BRITISH SOARING YEARBOOK 1986-87.pdf - Lakes Gliding Club

UPPER HEYFORD RADAR ADVISORY SERVICE ZONE (RASZ)
Although not listed as an AIAA, the Upper Heyford RASZ is similar. Again the proce­
dures are not mandatory for civil aircraft, but the Air Pilot contains the following advice:
"Since it will obviously be in the interest of Flight Safety for Upper Heyford ATC to
have knowledge of all aircraft flying in the RASZ, pilots of gliders and non-radio
equipped aircraft intending to operate within the zone are advised when possible to
telephone ATC on Upper Heyford (086982) 4843 before take off in order to make
known their intentions. However, flights made in accordance with standing arrange­
ments are excluded from this procedure."
A new Mandatory Radar Area is proposed to replace the RASZ in April 1986.
PROHIBITED AREAS
Apart from certain security areas in Northern Ireland, the Prohibited Areas comprise the
Atomic Energy Establishments at:
Winfrith Calder/Wind scale (Sellafield)
Aldermaston Capenhurst
Harwell, Springfields and Dounreay are classed as "Restricted" in order to allow
aircraft to land at adjacent major airfields, but for gliding purposes they should also be
considered as "prohibited."
They all have a radius of 2 NM and extend to between 2,000ft and 2,500ft AMSL. It
is most inadvisable to place oneself in the position of having to land within a Prohibited
Area.
Short term Prohibited Areas may be established anywhere from time to time:
information about these can be obtained from NOTAMS.
DANGER AREAS
The U.K. is covered with Danger Areas of many types, shapes and sizes. They are
active part-time, permanently or when notified by NOTAM. Full details will be found in
the Air Pilot, RAC Section; the Chart of U.K. Airspace Restrictions is also useful.
Some glider pilots express the view that a Danger Area is not a Prohibited Area, so
it would not be illegal to penetrate it. The following two points should be considered:
The Air Pilot lists only the type of activity most likely to be encountered, but in
practice various hazards may be encountered in one area simultaneously.
Many Danger Areas contain areas over which flight is prohibited at times within the
period of activity of the Danger Area by reason of bye-laws made under the Military
Lands Act 1892 and associated legislation. Violations of Danger Areas by civil aircraft
are causing concern to the authorities: Aeronautical Information Circular 69/1980
explains that the act will be used to apply airspace restrictions to all Military Danger
Areas where possible.
It is also worth noting that the Air Pilot does not list Danger Areas with upper limits
500ft or less above the local surface, to which prohibiting bye-laws may also apply.
Glider pilots should therefore regard all Danger Areas as prohibited.
HAZARDOUS AREAS
Other types of hazard include Free Fall Parachute sites. The airspace is contained in a
circle of 15 NM radius from the centre of the drop zone up to a maximum of Flight Level
120.
It may not be apparent to a glider pilot, observing the drop zone in flight, whether or
not there is parachuting in progress: parachutists normally free-fall down to 2,000ft
AGL and are extremely difficult to see. Beware!
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