Infringement Prevention Advice

Posted by flysynergy on May 25, 2014 in Members | 0 comments INFRINGEMENT OF THE LONDON CTA BY A FLIGHT CENTRE AIRCRAFT  It is some years since a Fairoaks Flight Centre aeroplane infringed controlled airspace.  By 'infringed' I mean entered controlled airspace without the permission of the controlling authority. We have had such an incursion recently.  London ATC submitted a Mandatory Occurrence Report (MOR) as a result of this infringement and the investigation of the event is still ongoing by NATS and the CAA. Historically, such an infringement might have resulted in an embarrassing telephone conversation with the appropriate duty controller.  Nowadays, a Mandatory Occurrence Report (MOR) is filed by the airspace controlling authority, followed by an infringement questionnaire and then the full investigation.  NATS often produce a radar plot as evidence of the infringement. The perceived seriousness of the offence will determine the consequences of the infringement. In this particular infringement the Flight Centre aircraft flew form Fairoaks to Daventry, then to the VORs at Barkway (BKY),  Brookmans Park (BPK), Bovingdon (BNN) and back to Fairoaks.  The infringement occurred at BKY because the aircraft was at 3400ft and the CTA, which is Class D airspace, is from 2500ft to 3500ft. In addition, there are areas around Luton and Stanstead which are mandatory transponder areas. There is more to this infringement than I have summarised here but these are the salient points. This post is intended as a reminder to all to be careful with their flight planning, particularly around Luton and Stanstead.  Talk to them, they will keep you out of trouble. If you have any doubts or questions about your plan talk to an instructor. Further general information is available on the NATS website at www.nats.aero Please consider the following when you are planning to go anywhere near controlled airspace. If you are not 100% sure, or out of practice, get an instructor to go with you on a navigational exercise which includes Air Traffic Control liaison.  There are lots of places to do this around Fairoaks.  For example, given  that Fairoaks is within the London CTR get an instructor to show you how to go though the London CTR with a Special VFR. Undertake a flight with an instructor if you have not flown a Flight Centre aeroplane in the last 28 days, as required in the Flying Orders book.  If you have not reviewed this recently please do so and sign the review page. Consider how SkyDemon...
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