include, according to CAA literature, “a flight-planning reception center and Airport Options Abound for Olympics significant manpower dedicated to the task.” CAA-led Olympic preparations One of the airports most conveniently­ while others–such as Duxford, just to the possible–just scaled up for the addition- in the early part of this year will include placed for access to the northeast side of north of Stansted–are closer. al volumes. While he said hotel vacancies a “comprehensive communications and London, where the main Olympic venue Hayward believes that the procedures could become scarce, he also observed education program to help keep air- is situated,­ is Stansted. Located right next being enhanced and developed­ for the that some companies are avoiding London space users up to date,” according to a to the venue, London City will be in high Olympic period will work and allow for late meetings during the Olympic period. note on the key website, www.airspace- ­demand, and airports such as Southend, ­changes due to delays. “The way slots work Hayward also advised operators not safety.com/Olympics. Luton and Biggin Hill also are likely to prove is that you don’t need to get a new one,” he ­familiar with the geography of the UK to The general procedure for aircraft will popular with business/private aircraft oper- stated, but this applies only where there is a check where the Olympic events to which be as follows: 1) File a flight plan on AFPeX or AFTN ators and owners. genuine reason, such as a technical ­problem they are taking passengers are being held. between 24 hours and two hours Jason Hayward of flight support group or weather. For example, it might be that an airport before estimated off-block time and Universal Weather & Aviation is the general Universal, which has its own FBO at such as Farnborough or Southampton follow it. No airborne or faxed flight manager for the company’s Stansted oper- Stansted, estimated originally that final would be more convenient for going to an plans will be permitted. All flight ation. He told AIN that meetings have been ­demand would be at levels equivalent to event such as sailing. “Not all the Games plans must include accurate timings going on at Stansted about Olympic plan- 150 percent­ of ordinary levels, but it had are at the main Games site. You need to and waypoints, including waypoints if ning “for around two years,” organized by already reached this level of booking as of choose the airport and then get slot and leaving or entering the zone. airport owner BAA. ­December. “With eight months to go, it’s parking requests in as early as possible,” 2) Receive an acceptance message and Stansted is blessed with fairly abun- finger-in-the-air stuff,” he reflected, in terms he advised. approval number before flying. dant ramp areas for parking aircraft. of what the eventual traffic ­volumes for the “We are genuinely excited,” con- 3) Establish and maintain two-way radio ­Nonetheless, Universal has been advising ­Olympics might be. “But if people leave it to cluded Hayward. “We are about to re- communication with Atlas Control operators on more cost-effective options the last minute they may find it hard.” build our facility, which will be ready (the ATC unit that will control the for repositioning aircraft once passengers However, Hayward also said that the by the spring. [The Olympics] will be Restricted Zone, flight planning and have been dropped off. Some of these air- UK authorities are trying to keep as much a good way to launch it–with our best interception procedures), quoting ports are a couple of hundred miles away, of a “business as usual” approach as ever summer.” –I.S. approval number. 4) Squawk and maintain discrete tran- sponder code as allocated by Atlas

FOTOLIA Control. AIRCRAFT MOVEMENTS (PROJECTED) DURING OLYMPIC PEAK 31-DAY PERIOD–BY SERVICE TYPE 5) Receive an air traffic service and com- Zones for the main periods since first ply with ATC instructions. Airport Charter Genav/Bizav Freight Head of State Scheduled Position Military Total Bizav prepares for London 2012 Olympics proposing them in March last year, and Heathrow 32 0 148 0 41,951 24 0 42,255 this March final charts will be issued and Slot Coordination Gatwick 4,383 128 0 18 22,732 96 0 27,357 by Ian Sheppard details propagated via flight-planning All aircraft arriving and departing providers such as Jeppesen. one of the pre-determined slot coor- Stansted 961 1,226 704 36 15,678 172 0 18,777 The UK’s Civil Aviation Author- arrangements for business aircraft oper- restrictions in place around other Olym- Some aircraft–such as police, emer- dinated airports between July 21 and Luton 679 3,121 160 6 6,914 51 0 10,931 ity (CAA) has launched a campaign to ators that were promised last year. These pic events elsewhere in the UK, includ- gency medical, essential survey aircraft August 15 and using controlled airspace London City 0 112 0 0 6,561 0 2 6,675 educate those operating to and from the plans and the final complete airspace ing those in Newcastle, Coventry, and aircraft operating for the Olym- will need an arrival slot and/or a depar- Farnborough 145 1,958 0 86 0 0 17 2,206 2012 London Olympic Games this sum- guide are awaiting further input from and Cardiff. pic Broadcast Service–will be exempt ture slot. Booking of slots started on mer about the airspace restrictions to be Britain’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Another restricted site will be Wey- from restrictions. These have their own Sept. 5, 2011, with airports such as Big- Biggin Hill 668 1,147 0 14 4 0 4 1,837 imposed and how to handle them. Major some final legislative arrangements. mouth, where Olympic sailing will be set of procedures. The gin Hill, Cambridge, Farnborough and Southend 0 828 0 0 0 4 0 832 restrictions will be in place centered over What is already settled is that there held on the south coast of England. at Battersea, on the south bank of the Oxford. Stansted, Birmingham, Luton Cambridge 129 624 0 0 56 0 19 828 London and the Olympic Park from July will be restrictions around other Olym- These will apply from sea level to 3,000 River Thames, has also been afforded a and Bournemouth started taking book- Oxford 213 569 0 0 0 0 0 782 14 to August 15, with lesser restrictions pic sites for shorter periods of time, feet. Details of all restrictions will be special exemption. ings from Nov. 30, 2011. On February 1, for the Paralympic Games from August for example at the athletes’ village at available via Notams and through www. The MoD and air traffic management Southampton and London City are set Bournemouth 181 0 8 4 416 54 0 663 16 to September 12. Egham (just south of Heathrow Air- skydemonlight.com. company NATS will also be providing a to begin accepting slot bookings. 422 126 0 26 0 0 87 661 Still to come from the CAA are port) and rowing site at nearby Eton Authorities have modified the bound- significant enhancement to the AFPeX Gatwick and Heathrow are already Lydd 0 292 0 0 0 0 0 292 details of plans for dedicated airspace Dorney. There will also be temporary aries of the Prohibited and Restricted support and processing team that will slot-controlled, through Airport Coor- Manston 73 29 0 14 46 0 4 166 dination Limited (ACL). For ad hoc flights at Gatwick slot bookings are Fairoaks 4 97 0 0 0 0 0 101 required between 24 hours (if possible) Learn More About London’s and 10 days beforehand; at Heathrow Olympic Flight Plan such bookings will be difficult to obtain ADDITIONAL OLYMPIC-GENERATED FLIGHTS IN THE 2012 SCHEDULE–BY AIRPORT The UK CAA will hold a briefing on Olympic during normal hours of operation. Heathrow has declared reduced capac- Airspace flight planning on Saturday, March Airport Commercial Positioning Genav/Bizav Head of State Total ity between July 14 and September 14 to 10 in London, in conjunction with the Royal Stansted 420 86 340 36 882 help it to cope with demand. Institute of Navigation (RIN). The event, part The slot-booking procedure is as Biggin Hill 0 0 669 14 683 of the Airspace and Safety Initiative (www. follows: Luton 280 44 264 6 594 airspacesafety.com) will be held at the Royal 1) Review slot availability of the airport Cambridge 0 0 520 0 520 Geographical Society, where the RIN is based. online at www.online-coordination.com. It will feature presentations and a question- 2) Contact the airport/handling agent. Southend 0 0 510 0 510 and-answer session with participants includ- 3) Airport uses www.online-coordina- Oxford 0 0 382 0 382 ing representatives from the CAA, NATS and tion to obtain slots. Lydd 0 0 238 0 238 the UK Ministry of Defence. Specifically this 4) For general and business aviation the will address use of “Atlas Control,” the ATC airport receives a unique slot ID, which Farnborough 0 0 82 86 168 unit that will control the Restricted Zone, flight is entered by the operator in field 18 of Unallocated 0 0 0 34 34 planning and interception procedures. A brief- the flight plan, pre-fixed RMK/ASL. Northolt 0 0 0 26 26 ing on VFR navigation techniques will also be 5) For operations to some airfields, such Gatwick 0 0 0 18 18 given to help pilots to avoid inadvertent in- as Biggin Hill and Farnborough, the fringements of the zones. –I.S. flight plan must include the address Manston 0 0 0 14 14

EGGOLYMI. FOTOLIA London City 0 0 8 0 8 Further information on slots can be Major airspace restrictions will be in place for Bournemouth 0 0 0 4 4 Access to the 2012 London Olympics Restricted Zone, left, requires compliance with a set of rules defined by aircraft type. To enter the Prohibited Zone, right, aircraft must have undergone crew, passenger and baggage obtained by e-mailing ACL at: 21july- the summer Olympic Games, to be held this Heathrow 0 0 0 0 0 screening in accordance with the relevant security program, be inbound to or outbound from Heathrow, London City, RAF Northolt or Biggin Hill and under the control of those airports or NATS TC or Thames Radar. [email protected]. o summer in London.

34 Aviation International News • February 2012 • www.ainonline.com www.ainonline.com • February 2012 • Aviation International News 35