Links

A summary guide by NATS of all the Aeronautical Information Service (AIS) available to pilots, including contact numbers and web addresses.

The official live NATS/AIS site for checking Notams, the UK AIP and AICs. Free registration for checking NOTAMs, other access doesn't need registration.Remember also the daily freephone of restrictions: 0500 354802 (+44 20 8750 3939 from abroad)

The Swanwick Air Traffic Control Centre will manage the Parent AFTN function alongside the ‘flightplanningonline’ facility which uses AFPEx to give you your own online flight plan filing system (registration required). Registered users can use the link on the left to access the system, or pilots wishing to register will find details there on how to go about it.  Pilots who do not have a ‘flightplanningonline’ (AFPEx) account should fax FPL and associated messages to 01489 61 2793 ensuring that they are correctly addressed.There is a 24 hour Helpdesk for all enquiries 0845 601 0483 or 01489 612792. The Helpdesk AFTN address is EGGGYFAJ.

The Distress and Diversion Cell (London Centre, 121.5 MHz) have created a pamphlet to describe their services and contact details. Printed 2 sided onto 1 sheet of A4, it folds into a pocket sized reference.

Farnborough provide the London LARS service through Farnborough North, East and West outside controlled airspace all the way around London. See the AIC more, including a diagram giving coverage and frequencies.

Bristol - the latest addition to the library of useful guides (pictures, text, tips, etc) for pilots needing to fly into or fly past the Bristol airspace area.

A pictorial and text guide to visually flying the Manchester Low Level Corridor, with photos of features en-route, written by a 'local'. On the left is the full guide, and there is a Manchester/Liverpool CTA guide further down this list, but a new 2009 initiative is the double sided kneepad 'insert' to help the pilot with the low level route, plenty of advice and photos of what you should be seeing as you progress. The two sides to the kneeboard insert are here, thanks to the Barton airfield site: side one and side two

A pictorial and text guide (pdf) to visually flying in the East Midlands around an in the controlled airspace en-route, written by a 'local'.There is also a whole site dedicated to helping VFR piltos around the East Midlands area - see the EMA site, then click on the "EMA VFR Pilot" link found there.

A pictorial and text guide to visually flying in and around Glasgow airspace written by a 'local'.See also the 'Scottish' airspace guide (in this section) written in a standard CAA format

A 30 page pdf with great photos of the Solent area, with pilot's eye view of recognising the boundaries.

Stansted and Luton (separately) in one guide, with a quarter-mil chart included, and photos and GPS coordinates of VRPS.

Plenty of visual information about flying the area in and around Newcastle CTR and CTA - photos, GPS coordinates, etc

A CAA style guide to flying around and about the CTR/CTAs in Scotland.
(Warning: large than most, about 7 megabyte)

A CAA guide for visual flying near the Heathow and Gatwick CTRs.

A guide created to a standard CAA format for pilots around the Solent area - see also the locally written Solent Guide also in this list of guides. 

A CAA standard format guide to the Lancashire area, but see also the specific 'low level route' guide for Manchester.

In addition to the locally written guides above, the CAA produce 'standardised format' guides to flying near and through airspace around the country. The link on the left give you access to their list of available standardised guides.

The Recommended Cross Channel VFR Route towards Cherbourg will be amended with effect from 11/3/2010 and shown on new charts this Winter and Spring. For the moment, see the information on HOT NEWS on the home page of this site, but when the AIC is issued with extra details and diagrams, the link to the AIC will be provided on the left.

The CAA Frequently Asked Questions about CHARTS – with further CAA links on the subject.

The link on the left takes you directly to the CAA page for half-million scale (10 nm to the inch) VFR charts, including lists of recent amendments.You'll find you can subscribe to get emailed directly with any updates to your chosen chart, or even get an RSS Feed to your browser. If you simply wish to register for email updates to your chart, this is the direct link to subscribe

The link on the left takes you directly to the CAA page for quarter-million scale (5 nm to the inch) VFR charts, including lists of recent amendments.You'll find you can subscribe to get emailed directly with any updates to your chosen chart, or even get an RSS Feed to your browser. If you simply wish to register for email updates to your chart during its lifetime, this is the direct link to subscribe

A pictorial and text guide to visual navigation - part of the Safety Sense series by the CAA.

A pictorial and text guide to the radio, including typical calls to Air Traffic Units en-route. One thing not included yet is the London D and D phone number – 01489 followed by 612406 – which you can put in your mobile phone in case you are flying and have a complete radio failure and want to communicate with them. (NB: mobile phone signals can affect GPS and Nav equipment.)

Safety Sense leaflet on ATC Services Outside Controlled Airspace (FIS, RIS, RAS are GONE - Read about 'Basic', 'Traffic', 'Deconfliction' and 'Procedural').

A pictorial and text guide to sensible GPS use, part of the CAA Safety Sense series.

The link on the left goes to the En-Route Section of the UK AIP. You need to go to paragraph 2.5.6 within it for the official list, which is reproduced below with matching frequencies. There is now also a pdf of  a graphic to print, cut and keep on your kneeboard -Listening Squawk Graphic. The way it works is:

If you are passing  nearby (but not entering) airspace as listed below, and not requiring any sort of service, you may use a 'listening squawk'. You are not in receipt of any formal service, you cannot cross into controlled airspace, but of course you can be 'addressed' if there is any reason to do so as ATC know which frequency you are listening out on!  Tune into the relevant frequency, set the appropriate squawk, and say nothing - don't even announce you are there. If ATC need to contact you for any reason, they now know you are listening and on which frequency. Remember to squawk 7000 (Charlie if possible) as you move further away from the area, or if you switch to a different frequency.  The current list of listening squawks around the UK is:

• 0010 Birmingham 118.050 MHz
• 0011 Solent / Bournemouth 120.225 MHz / 119.475 MHz respectively
  
• 0012 Thames Radar/Gatwick 132.7 MHz / 126.825 MHz respectively
  
• 0013 Luton / Stansted 129.550 MHz / 120.625 MHz respectively
  
• 6170 Doncaster Approach 126.225 MHz
• 7045 Belfast Approach 128.5 MHz
  
• 7366 Manchester 118.575 MHz

A list to 'catch up' from for changes which affect you in navigation, notams, flight plans and more. This is a maintained list of  'things which have changed over the past 2 years or so' that can be used as a basis for ground school when a G.A. pilot meets an instructor for the bienniel training hour.

Click on the left to access the new shorter CAA multimedia interactive guide (CAP413) for G.A. radio users - see/read/hear the radio calls.

An A5 sized kneeboard insert - side 1 gives the preflight planning tips to avoid infringements, side 2 gives a typical 'mask' or 'boilerplate' for better zone transit radio calls, you just fill in the blanks for your aircraft and position, etc. Helps the tongue-tied!

Timetable for coming CAA Safety Evenings. Dates/Locations.

A comprehensive look at all the topics for simply VFR flying in the UK. All those things that have been puzzling you about symbols on the VFR chart, rules and regulations, explained in one VFR Guide. On the same link, you will also find links to various CAA advice posters, free to download

A great way of looking at a guide including pictures and advice if you happen to be flying near one of the UK's CTR/CTA combinations – i.e. near one of the UK's main provincial or London airports. The readable guides include photos of VRPs so you know what you are looking for, and suggestions of any VFR routes through or nearby. These guides form a great library for the VFR pilot flying near controlled airspace around any main airport around the country. Well worth reading the one nearest to you to see what information it contains.

All CAA Safety Sense Leaflets and Safety Posters. The index to a free comprehensive library of easy to read advice - something for all aviators. Also available: Posters on 'hot topics', free to download.

Poster giving basics of Airspace Infringement – what it means, what it leads to, what it costs and why you should KNOW YOUR AIRSPACE.

For the online guide and educational material for the new ATC Services Outside Controlled Airspace, have a look at the information stored on the Airspace Safety Initiative.

The well-known one sheet poster diagram giving all the legal minimum visibility and cloud separations for VFR at various levels, and if/how ATC separate traffic, in each classification of airspace and Radar Advisory Service.(updated 2009 version)

There's a new 'reminder' to tell you about VFR in different classes of airspace. It's actually an A4 'portrait' sheet and can be printed as such for the clubhouse wall, or fold it in hal and it forms an A5 double-sided reminder to fit on your flying kneepad.

UK Airprox Board (Airprox is the official term for the old ‘Air Miss’.

CAA Mandatory Occurence Reporting System – for bringing serious incidents formally to the attention of the CAA.

Air Accident Investigation Board – Reports of previoous accidents, how to report one.

Report a Bird Strike. (Reporting is Important to help prevent future ones.)

UK Confidential Human Factors Incident Reporting Programme – Report a human factors incident confidentially.

UK CAA Interpretation of rules and regulations - it's normally a large PDF, but this link takes you to a list which allows you to select chapter by chapter.

UK Air Navigation Order – the official law published by the CAA as 'CAP393'.- this is available online for free, or a printed copy can be ordered (for payment)

JAA States – Current List of 'Recognition Countries' from the JAA. Licences (FCL-1), medicals (FCL-3), etc.

Ten year selected extracts from the UK Airprox Board concerning GA, 1999-2008