Any 'new' ideas for reducing Airspace Infringements?

FlyOnTrack · Post by **FlyOnTrack** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 10:51 am

Any 'new' ideas for reducing infringements? for I've been pushing "Mode C if you have it' campaigns, radar replays to 'educate', visits to ATC units, etc, and currently trying to encourage better bienniel training sessions as 'the norm', others have pushed TMZs, cheap GPS with free updates, and other ways, including looking at changing airspace.

Now there are all sorts of reasons why pilots infringe, so does any one have other ideas that haven't been well aired that could improve things and lead to fewer GA infringments?

Nick Allen · Post by **Nick Allen** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 3:36 pm

How about "the powers that be" sending to all PPL holders -- by email -- airspace updates as they are implemented, in the form of maps highlighting the changes. While I realise that email is by no means universal, I think it would be possible to reach a high proportion of pilots quite quickly. There's a big difference between making changes, and telling people to go and look for these, and telling them directly and explicitly what the changes are.

Nigel Hitchman · Post by **Nigel Hitchman** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 5:44 pm

1. How about better design of airspace so only the minimum amount of controlled airspace is required, based on modern day airliner performance and radar vectors to the ILS as is done nearly everywhere. As opposed to controlled airspace based on the climb performance of an Avro York with a double engine failure and everyone joining the hold overhead at 1500ft and then doing a procedural letdown and ndb approach taking up vast acrres of airspace. Yes that might be how they did it in the RAF in the 1960s, but not today!!!

Less controlled airspace means more gaps to fly without infringing.

2. change the way people are taught navigation, forget complex mathematics and the one in 60 rule and calculations to get back on your original track etc, we dont need that, we need to know where we are now and how to get where we want to go without infringing. So teach how to read the map and translate what you see to what the map shows and then how to figure a rough +/-10 deg heading to get where you want to go and be able to read the map to check you are going the right way.
The CAA should also recognise that probably most people use GPS and base quite a bit of the navigation sylabus on how to use it properly, reprogram in flight etc. Take their heads out of the sand, stop saying its really unreliable and shouldnt be used!

3. Figure out why it seems that 90% plus of the infringements are by flying club type aircraft, look in the list of MOR reports we get each month, they are all Cessna 152/172, PA-28, Cirrus, TB-20 etc. There are almost no PFA/BMAA types in the report. Yes we all make mistakes sometimes, but it seems to be the pilots flying this type of aircraft that make all the infringements, why??

4. Supply free mode S transponders to all who want them, paid for by the people who want the controlled airspace and dont want us in it.

FlyOnTrack · Post by **FlyOnTrack** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 11:06 pm

Nick Allen wrote:How about "the powers that be" sending to all PPL holders -- by email -- airspace updates as they are implemented, in the form of maps highlighting the changes. While I realise that email is by no means universal, I think it would be possible to reach a high proportion of pilots quite quickly. There's a big difference between making changes, and telling people to go and look for these, and telling them directly and explicitly what the changes are.

well you already have 99% of your wish. The CAA provide auto-emails or rss feeds to keep you informed of any detail changes to your chosen chart in between chart issues.

The emails go out as descriptive text such as 'new glider winch launch site at (where-ever)' or if it were an airspace change, there would be a reference to the AIC which would have the graphic for it.

If you go to the flyontrack links page http://www.flyontrack.co.uk/content/links.asp and look for the section on VFR charts, just chose half mil or quarter mil, and that will put you into the CAA page to get an RSS feed to your browser and/or subscribe (for free) to get an automatic email to you when any detail changes on your chosen chart.

This sort of info (ie: the fact that such an email or rss feed alert system exists) is what I think ought to be discussed at the bienniel sessions with instructors as part of a ground discussion on 'what's new over the past 2 years'. I keep a list of such recent items on the board in our briefing room so pilots can check it for new ideas and if they don't know about them, they can ask me. I'll put my '2 year' list up somewhere (tomorrow) so you can see it.

Nick Allen · Post by **Nick Allen** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 11:18 pm

Thanks for that Irv, but my point would still be that the chart-related AICs could, at least in theory, be sent direct -- it's like the difference between a librarian who tells you the Dewey reference for the subject matter you're looking for, and the really good librarian who brings the box of books you need to your desk!

FlyOnTrack · Post by **FlyOnTrack** » Sat Jun 06, 2009 11:26 pm

Nick Allen wrote:Thanks for that Irv, but my point would still be that the chart-related AICs could, at least in theory, be sent direct -- it's like the difference between a librarian who tells you the Dewey reference for the subject matter you're looking for, and the really good librarian who brings the box of books you need to your desk!

that's why I said 99% but I think it's pretty good even without the 1% off - there are of course people who refuse to accept email with an attachment, which means they prefer the link to the AIC in the text.

Don't you think it would have been an improvement to your bienniel session with an instructor if you'd been given a menu of items such as this email/rss service which have come in during the last 2 years, so you could 'ask for more detail' if you hadn't picked this one up at the time?

gdbird · Post by **gdbird** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:02 am

I fly out of luton zone, often around heathrow and frequently into gatwick. The listening squark scheme is good - though my impression is generlly pilots are still nevous about radio. Transponders with mode C or S seems to facilitate a better trust level with controllers. The allocation of airspace does seem excessive in most cases and it would really help to have pinch areas looked at again for instance bagshot mast, stapleford and north weald. Also reducing heights of airfeild zones when under CTA so there is a route over - like Redhill or Panshanger.
More marked low level routes through zones or across corners would also ease the pinching effects.
Its interesting to me that right in Luton zone approach london gliding club is towing up to 2-3K and gliders wheeling about - and luton have no problem with that. It would seem to indicate that most of the time they dont really need all the space they are controlling. I guess thats it, its space they control but dont necessarily have to stop others using and there is no 'bust' when permission has been given.

gdbird · Post by **gdbird** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 9:14 am

Reading back I think Nigel H's point 3 is a very good one. GPS has made an amazing difference in LAA/BMAA planes, as it has with driving cars, but is probably still frowned upon for training and nav exes and probably not generably available or user friendly in many hire spam cans. A £170 PDA and CAA chart on Memory Map is all it takes.

Rod1 · Post by **Rod1** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 10:57 am

Irv,

At each BFR the pilot should demonstrate his ability to use the Notam system, including explaining what it all means. This would have the following benefits;

The instructors would have to know the system (not always the case)

The instructors would have to have access to the system (not always the case)

The pilots would have to use the system (80% do not)

This would greatly reduce the infringements of RA(T).

Rod1

MikeGodsell · Post by **MikeGodsell** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 11:02 am

I remember being taught to use the wizzwheel, and stopwatch and chart, during my PPL training. I thought it was an idiotic method of navigation then, and am appalled that it is still being taught as the primary method now. Those of us who still use such antique and error prone methods are probably the same fools who prefer non-radio and don't even switch on the transponder if it is fitted. CAS busts are dangerous.. enough innocents have died in airliners for other causes not unrelated to competence. Let us not have a GA/airliner midair due to our pig headed reliance on outdated navigation methods.
Rant over

Cookie · Post by **Cookie** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 11:11 am

This is one of the things we have been asked to look at by the CAA, since they are concerned about the number of infringements.

I will include advice about 'hot' topics for coaches when revalidating members ratings, and am happy to include Irv's list.

As a point of note, I have been approached by the Royal Institute of Navigation to see if we are interested in running a joint coaching day, and wondered how many of our members might be interested?

Regards,

Cookie

Cookie · Post by **Cookie** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 11:53 am

On the point of airspace and infringements, parallels are often drawn between the FAA and CAA systems.

Having flown in the USA quite a bit, their flight planning offers a much more user friendly experience. The charts are much cheaper (although admittedly lower quality), and the information is more readily available.

In terms of flight planning, there are several systems which are FREE and provide a visual picture of airspace, terrain, and weather, both laterally and vertically. Try flightprep.com for an example, either their online planner or GoldenEagle Flight Prep, which is simply excellent. AOPA (US) have a similar system for members only.

http://www.flightprep.com/rootpage.php? ... dl_pgmdata

By comparison, in the UK we must visit several websites, have several log-in codes, and collate the information manually.

Have a look at Safety Sense Leaflet Controlled Airspace:

http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/ga_srg_09webssl27.pdf

Look at section 3 and section 9 which contains advice about entering and flying in controlled airspace, and see why people avoid it! I should say that the SSL leaflets are generally excellent, and section 13 of the leaflet is spot on.

In response to why club aircraft have more infringements over LAA aircraft, I would suggest that most people who own aircraft fly more.

Finally, the CAA are very concerned over the number of infringements recently, and we have a shared responsibility in addressing that.

Regards,

Cookie

PB · Post by PB » Sun Jun 07, 2009 12:15 pm

Irv

You asked for new ideas. I'm not sure any one new idea is going to solve the problem but here is one that thinks the unthinkable:

Make all the various sources of navigation related data, copyright free and simply available. Everything, the whole damn lot, charts, met, notams. Swallow the loss of revenue (which I doubt is very great anyway) and watch the benefits flow.

Freed from the burden of cost, I'm pretty sure the software community would come up with more than a few innovative products

NickChittenden · Post by **NickChittenden** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 12:37 pm

This thread makes the assumption that airspace infringement is purely a result of navigation error. I suggest that the real culprit is poor workload management leading to a loss of situational awareness. Another gizmo won't help one bit; correct management of existing resources will.

Simon Clifton · Post by **Simon Clifton** » Sun Jun 07, 2009 3:32 pm

Someone I know said to me that using Mode S and talking to London Information saved them from an infringment in Wales last week. The transponder is now their firm friend, as are the radar controllers they were speaking to.

Reasons for the potential problem? Over-complicated class A airspace and the fact they were flying significantly higher than usual to get above the bumps.

BTW, London Info gets too busy sometimes, and why aren't there more listening squawks (Bristol/Cardiff say)?

Simon C
~~~~~~