Comments on: Flying Abroad http://www.leftturnwhenable.us/2006/01/04/flying-abroad/ a Private Pilot in Southen California Thu, 30 Dec 2010 21:13:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1 By: crazyscot http://www.leftturnwhenable.us/2006/01/04/flying-abroad/comment-page-1/#comment-43 crazyscot Mon, 06 Feb 2006 20:43:23 +0000 http://flying.guapacha.com/wordpress/2006/01/04/flying-abroad/#comment-43 Yeah, the airspace here is pretty complicated. One of the biggest differences I've heard about is the radio lingo. We use QFE a lot, but that comes from the flatness of the country! We do use the standard ICAO seven-class airspace model here, just a little differently to what you'll be used to. Class A is for the busiest airports (Heathrow, Manchester) and their surrounding areas, and all airways. (Yes, that's right, it means we non-instrument-rated pilots can't use airways - and the JAA IR is an awful lot harder to get than the FAA IR.) Class B is everything between FL245 and FL660(?). Class C is not used. (Except, it will be later this year, when all current Class B is being reclassified as C, and certain other high-altitude areas too. Class D is for most airports with passenger traffic. We take our Class D quite seriously; you have to have an explicit clearance to enter (something like "G-YZ cleared into the class D via the overhead"). Class E is only used for a couple of TMAs. Class F is only used for "advisory routes" (sort-of low-traffic "airways", there aren't many of them). Class G is everything else. Orthogonally to the airspace classes there are also Danger, Restricted and Prohibited areas. Danger areas are mostly military firing/training areas, while restricted and prohibited areas are for various security purposes. The chart legend will tell you of the existence of the restrictions but not the details; for those you have to dig into the AIP. (Available online at http://www.ais.org.uk/ - registration required.) Yeah, the airspace here is pretty complicated. One of the biggest differences I’ve heard about is the radio lingo. We use QFE a lot, but that comes from the flatness of the country!

We do use the standard ICAO seven-class airspace model here, just a little differently to what you’ll be used to.

Class A is for the busiest airports (Heathrow, Manchester) and their surrounding areas, and all airways. (Yes, that’s right, it means we non-instrument-rated pilots can’t use airways – and the JAA IR is an awful lot harder to get than the FAA IR.)
Class B is everything between FL245 and FL660(?).
Class C is not used. (Except, it will be later this year, when all current Class B is being reclassified as C, and certain other high-altitude areas too.
Class D is for most airports with passenger traffic. We take our Class D quite seriously; you have to have an explicit clearance to enter (something like “G-YZ cleared into the class D via the overhead”).
Class E is only used for a couple of TMAs.
Class F is only used for “advisory routes” (sort-of low-traffic “airways”, there aren’t many of them).
Class G is everything else.

Orthogonally to the airspace classes there are also Danger, Restricted and Prohibited areas. Danger areas are mostly military firing/training areas, while restricted and prohibited areas are for various security purposes. The chart legend will tell you of the existence of the restrictions but not the details; for those you have to dig into the AIP. (Available online at http://www.ais.org.uk/ – registration required.)

]]> By: Administrator http://www.leftturnwhenable.us/2006/01/04/flying-abroad/comment-page-1/#comment-42 Administrator Fri, 06 Jan 2006 01:06:27 +0000 http://flying.guapacha.com/wordpress/2006/01/04/flying-abroad/#comment-42 I should post some text from the airport directory but it has things like "contact london CTA before entering biggles ATR, pattern altitude is 1000 QFE, airport altitude is 400 QFH" or something like that. I was like huh? I should post some text from the airport directory but it has things like “contact london CTA before entering biggles ATR, pattern altitude is 1000 QFE, airport altitude is 400 QFH” or something like that. I was like huh?

]]> By: Todd http://www.leftturnwhenable.us/2006/01/04/flying-abroad/comment-page-1/#comment-41 Todd Thu, 05 Jan 2006 23:46:57 +0000 http://flying.guapacha.com/wordpress/2006/01/04/flying-abroad/#comment-41 I have often thought it would be fun to find FBOs while travelling abroad and take in an internation flight. I am sure there are a a bunch of tiny differences like you said in the communication process and procedures. I have often thought it would be fun to find FBOs while travelling abroad and take in an internation flight. I am sure there are a a bunch of tiny differences like you said in the communication process and procedures.

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