Portmoak Pilot's Information and Airfield Manual

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====== -"E" Letters of Agreement ======

All LoAs are on the [[https://members.gliding.co.uk/library/loas/|BGA website]].

===== - Weekends Only =====

==== 0.0.1 The TAY CTA Gliding Area ====

[[https://members.gliding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2015/04/Scottish-SGU-BGA-Portmoak-P600-Gliding-Area-.pdf|https://members.gliding.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2015/04/Scottish-SGU-BGA-Portmoak-P600-Gliding-Area-.pdf]]

The most important agreement allows us to request the opening of **part** of TAY CTA and **part** of the northern section of the Scottish TMA for gliding at weekends. Note, this is **only** possible at weekends.

If flying at the weekend on a wave day, find out if TAY CTA is OPEN before launching by looking at the flip board outside the clubroom or on the launchpoint caravan whiteboards.

If the airway is not open, then stay clear as above. If the airway is open, you may climb up to FL190 in the marked areas, but must under no circumstances go within a 2 nm radius of Strathallan (this is a specific condition of the opening procedure). The area is identified by a line connecting Stirling, Doune and Callander to the SW, and ends at Scone Airfield to the NW.

If conditions improve and you require the airway to be opened, call the launch point on the radio and await their relayed clearance before entering. Note that 122.915 is only licensed for use within 10nm or site and below 3000 ft, so make the call while within those limits if you wish to use 122.915. Beyond those limits you should be on 130.105 for cross country situational awareness. If asked to open TAY CTA, follow the procedure on the notice board in the club office. Once the airway is open, reset the sign outside the office and broadcast to all traffic on both 122.915 and 130.105

If the TAY CTA area is open you do not need a transponder to climb above FL100 within the TAY CTA LoA area. Outside of this area (and the waveboxes) you can only operate above FL100 if you have a transponder (Mode S or C) or if the FL100 NOTAM is active. It is quite likely to be active but you must check before climbing through FL100 or leaving the TAY CTA Gliding Area laterally above FL100.


==== - TRA(G)s incl Portmoak Area and the Scottish U&L, N&S Areas ====

A second agreement allows us to request access to specific areas above FL195 at weekends – the waveboxes. This procedure requires two hours advance notification.

<blockquote>

Note that the Portmoak Area wave box may only be opened in conjunction with the weekend delegation of P600.

</blockquote>

If flying at the weekend on a wave day, find out if any of the wave boxes are OPEN before launching.

If the wave boxes are not open, then you must stay below FL195 at all times or FL100 if there is no FL100 NOTAM and you are not transponder equipped. If any of the boxes are open, you may climb up to FL240 in the appropriate areas, but must monitor the radio on 130.105 throughout in case there is a need for gliders to vacate the area in case of an aerial emergency (this is a specific condition of the opening procedure).

The wave boxes cannot be clearly identified by visual features and it is an express condition of the LOA that you must navigate using a GPS with a moving map marked with the appropriate airspace.

If conditions improve and you require any of the waveboxes to be opened, call the launch point on the radio and await their relayed clearance before entering. Note that this call should be made on 130.105, as 122.915 is only licensed for use within 10nm of site and below 3000 ft. You are extremely unlikely to gain access to any box except the Portmoak Area box at short notice.

If receiving this call, follow the procedure on the notice board in the club office. Once the airway is open, reset the sign outside the office and broadcast to all traffic on both 122.915 and 130.105.

The LOA also permits access to certain areas above FL240. If you wish to implement this procedure, you will need to study the LOA and do the preparation yourself.

===== - Every Day =====

==== - TAY CTA Crossing Corridors ====

A third agreement allows gliders to cross TAY CTA via predefined corridors. These corridors are shown on the LoA schematic (refer SGC website), but the procedure needs to be studied in detail prior to use. It has been agreed with Prestwick ACC that the sectors are still classified alphabetically. The agreement only applies only to those who have read and telephone activated the procedure before launching. **Do not** invoke the procedure unless you know what you are doing.

==== - Crossing Edinburgh Class D Airspace ====

A fourth agreement allows gliders to penetrate the class D airspace to the West of the Edinburgh control zone. The procedure is complex and may only be used by pilots who have studied the LoA thoroughly and understand all the conditions. These include contacting the Edinburgh ATC Watch Manager by telephone to discuss details of the proposed flight, and the keeping of records of usage. No pilot should use this procedure without prior consultation with the CFI.

[[D. Cross Country Flying]] | [[airfieldmanual:start#contents|Contents]] | [[F. Moray CTA Radio Procedures]]