New guidance for pilots on what to do if they infringe
NATS has just released a leaflet about the London LARS to help pilots avoid infringing controlled airspace.To date, a number of technological advances, particularly the Controlled Airspace Infringement Tool (CAIT) have helped to reduce the safety impact of such incidents but even now the overall numbers of infringements remain high. London LARS based at Farnborough was set up in September 2007 and to date controllers have recorded over 670 occasions when they have taken positive action to ensure a pilot does not enter controller airspace. To view the new guidance click on ‘LARS UPDATE’ at:http://www.airspacesafety.com/content/downloads.aspOr you can read elements of the leaflet below:WHAT’S THE STORY SO FAR?Farnborough LARS has been available to pilots of aircraft operating tothe west of London for a number of years and is a well utilised service.In September 2007 coverage extended to the area around the GatwickCTR/CTA with a further extension around Luton and Stansted’s airspacecoming on line in March 2008. All three services are referred tocollectively as London LARS with the callsign Farnborough Radar.I HAVEN’T HEARD ABOUT LARS – WHAT IS IT AND HOW DO IGET IN CONTACT?Controllers based at Farnborough provide radar surveillance basedAir Traffic Services outside Controlled Airspace (ATSOCAS) to pilotsoperating in Class G Airspace in the London area. Most users opt fora Basic Service with around 15% asking for a Traffic or DeconflictionService. Services are available for between 10 and 12 hours daily withinthree sectors:SECTOR FREQUENCY OPENING HOURS (local)NORTH 132.800 MHz 0900 – 1900EAST 123.225 MHz 0900 – 1900WEST 125.250 MHz 0800 – 2000HAVE GA PILOTS BEEN USING THE NEW SERVICE?Yes, over 85,000 in 2008 and nearly 10,000 in May 2009. Whilst themajority of traffic is still calling LARS West, the new sectors have reallystarted to become accepted by the GA community with a 100% increasein services provided by LARS North and East combined in May 2009 ascompared to a year earlier – that’s equivalent to 40% of the total trafficloading as opposed to approximately 25% in 2008.WHAT’S THE BENEFIT TO ME?We all know the environment outside controlled airspace in the SouthEast presents a navigational and operational challenge for GA pilots, butLondon LARS can help you by:Identifying most flights and keeping an eye on your position in relationto ATZs and controlled airspace.Issuing a discrete squawk so that other radar units can monitor yourprogress and deconflict you from some of their traffic.Providing generic traffic information to assist with your situationalawareness.Normally issuing a warning if we see a definite risk of collision.Providing weather information and navigational assistance.Providing assistance to pilots in emergency situations.LARS WEST LARS NORTH LARS EASTWHY IS NATS PROVIDING THE SERVICE?The answer is twofold. As we have said, we want to help general aviationpilots have a safe flight, but the airspace beneath which they fly handlednearly 1.2 million aircraft movements in and out of the major Londonairports last year. An inadvertent infringement of such crowded skiescan have a significant impact on the safety and efficiency of the airtraffic operation. London LARS helps us prevent such infringements.WHAT IS A ‘PREVENTED INFRINGEMENT’ AND HOW OFTEN DOTHEY OCCUR?Whenever a Farnborough controller takes positive action (a suggestedhead
