Haven't seen this anywhere else on the forum, so just
said I'd post here to this UK thread which is already a sticky!
(if its already up here, sorry for the double up!!)
Flew to the UK on Friday via Oxford down through the london low level
vfr corridor and onwards to france for the weekend, anyone else thinking of flying to the uk these days needs to be aware of the following changes.
When talking to London Information (generally outside controlled airspace in class G), you
no longer ask for
a "Flight Information Service" (FIS).
..This is now replaced with a request for a "Basic service"
Also, When operating down near the London TMA in class G airspace (or any LARS to that effect, {Lower Airspace Radar Service}), you no longer ask for:
Fight Information Service - VFR
Radar Information Service - VFR
Radar Advisory Service - IFR
...these are now replaced with:
Basic Service (most common)
Traffic service
Deconfliction service
Procedural service
More details on what is covered by each can be found at:
http://www.airspacesafety.com/content/ATSOCAS.asp
In the London area, VFR LARS Radar service is no longer "Thames Valley Radar", this is now covered by "Farnborough Radar" and it has 3 sections to get you around the busy London airspace near Heathrow,
Standsted and Luton.
What service do they provide? WHAT IS THE NEW LARS?
London Area LARS is a radar-based air traffic information and alerting service for pilots of GA aircraft flying in
the busy airspace below or around the London TMA. It will be run from Farnborough (Military).
WHY SHOULD I USE IT?
The London area airspace is amongst the busiest and most complex in the world – and flying through it is challenging.
Even experienced pilots get it wrong sometimes and get too close to other aircraft or infringe controlled airspace.
London LARS will give you much better awareness of other traffic in your vicinity, so that will help your safety
and safety of others. Should you get into any difficulties we will have your details and can respond very quickly.
LARS can also help you to avoid infringing controlled airspace.
WHY IS NATS PROVIDING THE SERVICE?
They want to help general aviation pilots have a safe flight near the London TMA, but the airspace beneath
which they fly handled nearly 1.2 million aircraft movements in and out of the major London
airports last year. An inadvertent infringement of such crowded skies can have a significant impact on the safety
and efficiency of the air traffic operation. London LARS helps prevent such infringements
London Lars can be contacted on:
Farnborough North 132.800
farnborough East 123.225
Farnborough West 125.250
Here is some information on the new London LARS service by Farnborough Radar:
http://www.chirp.co.uk/Downloads/LARS%20Flyer.pdf
http://www.chirp.co.uk/downloads/LARS_2 ... NAL_LO.pdf
Once you know what to expect, navigation down there is straightforward
London Low Level VFR Route:
