Mon Sep 11, 2006 9:35 pm
#356456
A while ago I read a topic where members were discussing various theories as to the rationale behind the classification of our airspace. I promised I'd get a definitive answer and get back to members. Unfortunately it tool longer than expected and I can't find the original topic. So apologies for posting this as a new topic. Here is the answer I received from our fantastic Senior ATC here in Jersey.
The simple answer as to while we have Class A airspace is that back in the 80's we had more traffic than Gatwick!.....bet that surprises you. Anyway, things are different now and moves are afoot to change the classification.
Brief History
The United Kingdom Government signed the Chicago Convention on behalf of
Jersey - this has been confirmed by the Foreign Office in UK.
The Channel Islands Communications Zone was a radio communications area
from the period 1935-1939. Its shape and area were different and
smaller from the present Channel Islands Control Zone.
The Channel Islands Control Zone was established as a CTR under the ICAO
provisions in 1947 which were finalised at European and Mediterranean
Regional Air Navigation Planning Meetings (EUM-RAN). At that stage the
CICZ lay across the Gloucester, London, Paris and Brest FIRs up to a
height of 3,250 feet. The second EUM-RAN meeting clarified the shape of
the CICZ and set a height of 3,250 feet. This was subsequently approved
when the EUM-RAN plans were approved by ICAO when it came into existence
after the PICAO phase before 1948.
As faster piston, turbo-prop and jet aircraft came on the scene, the
height of the Channel Islands Control Zone was raised from 3250 to 5000
feet in the 1950s, then to 11,000 feet and , lastly to 20,000 feet in
1965.
The Channel Islands Control Zone is defined legally in a Memorandum of
Understanding between the French and British Governments. This
Memorandum of Understanding gives life to the Channel Islands Control
Zone when Jersey Airport is open i.e. on a daily basis from 0515 until
Airport close. Jersey may open the Zone by notifying Brest and London
for things such as ambulance flights or if Guernsey or Alderney Airports
need to remain open.
Notwithstanding all the foregoing, when the Channel Islands Control Zone
is not operational overnight then the airspace ceases to be CICZ
airspace (Class A) and reverts to being Class E airspace in the London
FIR and the Brest FIR.
The Jersey Zone used to handle a large amount of civilian commercial
traffic and, as a consequence, the whole area was designated Rule 21
Airspace. This was later changed to Class A Airspace. Back in the late
1970s and certainly up to middle of the 1980s, we used to handle more
traffic than Gatwick. We used to delight in telephoning Gatwick on a
Saturday evening to discover that they had handled say, 534 air
transport movements and we had handled 573 in the same period of time.
Sadly, those days are gone now and for a long time we have given
consideration to changing the Classification of the airspace below 3,000
feet to facilitate GA aircraft more easily
The simple answer as to while we have Class A airspace is that back in the 80's we had more traffic than Gatwick!.....bet that surprises you. Anyway, things are different now and moves are afoot to change the classification.
Brief History
The United Kingdom Government signed the Chicago Convention on behalf of
Jersey - this has been confirmed by the Foreign Office in UK.
The Channel Islands Communications Zone was a radio communications area
from the period 1935-1939. Its shape and area were different and
smaller from the present Channel Islands Control Zone.
The Channel Islands Control Zone was established as a CTR under the ICAO
provisions in 1947 which were finalised at European and Mediterranean
Regional Air Navigation Planning Meetings (EUM-RAN). At that stage the
CICZ lay across the Gloucester, London, Paris and Brest FIRs up to a
height of 3,250 feet. The second EUM-RAN meeting clarified the shape of
the CICZ and set a height of 3,250 feet. This was subsequently approved
when the EUM-RAN plans were approved by ICAO when it came into existence
after the PICAO phase before 1948.
As faster piston, turbo-prop and jet aircraft came on the scene, the
height of the Channel Islands Control Zone was raised from 3250 to 5000
feet in the 1950s, then to 11,000 feet and , lastly to 20,000 feet in
1965.
The Channel Islands Control Zone is defined legally in a Memorandum of
Understanding between the French and British Governments. This
Memorandum of Understanding gives life to the Channel Islands Control
Zone when Jersey Airport is open i.e. on a daily basis from 0515 until
Airport close. Jersey may open the Zone by notifying Brest and London
for things such as ambulance flights or if Guernsey or Alderney Airports
need to remain open.
Notwithstanding all the foregoing, when the Channel Islands Control Zone
is not operational overnight then the airspace ceases to be CICZ
airspace (Class A) and reverts to being Class E airspace in the London
FIR and the Brest FIR.
The Jersey Zone used to handle a large amount of civilian commercial
traffic and, as a consequence, the whole area was designated Rule 21
Airspace. This was later changed to Class A Airspace. Back in the late
1970s and certainly up to middle of the 1980s, we used to handle more
traffic than Gatwick. We used to delight in telephoning Gatwick on a
Saturday evening to discover that they had handled say, 534 air
transport movements and we had handled 573 in the same period of time.
Sadly, those days are gone now and for a long time we have given
consideration to changing the Classification of the airspace below 3,000
feet to facilitate GA aircraft more easily