO had all details written and they probably had a look) but in most cases they will just disregard what in the form muddle through RT and recite poems (both “PPLs and ATCOs”),
So yes sometimes it is like getting joining instructions on PPR on human format by phone and on RT format by VHF and then fly wrong circuit/runway…
