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Airspace Around Portmoak
• Airspace Classifications
• The Rules
• Letters of Agreement
• Summary of Recent Changes
• Which bits affect YOU?
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Airspace Classifications• Class D
• Class E
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Airspace Classifications• Class D
• Class E
• Airways
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Airspace Classifications• Class D
• Class E
• Airways
• Advisory Routes
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Airspace Classifications• Class D
• Class E
• Airways
• Advisory Routes
• Parachute Zones
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Airspace Classifications• Class D
• Class E
• Airways
• Advisory Routes
• Parachute Zones
• ATZs
• MATZ
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Airspace Classifications• Class D
• Class E
• Airways
• Advisory Routes
• Parachute Zones
• ATZs
• MATZ
• Class C
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Airspace Classifications• Class D
• Class E
• Airways
• Advisory Routes
• Parachute Zones
• ATZs
• MATZ
• Class C
• Danger Areas
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Airspace Classifications• Class D• Class E• Airways• Advisory Routes• Parachute Zones• ATZs• MATZ• Class C• Danger Areas• Restricted Areas
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Airspace Classifications• Class D• Class E• Airways• Advisory Routes• Parachute Zones• ATZs• MATZ• Class C• Danger Areas• Restricted Areas
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The Rules• Class D – Access by radio only; VMC only• Class E – VMC only (radio not needed)• Airways – Keep Out except during weekend opening of P600 or with
clearance under LOA• Advisory Routes – VMC Highly Recommended (It is wise to listen (or
contact) ATC on 127.275)• Parachute Zones – Keep Out unless inactive or cleared by radio (129.900)• ATZs – 2000ft (AGL), 2 or 2.5Nm radius – Keep Out (or use RT) Be wary
when on extended centrelines• MATZ – Keep a good lookout. Be particularly wary when on extended
centrelines• Class C (Everything above FL195) – Keep Out except with clearance under
LOA (RT or telephone)• Danger Areas – Keep Out (or check the rules and hours)• Restricted Areas – Keep Out (or check the rules and hours)• Temporary Airspace - Read the NOTAMs before flying
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Where are the Rules?
• AIP (en route section)
• ½ mil chart – keep the legend and notes
• AIP (Aerodrome Section) for airfield frequencies
• Letters of Agreement are on the BGA Web Site
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Letters of Agreement
• P600 Weekend Agreement
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P600 Weekend Agreement
• Weekends ONLY, VMC only• Not available unless we ask for it• (B226 is active at weekends REGARDLESS)• Only covers airway as far as Scone VOR• There is a 2Nm exclusion zone at Strathallan• Includes TMA Class D north of 56deg 14’ N up to line
from west of Stirling to Calendar• Effective up to FL190• See board outside office, or get confirmation of status
from Portmoak base via radio (on 130.1MHz)
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Letters of Agreement
• P600 Weekend Agreement
• New Wavebox Agreement
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Wavebox Agreement• Weekends ONLY (except Aboyne Box), VMC only. Moving map required.• Lower Boxes extend from FL195 to FL240• Portmoak Wavebox can only be activated in conjunction with P600 delegation• When both are active, the part of the P600 and TMA delegated area lying directly below the
Portmoak Wave Box extends to FL195• Request one of the following:
– Open P600 for gliding up to FL190– Open P600 for gliding together with the Portmoak wave area– Open P600 for gliding with the option to open the Portmoak wave area by RT call on 124.5MHz
(or by a second phone call)• Additionally/alternatively, we may activate Scottish lower areas (north or south)• Nominally 2 hours advance notice required for wave boxes• Must monitor 130.1MHz whilst in the lower wave boxes• Only the Lower areas are available without continuous RT (and licence)• For upper boxes (above FL240), study the LOA yourself
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Letters of Agreement
• P600 Weekend Agreement
• New Wavebox Agreement
• Airway Crossing Agreement
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Airway Crossing Agreement
• Very complex
• Now very rarely used since the increase of base levels
• For those who want to use it, note that the corridors have been re-defined since March 15th and only extend to FL190
• Pilot to sign annually
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Letters of Agreement
• P600 Weekend Agreement
• New Wavebox Agreement
• Airway Crossing Agreement
• Edinburgh Agreement
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Edinburgh Agreement
• A very unsatisfactory token effort to allow cross Forth thermal flights
• RT essential
• Advance booking essential
• Still a marginal operating height band
• Worthy of study by the thermal pundits only
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Summary of Recent Changes• Ceiling of Open FIR (Class G) reduced from
FL245 to FL195 – this is diamond height territory• P600/B226 base levels raised and base level
change points moved slightly– Update your pda files
• P600 crossing corridors rationalised to match the airway base level changes – a simplification– Update your pda files
• Much of Edinburgh class E airspace upgraded to class D – now only a very narrow non RT corridor overhead Cumbernauld
• Kippen/Thornhill now a microlite site without parachuting
• Kingsmuir (Fife) is now a parachute site
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Which Bits Affect You?
• Silver Distance
• 300km
• 500km
• Long Tasks
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Silver Distance
• 3 Parachute Zones
• 2 Danger Areas
• Scottish TMA (E & D)
• P600 and/or B226
• FL195
• Glenrothes, Scone, Dundee, Leuchars
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300km
• 3 Parachute Zones• 2 Danger Areas• Scottish TMA (E & D)• P600 and/or B226• FL195• Glenrothes, Scone, Dundee, Leuchars• Aberdeen TMA• W3D, A1D
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500km
• 3 Parachute Zones• 2 Danger Areas• Scottish TMA (E & D)• P600 and/or B226• FL195• Glenrothes, Scone, Dundee, Leuchars, Inverness,
Connell• Aberdeen TMA• W3D, A1D
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Long Tasks
• Plan Early – there is a lot to avoid
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