The Wash AIAA
Join Date: Jan 2001
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AAIA
Specifically the danger areas in AAIA (D307 for example) are associated with miltary a/c that may be performing very high energy manoeuvres. No RIS or RAS is likely to be able to give avoiding action advice in sufficient time. If you want to cross ( as we do frequently) get a radar service but if there is a lot of traffic (radar will advise) then get out fast.
Incidentally this applies in the open FIR not just in the AAIA remember the military have as much right , more so some seem to believe, as the rest of the world to do as they wish in this airspace.
Incidentally this applies in the open FIR not just in the AAIA remember the military have as much right , more so some seem to believe, as the rest of the world to do as they wish in this airspace.
niknak
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D307 is notamned permanantly active up to 5000ft, and is notamned to higher levels at other specific times, these are widely published on the charts and by AIS, and also available from London FIS.
Live firing only takes place within the confines of the Danger Area, this could be on the ground, air to ground, air to air, or a combination of all, at any time.
The AIAA is exactly what it says, military aircraft operating in the AIAA and into and out of the Danger Area are for the most part subject to the rules of the air, but sometimes the nature of their exercise makes this impossible to comply with - again this sort of activity is notamned on a daily basis.
Although the AIAA is in the open FIR, it is for the most part over the North Sea, and there's no real problem if you do want to fly through it, as long as you take advantage of a radar service and fly at a reasonable altitude (above 5000ft would be sensible).
Live firing only takes place within the confines of the Danger Area, this could be on the ground, air to ground, air to air, or a combination of all, at any time.
The AIAA is exactly what it says, military aircraft operating in the AIAA and into and out of the Danger Area are for the most part subject to the rules of the air, but sometimes the nature of their exercise makes this impossible to comply with - again this sort of activity is notamned on a daily basis.
Although the AIAA is in the open FIR, it is for the most part over the North Sea, and there's no real problem if you do want to fly through it, as long as you take advantage of a radar service and fly at a reasonable altitude (above 5000ft would be sensible).
Join Date: May 2001
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Another good point to note is that within such areas, it is highly unlikely that the fast pointy things will maintain hdg or level for any significant length of time. The Wash is a classic example where the pilots will be hauling themsleves around rather tight corners whilst positioning for their "attacks".
Join Date: Jul 2001
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I've done a couple of trips from Gamston (in the Lincs AIAA) down to Norfolk and back. Both occasions I routed via Fenland to stay outside of the Danger Areas, and during the second trip I saw quite a few fast jets entering and leaving The Wash DAs. As WB SATCO says, they were making fast turns and climbs/dives in and out of cloud cover, so even a very good lookout would not always protect the spamcan driver such as myself. Giving the Danger Areas a wide berth is probably a good bet.
Both times I had a RIS, but sometimes flying out of Gamston, the service is 'limited to FIS due to workload'. So although good advice to always get a RIS within a AIAA it is not always possible to do so. Worryingly the times when RIS was unavailable was when the skies were busiest, so I make of point of staying fairly high if cloud permits, and at least well above 2k, and flying at an odd number such as 2,700ft rather than the ubiquitous 2500 or 3000. The only way to avoid the AIAA, with so many airbases around my airfield, is to go by road....
Both times I had a RIS, but sometimes flying out of Gamston, the service is 'limited to FIS due to workload'. So although good advice to always get a RIS within a AIAA it is not always possible to do so. Worryingly the times when RIS was unavailable was when the skies were busiest, so I make of point of staying fairly high if cloud permits, and at least well above 2k, and flying at an odd number such as 2,700ft rather than the ubiquitous 2500 or 3000. The only way to avoid the AIAA, with so many airbases around my airfield, is to go by road....
Join Date: Apr 2001
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englishal:
Errm, bit too much faith in the Boys in Blue's technology I'm afraid. None of them have collision warning systems so you can squawk all you like but it's still just down to the steely eyeballs of the guy in the front seat of that hunk of metal screaming towards you at a closing speed of 300 metres a second.
some places where you cannot get a RIS (Highlands of Scotland, scooting down the valleys- although not an AIAA it can surprise you to see a Tornado head on at 400 kts ) it is recommended to sqwark mode C
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Englishal - can't go into too much detail here for obvious reasons, but based on previous experience (although this is now outdated and may have changed with GR4s), you may be helped by selecting Mode C if the Mighty Fin that is charging towards you is an F3 variant (generally painted a greyish blue colour, but less likely to be doing a low level sortie through the Glens), as they are fitted with IFF Interrogators. The IDS variants, which are GR3/4s these days (generally painted cabbage field green) were not equipped with interrogators when I last worked on the systems, although this may now have changed.
If the aircraft does not have an interrogator, it is not switched on, or they are not watching their displays, then selecting Mode C will be of no assistance without a monitoring ATSU.
If the aircraft does not have an interrogator, it is not switched on, or they are not watching their displays, then selecting Mode C will be of no assistance without a monitoring ATSU.
