Assessing restricted airspace (UK)

[Hughie]

I wish to fly in an area about 10-12Km away from a national airport.

How can I tell whether I can fly and at what height?

I have consulted a number of CAA docs and docs for the airport but they dont really help much.

Any advice appreciated

 

[noiseboy72]

At 10km, you will be fine to fly up to 400' without issue, even on approach vectors. To put this into context, aircraft descend at 300' per minute (3 degrees), so they will still be at 1500'+ at 10Km.

 

[Hughie]

I will check my ceiling settings in the Assistant and go for it.
Thanks!

Oh yeah, and I have just bought your book

 

[The Editor]

Try this.... http://skyvector.com/

 

[Hughie]

Thanks - looks like I might be in an area marked
FL85/25

Can anyone translate please.

 

[noiseboy72]

If get up to FL85, let us know lol. FL25 is about 3000'

This is controlled space, so you can fly in uncontrolled space below 400'.

 

[Nidge]

Hi Hughie

I'm on the other side of the airport to you. Both areas are Cat D airspace, in my case from the surface to 8500ft and for you 2500ft to 8500ft. It doesn't really effect you as it's highly unlikely you would fly anywhere near 2500 feet but in my case I am limited in the size of model I can fly in that it should not exceed 7kg including flight batteries, which neither my Phantom, F550, or fixed wing craft do anyway. My model flying club is also in this area and the small private aircraft flying in and around Leeds and Bradford airport use our runways as visual markers, as well as other prominent landmarks. The main area to be very wary of entering is the red shaded area which has a radius of 3nm from the main runway.

Regards

Nidge

 

[Hughie]

Thanks Nidge for your reply.

Having studied closer I actually fly from a couple of places in the village one is in FL85/25 the other is in FL85/30. So as you say I should be OK. I dont plan to go much over 400' anyway.

Having said that I can see a lot of air traffic on approach 'appearing to be' fairly low from where I fly from. I know that when I have flown as passenger by regular airliner into Leeds Bradford it is 4mins from over my model flying patch until the aircraft is on the ground at the airport. Feels close, but at least I have a better idea of the rules now.

Thanks.