Welcome to visiting pilots wishing to fly in NE Fife/LOA with RAF Leuchars!
May 4, 2009 on 9:16 pm | In Paragliding |
With changes in personel at Leuchars it is once again time for Murray to sign the latest update of East Scotland Paragliding clubs LOA with RAF Leuchars. Just to remind members and inform new visiting pilots, the LOA covers a number of the clubs paragliding sites in the NE of Fife and helps ensure there is no conflict between paragliding and fast/heavy ‘wake’ aircraft on low level sorties or departing/recovering at Leuchars.
In addition to the named/notified PG sites, as the LARS unit provides ‘conflict’ information to the many GA aircraft flying in this part of Fife they can also assist us in maintaining safe seperation from light aircraft by advising those GA pilots of the areas we are thermal flying, provided radio contact with ATC is maintained. Visiting pilots who hold the required FRTO licence can contact Murray and if need by hire/borrow a licenced ‘Airband’ radio if they do not have their own equipment.
NB as 2 m radios are illegal please don’t bring them on to club sites as flying illegally will invalidate your 3rd party insurance! Also at a number of the clubs sites the LZ is out of site of the launch area so BHPA ‘CP’ insurance will not provide cover!
The latest changes to the LOA mainly including more detailed information regarding thermal flights/routes, re-visiting pilots who still wish to avoid conflict with fast jets… are requested to find out about these details before thermal flying NE Fife!
If intending to fly at some of the ‘open’ sites along the Tay south bank, either in or out side of the MATZ it is still strongly advised to check with Murray as to the site status on that day (farmers/landowners requests) as well as to let the RAF controllers inform the Jet Jocks where we are soaring as this is a regular low level (below hill top) route.
Remember it’s not just to ensure safe separation between RAF Jets / paragliders… if anything the hazards from Helicopters, both civilian and military quite legaly flying at low level in the Class G airspace of Fife and passing in front of a windward slope or even poping straight over the top of a hill can not be over stated!
At the bigger soaring sites in the MATZ we have even had occasions when the RAF controler called Murray up on the radio to check no PG pilots are about to bottom land… then passed (on one occasion 4 in tight formation following the A92 well below hill top height!) some jets BELOW the soaring paragliders!
Murray Hay
Welcoming all safe & legal PG pilots to visit us in Scotland to enjoy some of the 250 (approx!) days flying a year we get!
:-)
Murray Hay
http://www.paraglidingscotland.co.uk
Born in Kenya from Scottish parents, 'full time' job is commercial photography but the last ten plus years has seen me fly well over 4,500 hours, paragliding all over Scotland!
