Mon Jan 07, 2019 2:53 pm
#1663532
chevvron wrote:PaulisHome wrote:I wouldn't be very surprised by a gliding field not answering - don't forget there is no ATSU there. The frequency is generally used for air to air calls for situational awareness. There might be someone on the ground with a radio, but it's entirely possible it's someone without much experience or an FRTOL. [If someone calls my home field, they might get a reply from someone experienced flying locally, but are much less likely to get a reply from the ground)
An FRTOL doesn't 'qualify' anybody on the ground to operate AGCS even using 129.975, the radio operator must still hold an ROCC which is signed by the licensee of the radio station.
I know larger gliding airfields like Lasham (131.025) have an A/G frequency allocated but whether the persons answering it from the ground (if any) have an ROCC I don't know; they should do as it is not a BGA frequency.
It's a pity the list of gliding sites notified in ENR 5.5 doesn't include contact frequencies (only phone numbers) for civil glider sites where a frequency other than 129.975 has been allocated but it does contain a frequency where the gliding takes place on an MOD airfield.
In my opinion, all these gliding airfields, along with unlicensed airfields used for training eg micolight sites, should be listed in the AD section of the AIP anyway rather than the ENR section.
Agree. Should have said "not even an FRTOL".
It could well be useful to list them - but I guess the lack of a service available might preclude that. I don't know of any pure gliding airfield that would have people with an ROCC - the frequencies are used largely for air to air situational awareness and not at all for any sort of air traffic service. So don't be surprised if you don't get a response calling a gliding airfield, even if you know the frequency.
Paul