Inspired by a conversation somewhere else I’d like to clarify a few things for myself and I count on your help.
Let’s assume I begin an IFR flight on an ICAO flight plan from an airport that is located within and surrounded by airspace G. By some means I get issued a clearance from that airport to a destination. The words “cleared to” and “direct” are being used. The flight path, when following the “direct to” leads through a restricted area.
Is that scenario even possible? Where, where not?
Is it possible under ICAO but not possible under some national rules? Until the end of 2014 IFR is not allowed in airspace G in Germany.
Is the pilot allowed to cross the restricted area based on the route clearance received or is that clearance not valid for crossing the restricted area due to airspace G?
My personal interpretation is: restricted areas are controlled airspace when active. So someone can provide a clearance to cross. When the restricted area is not active and it is class G all around, then everything is G and no clearance is required. So in the very end reception of a route clearance indicates that the restricted area is active and the pilot has received approval to cross it.
Where, where not?
Not in Germany. You don’t get an IFR clearance for flights through airspace G. And even if you would get your clearance while still on the ground (by phone or through some airfield radio person) it will contain an IFR pickup point (like “IFR starts passing 4000ft”). Until then, you will be flying VFR and will have to observe all relevant airspace restrictions. Once under ATC control, airspace restrictions are not your concern any more.
Your whole-route clearance is only valid if you remain within controlled (i.e. Class A-E) airspace.
When you’re flying within controlled airspace ATC will automatically negotiate any necessary clearances along the way including adjacent sectors, restricted areas, and danger areas. If that is not possible you will be advised to remain clear.
If you exit controlled airspace, ATC may not be able to see or hear you at certain points due to various limitations. You may also be passed to a separate facility offering FIS. Similar to VFR flight outside controlled airspace, you can’t automatically rely on FIS to negotiate any clearances for you to penetrate any type of airspace. Threfore you should check with this facility when you are about to re-enter controlled airspace so that your continuous ATC service can resume.
If you begin your trip on the ground outside controlled airspace/airports, after you speak to ATC by telephone, you may obtain a time window to join controlled airspace as well as a squawk code and initial frequency to call.
Restricted airspace is different to controlled airspace in that you should assume you’ll not get a clearance unless something dictates otherwise (e.g. some ATC looks after it), and even then there may be special procedures to follow.
The words “cleared to” and “direct” are being used
You would not get those words in the UK, from a Class G airport ATCO.
At a CAS airport, those words are the “international ritual” phrase e.g. departing LDSP-EGKA you will get “cleared to EGKA” in the departure clearance. But in reality this is not literally true because EGKA is in Class G and once you drop out of CAS (under London Control, probably) and your contact with the radar unit (London Control) has ended, your implied enroute clearance is gone and you have to remain OCAS. The LDSP controller won’t know that and would have used the same words if you were going to Jupiter and Class Z airspace.
Is the pilot allowed to cross the restricted area based on the route clearance received or is that clearance not valid for crossing the restricted area due to airspace G?
If you are under radar control (in the UK, e.g. London Control) then you fly as directed or as cleared. Note that “Radar Control” is possible only in CAS. Transits of restricted airspace etc etc are taken care of. It gets a little more ambiguous in Class G and under a “lower” radar unit like Farnborough but IMHO a RA transit is still implied if you are under a Traffic Service or a Deconfliction Service. It is certainly not implied if you are under a simple FIS (“Basic Service”).
ATC do know about restricted airspace etc. I am told that every morning some poor bugger gets the job of reading the notams for their area and plotting them on a board on the wall (or some modern equivalent perhaps).
Pretty much happened to me three days ago. Departure from Arcachon (LFCH) on an IFR flightplan. Assoon as I was airborne, Aquitaine instructed “DCT Sauveterre”, which took me right through LF-P5.
Good sense. Don’t do it. In this case, it was no big deal, since I saw that I would actually outclimb it (but not by too much). if I hadn’t been sure, I would have asked to clarify the situation or flown around it by myself (it was quite a small area)
But that was a) “under control”, so different from yor case, and b) it was a P. With Rs, the story can be much different. They are often not active and ATC usually knows that.just make sure you read back all “suspicious” instructions loud and clear, thus putting it nicely on tape.
Also, if you really read the fine print in the AIPs, you’ll seen that many restricted areas have lots of “concessions”, like applying only for VFR aircraft and so on.
It’s important to always know – at any time – whether one is currently a “controlled” flight or an “uncontrolled” flight. Matter of responsibility. That’s also why I don’t like agencies like Farnborough LARS, who like to issue instructions, restrictions, etc. to VFR aircraft in airspace Golf. I am sure that when something bad happens, they will say “hah, class Golf airspace, your bad…”
It’s important to always know – at any time – whether one is currently a “controlled” flight or an “uncontrolled” flight.
But is there a clear rule?
When I did my French TRA bust in 2003, I was speaking to a radar unit, with a specific squawk. They said nothing at the time, except asking me for the name of the pilot! When the DGAC went after me (via the UK CAA) 5 months later, I asked for a copy of the radar data which showed the squawk etc. They had the brass balls to ask the CAA to prosecute (which the CAA obviously didn’t do).
But then maybe France is an exception to most things? After all they let you fly through Class D without a clearance. So maybe the quid pro quo is that if the ATCO screws up, he/she can wash their hands of it, by saying you busted the airspace?
If in doubt, ask.
If in doubt, ask.
Sure, but that is hardly the default position on a Eurocontrol IFR flight.
It’s a tricky one, and it does underline the need for “VFR” awareness along the route.
But who gets enroute notams for a Eurocontrol IFR flight? Practically nobody. Especially as the route flown often diverges from the route filed.
Sure, but that is hardly the default position on a Eurocontrol IFR flight.
No, but then not every instruction raises “doubts” or “suspicion”. A DCT instruction by ATC, in the enroute section of a flight at say FL100 which takes me through a maze of red areas does not really raise any doubts, really. He’s guiding me through controlled airspace. It’s more those moments in the very beginning and the very end of a flight (where one tends to operate in uncontrolled airspace) where doubts may arise.
ho gets enroute notams for a Eurocontrol IFR flight? Practically nobody. Especially as the route flown often diverges from the route filed
SkyDemon shows airspace affected by NOTAM with cross-hatching (in VFR mode)….a quick change to VFR mode, touch the area in question and there you have all the info you need….hours of operation, agency, frequency etc….
