CAA approves two new ’listening squawks’

04 May 2012

Frequency Monitoring Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR) codes (often referred to as ‘listening out’ squawks) are soon to be allocated for use in the vicinity of Leeds Bradford and East Midlands airports, the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has announced. The codes will become effective from 28 May 2012 for Leeds Bradford, and 30 June 2012 for East Midlands.  The two new codes will take the total number of frequency monitoring codes across the UK to nine.

Frequency monitoring codes have played a vital role in reducing infringements of controlled airspace (CAS) by enabling air traffic controllers to alert pilots if their aircraft appears to be going to infringe CAS. Any aircraft fitted with a Mode A/C or Mode S SSR transponder can use these codes. By entering the relevant four-digit SSR code into the transponder and listening to the published  radio frequency, a pilot signifies to air traffic control that he/she is actively monitoring radio transmissions on that frequency.

The code for Leeds Bradford will be 2677 and the radio frequency to monitor is 133.125 MHz, while for East Midlands the code will be 4572 and the radio frequency 134.175 MHz.  An Information Notice (2012/082) with more details has been published today by the CAA, see the publications section of the CAA website www.caa.co.uk        

The CAA also announced that a code is being introduced for use by Farnborough Airport for the duration of the London 2012 Olympics.  From 14 July to 15 August 2012 Temporary Controlled Airspace (CAS (T)) is being put in place around Farnborough to help deal with a significant expected increase in traffic. To help prevent any infringements of this CAS(T), pilots operating outside the Olympics Restricted Zone R112 in the Farnborough (West) LARS area who are unable or do not wish to receive an air traffic service, can select code 5047 on their transponders while listening on the Farnborough (West) LARS frequency, 125.250 MHz.

For further media information contact the CAA Press Office on: 0207 453 6030 or press.office@caa.co.uk

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Notes to Editors:

The full list of frequency monitoring codes/ radio frequencies is:

Belfast Aldergrove      7045         128.500 MHz

Leeds Bradford          2677          133.125 MHz                                                             

Doncaster Sheffield    6170         126.225 MHz

Manchester                7366          118.575 MHz                                                             

East Midlands            4572          134.175 MHz

Birmingham               0010          118.050 MHz                                        

Luton/ Stansted          0013          129.550 MHz(LTN); 120.635 MHz (STD)      

Gatwick/London City  0012         126.825 MHz(LGW); 132.700 MHz(LCY)

Southampton/

Bournemouth       0011          120.225 MHz (SOU);

                              119.475 MHz (BOH)                  

1.  The Airspace & Safety Initiative (ASI) is a joint CAA, NATS, AOA, GAand MoDeffort to investigate and tackle the major safety risks in UK airspace. www.airspacesafety.com

2. The CAA is the UK's specialist aviation regulator. Its activities include: making sure that the aviation industry meets the highest technical and operational safety standards; preventing holidaymakers from being stranded abroad or losing money because of tour operator insolvency; planning and regulating all UK airspace; and regulating airports, air traffic services and airlines and providing advice on aviation policy from an economic standpoint.