Primarily for general aviation discussion, but other aviation topics are also welcome.
By PaulB
#1755466
Just been an email on Skywise

At 2359 hours on 25 March 2020, the UK’s exemption from the SERA Class D visual meteorological conditions (VFR minima) below 3000 ft expires.

To reflect this change, the procedures for the use of the Manchester Low-Level Route have been amended. With effect from 0001 hours on 26 March 2020, UK Aeronautical Information Publication EGCC AD 2.22 is amended as per the briefing sheet at NATS AIS Home Page (News) at http://www.ais.org.uk and notified by NOTAM.


Here's the NATS/AIS link

http://www.nats-uk.ead-it.com/aip/curre ... _LEVEL.pdf

The Manchester Low Level Route (LLR) is a 4 NM wide corridor of Class D airspace within which helicopters or aeroplanes may fly without individual ATC clearance subject to certain conditions. To cater for the changes to the Class D VMC, with effect from 26 March 2020, UK AIP EGCC AD2.22 paragraphs 5, 7 and 8 are amended as follows:

EGCC AD 2.22 FLIGHT PROCEDURES
5 VFR AND SPECIAL VFR FLIGHTS


a) Special VFR clearance for flights within the Control Zone may be requested and may be given in accordance with rules applicable to Class D airspace.

b) The use of Special VFR clearances is intended to be confined to light aircraft below 5700 KG MTWA which cannot comply with full IFR requirements.

c) VFR clearance in the Control Zone will be given for flights operating in VMC. Routing instructions and/or altitude restrictions may be specified in order to integrate VFR flights with other traffic. Pilots are reminded of the requirement to remain in VMC at all times and to comply with the relevant parts of SERA and the Rules of the Air Regulations 2015, and must advise ATC if at any time they are unable to comply with the clearance instructions issued.

7 MANCHESTER LOW-LEVEL ROUTE
a) The Manchester Low-Level Route is that part of the Manchester CTR bounded by the following co- ordinates: 533124N 0023102W - 531411N 0023105W - 531050N 0022814W - 531050N 0023224W - 531130N 0023744W - 532708N 0023744W - 533011N 0024123W - 533124N 0023102W to an upper limit of 1300 ft AMSL Manchester QNH (Manchester QNH available from Manchester ATIS, frequency 128.180 MHz).

b) The Low-Level Route is not aligned on the M6 Motorway, or on any railway line, and these should not therefore be used as navigational line features to be followed when flying along the route. However, to the northwest and southeast of the route, stubs are aligned on the M6 and the Crewe-Winsford railway line to enable pilots to access the route accurately.

c) Within the Manchester Low-Level Route aircraft may be flown by day or night in accordance with the Visual Flight Rules (ENR 1.2) without individual ATC clearance. Suitably-equipped aircraft are to be
flown in the Low-Level Route with either SSR code 7366 selected and listening out on Manchester Radar frequency 118.580 MHz or SSR code 5060 and listening out on Liverpool Radar frequency 119.855 MHz.

d) Pilots of aircraft flown along the Manchester Low-Level Route in accordance with the VFR are responsible at all times for their own separation from all other flights when flying along the Low-Level Route.

e) Pilots flying in accordance with the VFR but unable to comply with the Class D VMC may fly within the Manchester Low-Level Route as Special VFR without individual ATC clearance, subject to the aircraft being flown:

i. by day only;
ii. clear of cloud and in sight of the surface;
iii. at a speed which, according to its airspeed indicator, is 140 KT or less, to give adequate opportunity to observe other traffic and any obstacles in time to avoid a collision;
iv. in a flight visibility of at least 5 KM; and,
v. with SSR code 7364 selected and listening out on Manchester Radar frequency 118.580 MHz.

f) Pilots of aircraft flown along the Manchester Low-Level Route in accordance with the conditions in paragraph (e) above are responsible at all times for their own separation from VFR and other Special VFR flights.

g) In circumstances where pilots are unable to comply with either paragraph c) or e), aircraft may request a Special VFR clearance within the Manchester Control Zone to the east of the Low Level Route from Manchester ATC or within the Liverpool Control Zone from Liverpool ATC.

h) Pilots of non-transponder equipped aircraft operated within the LLR are to monitor the frequencies in paragraph (c) to allow traffic information to be passed to them or to facilitate early resolution of an airspace infringement.

i) For the purposes of SERA.3105 Minimum Heights, aircraft flying within the Manchester Low-Level Route as Special VFR are permitted to fly below 1000 FT above the highest obstacle within a radius of 600 m from the aircraft if:

i. it is operating in accordance with the procedures notified for the route;
ii. it is flown no closer than 500 FT to any person, vessel, vehicle or structure.

j) See AD 2-EGCC-4-1 CONTROL ZONE AND CONTROL AREA CHART - ENTRY/EXIT LANES AND VRPs.

8 FREQUENCY MONITORING CODE (FMC)

a) Pilots of transponder-equipped aircraft flying under VFR within the Manchester Low-Level Route should select either SSR code 7366 and maintain a listening watch on Manchester Radar frequency 118.580 MHz or squawk 5060 and maintain a listening watch on Liverpool Radar frequency 119.855 MHz. Pilots of transponder-equipped aircraft flying as Special VFR are to follow the procedures at paragraph 7(e).

b) Whilst squawking 7366 or 5060, pilots should be aware that Manchester Radar or Liverpool Radar may make blind transmissions in order to ascertain a particular aircraft's intentions/route.

c) Pilots of non-transponder equipped aircraft operated within the LLR should monitor the frequencies in paragraph (a) to allow traffic information to be passed to them or to facilitate early resolution of an airspace infringement.

d) Elsewhere, pilots operating outside Manchester CTR/CTA within the airspace bounded by the following co-ordinates:
533723N 0023744W - 534459N 0020433W - 533650N 0015216W - 532510N 0014456W - 530412N 0015647W - 530253N 0023751W - 533723N 0023744W
are encouraged to select SSR code 7366 and maintain a listening watch on Manchester Radar frequency 118.580 MHz

e) Selection of 7366 or 5060 does not imply the receipt of an ATC service. Pilots of aircraft displaying the code are not expected to contact ATC under normal circumstances; they are to remain responsible for their own navigation, separation, terrain clearance and (other than LLR transits) are expected to remain clear of the Manchester CTR/CTA at all times.

f) When a pilot ceases to maintain a listening watch, code 7366 or 5050 shall be deselected.


Note it says 5050 directly above which is a misprint as it says 5060 elsewhere.
User avatar
By kanga
#1755467
On a quick skim, the new procedures seemed to me to preclude use of the route without a radio, or am I missing something ? Could one get an 'individual aircraft clearance' by telephone before takeoff ?

@kanga, your post moved here from the New Farnborough Airspace thread.
PaulB liked this
#1846170
CloudHound wrote:ORS4 No1489 just published
http://publicapps.caa.co.uk/docs/33/ORS4%20No1489%20.pdf


Don't know what the reference to ORS4 1357 was about but 1489 expires on 31 May 2022. I think that they have to set an expiry date and will have plumped for one 12 months hence.

I've even heard a suggestion that the question of changing the classification to G has been discussed.