IRELAND AERONAUTICAL INFORMATION SERVICE IRISH AVIATION AUTHORITY CONTROL TOWER SHANNON AIRPORT CO. CLARE Tel +353 61 703750 Fax +353 61 366245 AIC Nr 18 /14 11 DEC Guidance n VFR flight in Airspace Classes C and G and Infrmatin n the Prvisin f Flight Infrmatin and Alerting Service therein. 1. Intrductin This Ntice is fr pilts cnducting their flights in Ireland under Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and prvides infrmatin and guidance n; The types f air traffic service (ATS) prvided in cntrlled airspace (ICAO Class C) and uncntrlled airspace (ICAO Class G). The rganizatin f airspace Pilts respnsibilities Flight planning Light Aviatin Sprting Activities 2. Air Traffic Services There are three types f Air Traffic Service available; Air Traffic Cntrl Service Flight Infrmatin Service Alerting Service IRISH AVIATION AUTHORITY Page 1 f 6
3. Air Traffic Cntrl (ATC) Service An ATC service is prvided t pilts f aircraft perating under VFR in cntrlled airspace (Class C). A flight plan (FPL) is required fr VFR flights in cntrlled airspace and shuld be filed in advance. In certain circumstances, flight plan details will be accepted by Radi Telephny (R/T) by the relevant ATC unit. An ATC clearance is required befre entry t cntrlled airspace. An ATC unit will issue clearances t ensure that separatin exists between IFR flights and VFR flights. It is vital that pilts f VFR flights cmply with ATC clearances. The ATC unit will prvide the pilts f VFR flights with traffic infrmatin n ther VFR flights. Where a pilt f a VFR flight cannt cmply with an ATC clearance, r if they are having difficulty maintaining VFR, they shuld advise the ATC unit f this expeditiusly. This will enable the ATC unit t ffer an alternative clearance. 4. Flight Infrmatin Service (FIS) A Flight Infrmatin Service (FIS) is available t pilts f aircraft flying in uncntrlled airspace (Class G) wh; Have filed a FPL Make cntact with the apprpriate ATS unit after becming airbrne. Where a FPL has been filed, the ATS unit shuld be ntified by telephne r by R/T, as apprpriate, that the flight is abut t cmmence r that it has cmmenced. This actin will activate the FPL and allws the ATS unit t prvide a mre effective FIS service. Where a FPL has nt been filed and the pilt is in receipt f a FIS, the ATS unit shuld be infrmed, by the pilt, when the flight detail is cmplete r when they are leaving the frequency. This will assist the ATS unit in its prvisin f the FIS. Where a flight leaves a FIS frequency withut cntacting the ATS unit, it will be cnsidered t be perating nrmally. In that instance, an Alerting service will nly be initiated where an ATS unit becmes aware that it is required. If an ATC service and a FIS are being prvided cntempraneusly by an individual ATC sectr r ATC Twer unit, then the prvisin f an ATC service will have pririty ver a FIS. IRISH AVIATION AUTHORITY Page 2 f 6
5. Alerting Service Alerting Service is prvided: T all aircraft n activated FPLs. When it becmes therwise knwn t the ATS unit that an aircraft is verdue r is in need f search and rescue. When a pilt cntacts an ATS unit requesting a radi check r infrmatin n lcal weather / traffic, and subsequently advises that they d nt wish t file a FPL, the flight tracking ability f the ATS unit is limited, thus the ATS unit can nly prvide search and rescue assistance t aircraft if it is requested by the aircraft r if it becmes knwn t the ATS unit that such a service is required. 6. Units Prviding ATS State Airprts State airprts are established at; Dublin (EIDW) Crk (EICK) Shannn (EINN) A Flight Infrmatin Service (FIS) is prvided by these ATS units within their gegraphical areas f respnsibility. Nn-State Airprts Nn-State airprts are established at; Dnegal (EIDL) Slig (EISG) Ireland West Airprt Knck (EIKN) Kerry (EIKY) Waterfrd (EIWF) Westn (EIWT) IRISH AVIATION AUTHORITY Page 3 f 6
During the pening hurs f the Nn-State airprts, the lcal airspace is designated as Class C (cntrlled) Cntrl Zne (CTR), and an air traffic cntrl (ATC) service is prvided by the assciated ATS unit within a radius f 10NM f the airfield. During the pening hurs f Dnegal, Slig and Waterfrd Airprts, fr peratinal reasns the lcal Airspace may revert t Class G. A NOTAM will be issued when this ccurs and an Aerdrme Flight Infrmatin Service (AFIS) will be prvided by the assciated airprt ATS unit. Westn is lcated within the Dublin CTR and as such is always encmpassed by cntrlled airspace. During Westn hurs f pening, the ATC service in the Westn Area f Operatin is prvided by the ATS unit at Westn. Outside f these hurs, the aerdrme is clsed, and the ATC service is prvided by the ATS unit at Dublin Airprt. The Military ATS unit at Casement Aerdrme will, when the apprpriate EI Restricted Areas are active, prvide the service inside certain prtins f the Dublin CTR. See AIP Ireland fr mre details. When pen, a clearance frm the aerdrme ATS unit is required t enter the CTR r additinal cntrlled airspace. If intending t fly near these airprts, pilts shuld cntact the relevant ATS unit at the airprt t establish the status f the airspace. A clearance must be btained frm the ATS unit befre entering this additinal Class C airspace. The CTRs and ther cntrlled airspace assciated with these aerdrmes have varying hurs f peratin. Outside f published r ntified pening hurs fr the Nn-State airprts (except Westn), the airspace reverts t uncntrlled (Class G) and Shannn ATS unit prvides a FIS and an Alerting service. The airspace charts and pening and clsing hurs f peratin are cntained in either AIP Ireland r in relevant NOTAMs and it shuld be nted that times may vary t facilitate early arriving r delayed flights Outside the Published r ntified pening hurs f the Slig CTR (where the airspace reverts t Class G Uncntrlled) and Slig Airprt is published r ntified pen, an Aerdrme Flight Infrmatin Service is prvided. Such hurs f AFIS are published via NOTAM. Pilts are prvided by Slig AFIS with an Aerdrme Flight Infrmatin and Alerting Service, while perating in the lcal airspace and it shuld be nted that times may vary t facilitate helicpters n SAR missins based at Slig. 7. Use f Surveillance fr the Prvisin f FIS in Uncntrlled Airspace (Class G) Surveillance equipment (radar) may be used t assist the prvisin f a FIS t aircraft in uncntrlled airspace. This is nt an Air Traffic Cntrl service. At all times when flying in uncntrlled airspace respnsibility fr the safe cnduct f the flight, rests with the pilt in cmmand. Traffic infrmatin t flights in uncntrlled airspace may be incmplete as the ATS unit prviding a FIS may nt be aware f all flights. IRISH AVIATION AUTHORITY Page 4 f 6
8. Internatinal VFR Flights A FPL is mandatry fr internatinal VFR flights. If departing n an internatinal VFR flight frm an aerdrme lcated utside cntrlled airspace, the apprpriate ATS unit (see sectin 3) must be advised f the departure f the aircraft. This can be dne in advance by telephne r, after the aircraft is airbrne, by R/T. The ATS unit will then ensure that a Departure Message (DEP) is sent t all relevant ATS units, thus ensuring that a FIS and an Alerting service will be prvided until the FPL is clsed. 9. Flight Plan Clsures Temprary FPL clsure is prvided fr in ICAO Dcument PANS ATM DOC 4444. Where a flight advises that it is executing an intermediate stp, the prvisin f a FIS cannt resume until the pilt advises the ATS that; The flight has recmmenced (by R/T). The flight is abut t recmmence (by telephne). FPLs that have been activated must be clsed. If an activated FPL is nt clsed it may lead t Alerting actin being initiating. This actin may be anything up t and including the launch f an SAR Helicpter. Such resurces are valuable and cstly. Pilts are strngly requested t adhere t flight plan clsure requirements in rder that search and rescue resurces remain available t thse wh really need them. 10. Light Aviatin Sprting Activities Pilts f VFR flights shuld be aware that significant light aviatin sprting activities, such as ballning, gliding, parachuting and micr light flying, take place n a rutine and nn-rutine basis within the Shannn FIR. Where the activity is rutine, and has been ntified t the Irish Aviatin Authrity (IAA), pilts will nt be infrmed by ATS units prviding a FIS, as the details, including crdinates, f any such activities are published in AIP Ireland ENR 5.5 Sectin 6.2. Where the activity is nn-rutine, and has been ntified t the apprpriate ATS unit prviding a FIS, pilts that may be affected will be prvided with infrmatin n the activity. Nn-rutine activities may als take place withut being ntified t the IAA r ATS units. Cnsequently, the FIS unit cncerned will be unable t prvide details f the activity. Pilts shuld always exercise cautin when in the vicinity f areas f activity. IRISH AVIATION AUTHORITY Page 5 f 6
11. Supplementary Infrmatin Phne Numbers fr the activatin/clsing f FPLs: Flights perating in the area f respnsibility f Shannn ATS: 00 353 61 770725 00 353 61 770700 Flights perating in the area f respnsibility f Dublin ATS: 00 353 1 806 7400 FPLs may als be activated nce airbrne, by R/T, n the apprpriate ATS/FIS frequency. This Aic expires June 2015. IRISH AVIATION AUTHORITY Page 6 f 6