I flew to Guernsey EGJB yesterday.
Nice day, so did a visual approach. On the way in, checked the ILS signals. The GS was flagged, so I asked ATC about it. They said the GS was out due to grass cutting.
That could have screwed up some commercial operation, one might think? Especially as the FEW could have become a bit worse
and further back there were a few more more or less on the ILS.
I was under the impression an ILS is required to be NOTAMed as in op and we have all seen this. However clearly there is a delay between the ILS failing (unless it is planned of course) and the promulgation and the failure may have occurred after the flight departed. You are usually asked on your arrival into the zone what approach you require and I guess you would then be informed an ILS was not available and in consequence your intentions which, if there were no alternatives, would presumably mean a diversion to Guernsey. Of course I refer not to a failure due to grass cutting where presumably it is “planned” and not likely to be disruptive whereas it might conceivably occur when the ILS is required in earnest. Would the ATIS also include the report in those circumstances – I guess so?
I recently flew an ILS and after handoff to Tower they informed me, HIALS is inop. Normally I wouldn’nt bother, but the weather was OVC003, so I immediately thought: Did I miss a NOTAM? But there was none, before my flight, non after. Is there maybe a rulebook like for METARs/SPECIs/TAFs, when a NOTAM has to be published and for which reasons?
Peter wrote:
That could have screwed up some commercial operation, one might think?
I don’t know the rules by which aerodrome operators have to NOTAM navaid outages. But maybe they could have turned on the glideslope on short notice should anyone have required it. All that is necessary is to wave the guy on the lawnmower away and flip a switch…
And (most) commercial operators are allowed to perform visual approaches, some are even able to do that without throwing their aircraft into the approach lights. And they could always have flown a localiser/DME approach, after all, a glideslope transmitter can fail at any time.
TobiBS – it is a worry that assuming there was an approach service, approach didnt give you that information before hand off. I would have been peeved.
I don’t recall hearing anything on ATIS.
Just a guess but maybe the ATIS wasnt amended because it was an intentional loss of service during grass cutting scheduled to avoid any inbound CAT, and, as you hadnt requested an IA there was no need to mention the outage. Only a guess mind you. Do Jersey offer an SRA out of interest, I cant see it mentioned from a very quick look at their AIP? Slight thread drift I know but what determines whether an aerdrome offers an SRA or not?
I think an SRA is a UK-only peculiarity. Also I see less and less of them on the Jepp plates. Any unit with radar could potentially do it but it needs controller training and they never got enough of it, due to lack of demand.
Yes you are probably right but the CIs are i guess uk for that purpose being managed by NATS. Down south newquay, southampton and gatwick still offer sra (and maybe others). I guess you must also be right – down to controller training. I get the impression that controllers quite like the odd request for an sra, and have never been refused. Thread drift again, but i guess there must be a few PARs around still, remember last doing one into maston and possibly even dunsfold. It might be a good call in the event of avionics gremlins or an inop ils.
Peter wrote:
I think an SRA is a UK-only peculiarity.
Not UK-only, but they have been disappearing for a long time. I like the principle, no equipment required on board except for radio (or a phone, when it comes to it).
