What has the Future Airspace Strategy done for us?

[Nigel Hitchman]

John,
I hope this isnt too late!

I would like to see removal of a lot of the lower level controlled airspace that is not necessary.

The airway from Southampton going south over the IOW to the channel Islands, why does it need to be down to FL35 in some places (havent got a map to look at so might be wrong) This might have been appropriate when the services were run by Bristol Frieghters or even Trislanders, but I believe the main commercial aircraft are now DHC8s and ATRs which both climb very well and operate better at higher altitudes, so make it more appropriate for their minimum climb rates, we know they can descend very quickly. This is a flight safety hazard making us fly flow level over the sea when we could be higher. This is class A so we are not allowed in it, even class D would be better, but it needs to have a higher base.

There is another airway going north from Cardiff towards Brecon and further north, same problem, it doesnt need to be that low. I bet there are more.

Design of controlled airspace around commercial airfields needs to be updated to reflect current aircraft types and performance as well as available flight management systems and radar. We should no longer be basing climb performance on a 3 engined Avro York or Comet and arrival procedures on an overhead hold at 1500 or 2000 ft then procedural ndb approach! As you know this is not reality. most airliners and certainly bizjets have very sophisticated FMS, so can do continuous descent approaches and join final on a 3 degree approach. Similarly they can climb out steeply straight ahead and be above 3000ft in no time.
Thus controlled airspace should reflect these procedures, there should only be a need for minimal airspace for seperation from the final approach track and striaght ahead climbout, thus the airspace should be a thin rectangle along the length of the runway extended either end, not a big circle or 5 miles either side. For any new controlled airspace it should first be mandatory that the airfield has radar and also has an ILS or published approved FMS/GPS approaches for all runways.

Too many airfields want PPR for no reason. No one has ever heard of this in the USA, you just turn up overhead, look at the windsock and land, they might have a radio or might not. This should be made the standard for the UK. No more PPR. If the airfield is closed or there is something we need to know it should be notamed.

There are a number of danger areas and other airspace that is permananetly active but rarely used. All of these should only be active when Notamed and the notam should have to be specific each day, not just Active sometime between Jan 1 and Dec 31 from 0001 to 2359 like we see occasionally.
Close to me is Weston on the Green, its active sometimes with Hercules dropping parachutist at low level, but not every day, so it should be available to us at other times. Yes there is a civilian para club there too and gliders, but they dont need such a big area, I can easily pass between Bicester and Weston on the Green safely when civil parachuting or gliding are operationally but its very close if I have to avoid the complete danger area.

thanks\
Nigel

[James Chan]

John,

I'm not sure if it is too late now, but I have some more points to add to my original post:

4) Improving safety and reducing pilot workload:
- Ability to download weather in-flight
- Easier certification of GPS approaches for more GA aerodromes, and GPS equipment for GA aircraft.
- Danger area activity information could be made available to more ATSUs, perhaps in the same way weather is today.
- Harmonisation of FIS and ATC procedures across Europe. The four ATSOCAS services remains unique to the UK and not well known or used by pilots from the continent.

Many thanks.