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What is the point of an ATZ inside a Class D CTR?

I have not seen this depicted on the UK CAA maps but it does exist in PPL books.

The whole point of an ATZ, AIUI, is for Class G and that you are not supposed to fly through it below 2000ft AAL. Whether a prosecution is possible is doubtful because it is Class G so you cannot possibly ask for a clearance.

But an ATZ inside CAS seems completely pointless.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Peter wrote:

I have not seen this depicted on the UK CAA maps but it does exist in PPL books.

The whole point of an ATZ, AIUI, is for Class G and that you are not supposed to fly through it below 2000ft AAL. Whether a prosecution is possible is doubtful because it is Class G so you cannot possibly ask for a clearance.

According to both Annex 2 and SERA you do need a clearance for flying “in the vicinity” of a controlled airport even in class G. I have always taken the purpose of the UK ATZ to formally mark what area is considered “the vicinity”.

But an ATZ inside CAS seems completely pointless.

I am speculating, but the tower controller may be separating IFR from VFR within in the ATZ even if the airspace is class D. Then it would make (some) sense.

ESKC (Uppsala/Sundbro), Sweden

Don’t they exist for some aiports on the edge of the London CTR? Denham from memory…

What it does is create a space where authority can be devolved to the local airport, or indeed can operate uncontrolled.

EIWT Weston, Ireland

Denham:

Fairly obviously they have a deal with Heathrow on the way the radio has to be operated, etc.

But what I was thinking was an ATZ around an airport whose CAS is around it.

Administrator
Shoreham EGKA, United Kingdom

Actually Denham was the wrong one. I suppose I shouldn’t work from memory for UK geography

What I was thinking of was White Waltham, or Fairoaks, where they have an ATZ, but it’s at least partly, inside the London CTR.

But if I understand you I think you mean where Airport “A” has its own CTR, and inside that it has its own ATZ. Indeed I can’t think of any such example, nor a reason for it. Perhaps there is some different visibility requirements or exemptions for an ATZ?

The closest I can think of is Weston (EIWT). It has a “Area of special responsibility” inside the Dublin CTR (which is controlled by ATC at Weston) with the rest of the CTR controlled by Dublin.

EIWT Weston, Ireland

Dutch military airfields have an ATZ and a CTR. The ATZ is active when the Tower is not. So you will typically get a crossing clearance from Dutch Mil on the lines of “Cleared to cross the Volkel CTR – avoid the ATZ, glider flying in progress”

EHLE / Lelystad, Netherlands, Netherlands

But if I understand you I think you mean where Airport “A” has its own CTR, and inside that it has its own ATZ. Indeed I can’t think of any such example, nor a reason for it.

I’m not understanding what you are saying there. It’s the standard setup for controlled airports (airports with its own CAS around it) in the UK. Newcastle, Southampton, Bournemouth, whatever…

Also, I can think of many reasons to have it this way…

Last Edited by boscomantico at 20 May 12:22
Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

A better example might be Birmingham (no ATZ shown) and Coventry (ATZ shown), which lies within the 1500 bit of the Birmingham CTA, and has a missed approach procedure for 23 which keeps you out of it. I am sure they talk to each other :-)

White Waltham EGLM, United Kingdom

Mainz (EDFZ) & Egelsbach (EDFE), Germany

Interesting, the Birmingham ATZ is not shown on the UK half million chart.

White Waltham EGLM, United Kingdom
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