Visit ATC day is back
14 September 2012
The ever popular Visit ATC Day will once again take place this Autumn, giving UK pilots the opportunity to view proceedings at Air Traffic Control units around the country. The Airspace & Safety Initiative (ASI) which helps co-ordinate the event has now released details of this year’s participating units. Pilots curious to see life from an air traffic controller’s perspective are encouraged to sign up for a tour at their nearest unit during October and November.
The scheme, now in its fourth year, intends to increase the mutual understanding of pilots and controllers. All the visits will require prior registration and are open only to holders of pilot licences (NPPL, PPL, BGA certificate etc and student pilots). Those attending will be required to show their licence or evidence that they are learning to fly. Pilots who have not pre-registered or cannot produce their licence or evidence on the day unfortunately will not be admitted.
ATC units already confirmed include Swanwick, Prestwick, Manchester, Farnborough, Bristol, Birmingham, Belfast and Norwich.
A full list of participating units, with dates when each unit is open for a visit, and contact details for pre-registration, are listed below and will be update on the ASI website www.airspacesafety.com/news
Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. All the events are free of charge.
For more information please contact Richard Taylor on 020 7453 6025 richardd.taylor@caa.co.uk. Follow the Airspace & Safety Initiative on www.twitter.com/airspacesafety
Visit ATC Day 2012, participating units:
Swanwick Centre
November 2, 22, 23
Priority will be given to pilots who have not visited Swanwick previously.
Prestwick Centre
November 24
Priority will be given to pilots who have not visited Prestwick previosuly.
Edinburgh
October 20
online registration at www.visitedinburghatc.appointy.com
Farnborough (BOOKED OUT)
October 4, 11, 18 & 25 - FULL
November 1, 8, 15, 22 & 29 - FULL
Two x 90mins sessions per day @ 15:00 & 17:30
Manchester (BOOKED OUT)
October 21 - FULL
November 10 & 11 - FULL
Belfast International Airport
November 10
Birmingham (BOOKED OUT)
Bristol (BOOKED OUT)
November 23, 24 -Full
Norwich
October 20, 21
November 17, 18
ian.mcdowell@norwichinternational.com
Exteter
October 11 (additional date in November to be announced)
November 20
Coventry (BOOKED OUT)
October 16/17 FULL
Blackpool
Dates by mutual agreement, FISOs and A/Gs also welcome
Southampton
October 27
slots at 0930, 1230 and 1530, please indicate preference
East Midlands
November 6
tel. 01332 852993
Plymouth Military Radar
November 29
ends
Notes to Editors:
The Airspace & Safety Initiative (ASI) is a joint CAA, NATS, Airport Operator’s Association, General Aviation and Ministry of Defence effort to investigate and tackle the major safety risks in UK airspace.
It emerged from a top-level discussion between the CAA Chairman, NATS Chief Executive and MoD Assistant Chief of the Air Staff following a number of incidents where light aircraft infringed controlled airspace, or military and commercial flights conflicted outside controlled airspace.
The ASI is a major review covering a number of different areas, with the aims of:
- Enhancing safety outside controlled airspace
- Identifying the hazards associated with the use of UK airspace
- Identifying the needs of all airspace users
- Prioritizing the hazards, and
- Developing a strategy to mitigate those risks while meeting the needs of all airspace users.
For more information on the ASI project visit www.airspacesafety.com and for PPL information on airspace infringements visit www.flyontrack.co.uk