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| Southend Airport Letter of Agreement |
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London Region have brokered a Letter of Agreement with Southend Airport. The full transcript is available here. Pilots intending to enter either the CTR or the CTA areas must ensure that they comply with the requirements of the L of A in order that the excellent spirit of co-operation with Southend ATC is maintained. The agreement is re-examined on a yearly basis and re-signed every 3 years. Although there has been one minor amendment in 2016 the substantive requirements remain unaltered. |
A Letter of Agreement Between:
London Southend Airport and London Region British Balloon and Airship Club
Contents
Part Subject Latest Amendment
Introduction Title Page and Signatures 06 Feb 2014
Part One Balloon Operations within 06 Feb 2014
the Southend Control Zone
and Control Areas
Part Two Balloon Operations under the base of 06 Feb 2014
the Southend CTAs
Part Three Southend Airport ATC 06 Feb 2014
responsibilities
A Letter of Agreement Between
London Southend Airport and London Region British Balloon and Airship Club
1. Introduction
1.1 The purpose of this agreement is:
a) To define an agreed code of practice for hot air balloons operating within the Southend CTR / CTAs.
b) To define an agreed code of practice for hot air balloons operating under the base of the Southend CTAs.
2. Procedures
a) Part One: Balloon Operations within the Southend Control Zone and Control Areas.
b) Part Two Balloon Operations under the base of the Southend CTAs
c) Part Three: Southend Airport ATC responsibilities.
3. Application of the Letter of Agreement
3.1 Permanent amendment to, or withdrawal of, this Letter of Agreement is to be effected only with the written consent of the signatories or their successors.
3.2 This Letter of Agreement becomes effective at 0001 on 02 April 2015.
3.3 This LOA shall be reviewed during April 2016 and thereafter annually. The method of review shall be acceptable to both parties.
4. Parties to the Agreement
It is hereby declared that the parties to the said agreement are London Southend Airport and London Region British Balloon and Airship Club Ltd.
xxxx
For and on behalf of London Region British Balloon and Airship Club
Dated xxxxx
Ben May
Head of Air Traffic Services
For and on behalf of London Southend Airport
Dated xxxxx
PART ONE
Balloon Operations within the Southend Control Zone and Control Areas
1. Rule 27, paragraphs 1, 2 and 3 of the Rules of the Air Regulations 1996, as stated in the Air Navigation Order, apply to the Southend CTR.
2. The CTR comprises 1-3. This airspace is designated ICAO Category D.
3. The CTA comprises 1-10. This airspace is designated ICAO Category D
4. For any planned flight within the Southend CTR / CTA, pilots should take account of the wind direction and, so far as is possible and practicable within pilots’ commercial and sporting needs, arrange their departure point so as to offer a flight track which minimises interaction with the active circuit and approach/take off paths at Southend Airport.
5. Pilots wishing to take-off balloons from sites within the CTR shall request ATC clearance in advance by telephone to Southend ATC on 01702 538420, prior to starting the inflation (or a minimum of 30 minutes before planned departure time). At this stage the Balloon Operator should advise Southend ATC of a mobile telephone contact number for contingency use. ATC may at this stage advise of a tactical delay in order to resolve any imminent traffic issues, however notwithstanding this, pilots may anticipate that permission from Southend ATC will be granted for such flights if there is a reasonable likelihood that such flights will not cross overhead Southend Airport or through the active runway approach or departure paths, and the pilot has an operational radio capable of transmitting and receiving on the Southend Approach frequency 130.775 MHz.
6. Already airborne balloons wishing to enter the Southend CTR or CTA shall establish radio communication with Southend ATC at least 5 minutes before they will need to enter either the CTR or the CTA, as appropriate, in order to obtain a clearance to enter CAS.
7. When entering the Southend CTR from the west, north-west, north or north-east, the pilots of balloons whose track is likely to cross overhead Southend Airport or cross the instrument approach path or departure path of the active runway, should anticipate a landing before reaching a position that is 2nm north-west of and parallel to the extended centre line of Southend airport. In practise, landings may be required no further south than:
1) The Rayleigh-Hullbridge-Hockley areas
2)The Althorne-Southminster areas. However if there is no traffic presenting nor expected with Southend ATC, then progress further south may be possible with ATC clearance on a tactical basis.
8. Balloon pilots often use the difference in wind direction between 2000-3000’ and the surface for steering purposes. Access to Southend CTA1 and CTA4 up to the base of the London TMA may be requested by balloon pilots. Access should be anticipated subject to the traffic pattern in force at the airport.
9. In the spirit of co-operation between professional operations, the signatories will work together to achieve the most efficient use of Southend airspace for all its users. For example:
a) Southend ATC will actively facilitate, whenever practicable, balloons transiting the approach path early mornings and when traffic is not expected.
b) London Region British Balloon and Airship Club will work to minimise balloon flights towards Southend Airport at known busy times for Southend airport.
c) Southend ATC may volunteer, and balloon pilots may request, airport wind conditions or any pilot wind reports received.
10. Radio telephony procedures will be reviewed on an ongoing basis. At the signature date of this Letter of Agreement, balloon pilots shall contact Southend ATC on the notified Approach frequency.
PART TWO
Balloon Operations Under The Base Of The Southend Control Areas
1. Pilots of balloons operating under the base of MC CTAs are not required to advise Southend ATC of their flight, except as required by the Operations Manual in the case of balloons operated by AOC holders.
2. Pilots of balloons that wish to enter the Southend CTAs should telephone Southend ATC prior to departure and notify their intentions and approximate timings. Such notification is for planning purposes only and does not constitute an ATC clearance to enter the Southend CTA.
3. Already airborne balloons wishing to enter Southend CTAs shall follow the procedure in Part 1, paragraph 6 and gain ATC clearance to enter the CTA’s.
PART THREE
Southend Airport ATC Responsibilities
1. London Southend Airport will, whenever possible, advise pilots of known balloon activity within Southend CTR / CTA and surrounding airspace.
2. London Southend Airport will endeavour to facilitate flight by balloons in the Southend CTR / CTAs, subject to the conditions specified in Part One and Part Two of this Letter of Agreement.
3. Southend ATC will brief its staff on the likely locations of balloon launch and landing sites within the CTR and underneath the CTAs, as advised by the LRBBAC. This will not preclude the use of any other sites with the mutual agreement of both Southend ATC and the Balloon Operator, when operated in accordance with the spirit of this agreement.
4. Known/established sites in the vicinity of LSA are:
Name Grid. Ref. LAT. LONG. Comments
Canewdon TQ 904 947 In CTR
Battlesbridge TQ 776 951 Under CTA 1
Rettendon TQ 772 987 Under CTA 4
Crondon Hall TL 692 010 Under CTA 4
Napps Field TQ 671 982 Boundary of CTA4
Coptfold Hall TL 671 982 Boundary
of CTA 4
PART FOUR
Balloon Operators Responsibilities
1. Balloon Operators will liaise with Southend ATC at least 1 month in advance if any extra-ordinary balloon activity or events are planned in or adjacent to the Southend CTR/CTAs
2. Balloon Operators will phone Southend ATC at least 30 minutes before when it is known in principle that a launch site within the CTR will be requested.
3. Balloon Operators will phone Southend ATC 5 minutes before launch time
4. Balloon Operators will contact Southend ATC by VHF radio once airborne and maintain 2-way radio whilst inside Southend CTR/CTAs.
5. In the event of a radio failure occurring whilst in flight, Balloon Operators shall contact Southend ATC on 01702 538420 as soon as it is safe to do so after landing, to inform them of this along with the position of their landing site.
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