[Flyin'Dutch']

In the quest to become the best place for GA there are quite a few items which can be scrapped without a detriment in safety and a massive reduction in angst generation, and fun increase.

Imagine only threads on flying fun with lovely pictures.

On the heap can go:


ATZ
FIS in current form
FISO
PPR

[SteveX]

Checking if operating close to a well-known gliding site would surely be prudent?

But what are we checking Nick? The info we need is on the map - that an airfield is there and has launching. I don't need to know anything else!

[nickwilcock]

Perhaps (this example is Little Rissington), items such as:

Intense glider flying, at weekends and PHs within 5nm radius. Periods of intense use for Tac AT, military parachuting and military helicopters mon-fri.

Or,

Glider site: 2 FTS monitors 120·775MHz (Rissington Radio) frequency when operational.
Glider launches may be encountered up to 2,000ft, with gliders operating up to 8000ft AAL or FL080, whichever is the lower.
Airfield also utilised by Air Drop Wing as a DZ and occasional use by RAF Benson/Odiham based helicopters under ‘field landing’ conditions.
Appropriate operating authority will publish operating times, frequency and airspace dimensions via NOTAM; however, helicopter movements not always NOTAM’d.

But if you can't be bothered to check the freely available UK Mil AIP, then that's your lookout.

[xtophe]

But of course, you would have read AIC Y 036/2020 already. So you already know to expect gliders anywhere.

[skydriller]

if you can't be bothered to check the freely available UK Mil AIP, then that's your lookout.

I do giggle when someone posts anything along the lines of "havent you read the AIP??.... tut, tut tut..."

You know what? I cannot be bothered to read the Mil AIP , even it it is free. Likewise I cannot be bothered to read the civil UK AIP either. Ive read neither in their entirety and Im not likely to in the future either. Likewise I havent read the French AIP (where Im based) or the German one, the Italian one, the Dutch, Belgian, Swiss, Danish or Swedish ones either, and Ive flown in all those countries in the last ten years.

I can read a map though, which will be the latest electronic one available on SD (other flt plan apps available etc) which I use to plan my flying. I will studiously check the route for proximity to anything I consider a hazard over and above the things SD itself highlights and the Notams it flags, so even aerodromes without ATZs would be briefly looked at. By using SD and being diligent in my flight planning, I do know that I have actually read some bits of each countries AIP Ive flown in.

But actually sat and read any AIP for fun....no....not going to happen.

Oh, and I do...

"Look out", that is...

Regards, SD..

[James Chan]

You don't have to read the AIP but I'd strongly suggest you have the VAC or IAC and the Aerodrome and Parking charts from the AD section, or you could find yourself in a muddle.

[skydriller]

You don't have to read the AIP but I'd strongly suggest you have the VAC or IAC and the Aerodrome and Parking charts from the AD section, or you could find yourself in a muddle.

Ahem... I refer the gentleman to :

By using SD and being diligent in my flight planning, I do know that I have actually read some bits of each countries AIP Ive flown in.

I try not to be muddled

Regards, SD..

[ls8pilot]

In the quest to become the best place for GA there are quite a few items which can be scrapped without a detriment in safety and a massive reduction in angst generation, and fun increase.

Imagine only threads on flying fun with lovely pictures.

On the heap can go:


ATZ
FIS in current form
FISO
PPR

I was watching YouTube vid the other day of a guy in the US flying his single pilot BizJet. He flew IFR from Chicago to land (VFR) at his home field. I was interested to note the home field was a busy GA airport, with everything from BizJets to light GA, all operating together on Unicom with no ATC, just pilots letting each other know where they were...... I can't help but wonder if we over-complicate things here.......

[Ibra]

I was watching YouTube vid the other day of a guy in the US flying his single pilot BizJet. He flew IFR from Chicago to land (VFR) at his home field. I was interested to note the home field was a busy GA airport, with everything from BizJets to light GA, all operating together on Unicom with no ATC, just pilots letting each other know where they were...... I can't help but wonder if we over-complicate things here.......

Maybe some inspiration for you, the whole LasVegas going on SafetyCom

I have flown out of FortLauderdale KFXE once and it does go on CTAF with IFR/VFR mix, they do 150k aircraft mouvement per year, about 1000 on busy days mix of bizjets, commuters, private…I also landed there when a series of thunderstorm spells hit the place, the runway was changing from (closed, IFR, SVFR, VFR like a lottery), for someone who is not used to so much high efficiency, it felt like arriving to an aircrafts mass slaughter by ATC and I was waiting for my turn

But hey everybody there has GPS, weather data & traffic on their ADSB screens, ATC have weather radars and see all traffic TXP & ADSB and mostly busy doing the interesting bit of the job (managing the flow) rather than getting swamped into PPR admin, stuck in booking approaches, writing the pass your details, babysitting lost pilots with no GPS, closing ATZ and taxiways when some NORDO or IFR is inbound…

I am more inclined to think that the likes of Rule11 do not add much to safety (at the end of the day it's see & avoid) but it does a good job inflating some auto generated spread sheets somewhere for some people to keep busy, what affects safety is rather the effect from this c***p with people flying without TXP/EC, creating patchy airspace corners with fuzzy rules and amateurish grabbing of the air withou getting proper radar/rating to handle it...

[chevvron]

Given that Syerston is host to fairly intensive gliding.

I regularly fly close to Syerston : it seems very quiet.
Do you have any evidence to support your statement?

The red arrows frequently operate there using an RA(T)

[SteveX]

if you can't be bothered to check the freely available UK Mil AIP, then that's your lookout.

I do giggle when someone posts anything along the lines of "havent you read the AIP??.... tut, tut tut..."

You know what? I cannot be bothered to read the Mil AIP , even it it is free. Likewise I cannot be bothered to read the civil UK AIP either. Ive read neither in their entirety and Im not likely to in the future either. Likewise I havent read the French AIP (where Im based) or the German one, the Italian one, the Dutch, Belgian, Swiss, Danish or Swedish ones either, and Ive flown in all those countries in the last ten years.

I can read a map though, which will be the latest electronic one available on SD (other flt plan apps available etc) which I use to plan my flying. I will studiously check the route for proximity to anything I consider a hazard over and above the things SD itself highlights and the Notams it flags, so even aerodromes without ATZs would be briefly looked at. By using SD and being diligent in my flight planning, I do know that I have actually read some bits of each countries AIP Ive flown in.

But actually sat and read any AIP for fun....no....not going to happen.

Oh, and I do...

"Look out", that is...

Regards, SD..

In 30+ years flying when in UK I have never read any AICs, never. I know they are green, yellow, mauve etc but wtf is the actual point of them these days when surely notam and the AIP should be the go to places?

As for the stuff found in that mil AIP re. Syerston - the DZ....yes good to know but since the place is marked on a map showing ATZ and gliding I'd be avoiding anyway. As for the addition of helicopters using the place, that tells me nothing extra of value. It's an airfield - wow helicopters might use it!

In the quest to become the best place for GA there are quite a few items which can be scrapped without a detriment in safety and a massive reduction in angst generation, and fun increase.

Imagine only threads on flying fun with lovely pictures.

On the heap can go:


ATZ
FIS in current form
FISO
PPR

Not sure about ATZ at busy places? FIS and PPR yes defo. FISO don't you mean the useless AG 'operator'. I agress FISO should be amended somehow to places that absolutely merit it based purely on movement numbers (no idea how many that should be etc but I cant think of another factor to determine who should have FISO status). But anywhere else should be non-radio. We all know unicom works fine in USA and elsewhere, the trouble is you Brits wanting to have someone on the end of a radio thinking it provides some sort of benefit. It doesn't, blind calls where everyone is listening and reporting and thinking in the heads 'ok so G-xxxx is there, that means x for me hence I will do Y'.

[Charliesixtysix]

Given that Syerston is host to fairly intensive gliding.

I regularly fly close to Syerston : it seems very quiet.
Do you have any evidence to support your statement?

The red arrows frequently operate there using an RA(T)

The RAFAT have carried out two practices at Syerston each spring during the covid debacle due to not detaching to sunnier climes, followed by one display each season at the Air Cadet (families?) day.

I sincerely hope they are not planning on operating there on a regular basis as, being located within the RA(T) area, each display shuts down my strip for the duration.

Otherwise, in terms of RAF activity, it would be very unusual to see more than three or four gliders and sometimes, one Robin DR400 tug operating from Syerston - and that would be very rarely for the whole of 0730-sunset+15 operating hours promulgated within the OP linked document.
https://airspacesafety.com/hot-spot-narratives/

[low&slow]

In 30+ years flying when in UK I have never read any AICs, never. I know they are green, yellow, mauve etc but wtf is the actual point of them these days when surely notam and the AIP should be the go to places?

NOTAMS will have a list of co-ordinates, an associated AIC will have a nice chart with the RA(T) or whatever marked.

[malcolmfrost]

Not sure about ATZ at busy places? FIS and PPR yes defo. FISO don't you mean the useless AG 'operator'. I agress FISO should be amended somehow to places that absolutely merit it based purely on movement numbers (no idea how many that should be etc but I cant think of another factor to determine who should have FISO status). But anywhere else should be non-radio. We all know unicom works fine in USA and elsewhere, the trouble is you Brits wanting to have someone on the end of a radio thinking it provides some sort of benefit. It doesn't, blind calls where everyone is listening and reporting and thinking in the heads 'ok so G-xxxx is there, that means x for me hence I will do Y'.

As a "useless" AGCS operator that gave me such a nice warm feeling after my 9 hour solo shift at a busy GA airfield! It shows a misunderstanding of the role we fulfil for the airfield owner. If an airfield had to go FISO or ATC it would start to become prohibitively expensive and landing fees would rise and/or airfields close, neither of which is in our interest. Judging by the radio calls we are permitted to make isn't reasonable.
We do runway inspections, determine runway in use, activate and close flight plans, initiate overdue action and act as first responders/co-ordinators. Sure the pilots could operate without us, and frequently do, but a lot of what we do comes under customer service and helps the airfields run smoothly, and more importantly safely.

[CloudHound]

The team at the LAA Rally this year brought together in just a few weeks were far from “useless”!