RIAT ATC

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RIAT ATC
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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by RIAT ATC »

With reference to Billy Badger - back in 1998, ATC joked about a "Badger Meet" rather than a Tiger Meet. From this, a toy badger was purchased from a stall and became our mascot, named Billy.
Full details of a kidnap attempt that year, and his epic ride in a B1 can be found in Graham Hurley's excellent "Airshow" book.
Since then we have successfully managed to get Billy flying in every type to fly in the subsequent displays. Obviously this year he has few new teams to look forward too, although he already has airborne time with the Black Eagles!
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RIAT ATC
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Re: RIAT ATC

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globemaster50 wrote:
Thu 23 Jun 2022, 8:59 pm
Will the northern taxiway and dispersal be unavailable this year because of the building work? How will that affect your juggling workload?!
Those types unable to accept the wingspan restrictions on the Northern taxiway will require to backtrack the runway. We have taken this into account during the planning phase, with extra time given to the arrival slots of those aircraft affected.
The reduction in tarmac for parking in the North-East loop has resulted in more display assets being parked southside, which will hopefully make those areas more interesting and dynamic during the display days.
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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by capercaillie »

You really need a Tu16 at the show or maybe settle with a Chinese X-6.
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Re: RIAT ATC

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RIAT ATC wrote:
Fri 24 Jun 2022, 2:11 pm
With reference to Billy Badger - back in 1998, ATC joked about a "Badger Meet" rather than a Tiger Meet. From this, a toy badger was purchased from a stall and became our mascot, named Billy.
Full details of a kidnap attempt that year, and his epic ride in a B1 can be found in Graham Hurley's excellent "Airshow" book.
Since then we have successfully managed to get Billy flying in every type to fly in the subsequent displays. Obviously this year he has few new teams to look forward too, although he already has airborne time with the Black Eagles!
I wonder if he and Geofrey Giraffe, who is touring UK Airshows will ever have a pairs flight?

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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by bobby 1211 »

Image
Is that ADS exchange and flightradar open>? :smile:

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RIAT ATC
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Re: RIAT ATC

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That's Greenham Common (and yes it is!)
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RIAT ATC
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Re: RIAT ATC

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With just a week to go until we clear our first aircraft to land, we in ATC are also keeping an eye on the weather forecast - with particular interest as to how the forecast winds will affect our operation.

The BBC seem to have settled on winds which will favour Runway 27, which is always our preferred runway in use for arrivals, as it makes the vacating of aircraft for their allocated parking aprons more straightforward.

We will always attempt to remain on RW27, even with a slight tailwind component. However, if the Brize Norton traffic requires the use of their Easterly runway, we will change to match this in order to integrate our two traffic patterns in the safest way.

We will also try our best to give P&V as much notice as possible of any runway change, so that enthusiasts can relocate if they wish.

Also looks like we are packing plenty of sun cream and drinking a lot of water!
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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by Tommy »

RIAT ATC wrote:
Wed 06 Jul 2022, 12:43 pm

The BBC seem to have settled on winds which will favour Runway 27, which is always our preferred runway in use for arrivals, as it makes the vacating of aircraft for their allocated parking aprons more straightforward.
🤞🏻

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Re: RIAT ATC

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As many thoughts turn towards arrivals, we thought it might be of interest to describe what happens in the tower.

There are three main categories of arrivals in terms of how they are dealt with by ATC.
• IFR traffic vectored to the ILS
• Mostly military fast jet traffic vectored (then visual) to initials for a run and break into the circuit
• VFR arrivals who join the standard aerodrome circuit on the downwind or base leg.
For each arrival (and at this point we take a formation as one element) The Brize Liaison (BRL) position in the tower receives a phone call (we call this a pre-note) from Brize when they make first contact with the aircraft/element. This call will confirm what type of approach they will be undertaking, and whether the inbound will be going to a photoship for air to air photography (note this is not under the control of RIAT in any way, this is purely to give us an idea of timings).
BRL will place the inbound flight strip between them and the Tower controller (Air), positioned to BRL’s left, so Air can start to form a picture of the inbounds over the next ten to twenty minutes (a reminder here that there is no radar display in the tower, it’s all done visually/mentally).

The next step is the ‘ten mile check’ from Brize to BRL, which is usually around the ten mile mark for ILS inbounds and those being vectored to initials. For VFR circuit joiners this call probably comes a bit later on usually when they are within 5 miles of Fairford.

At this point, the strip is moved to the right-hand side bay in Air’s strip display (they have three vertical bays to hold the flight strips, inbounds work their way from the right-hand side to the middle (runway), then passed to Ground (GMC) on Air’s left). This is the point at which a phone call is made to RIAT Eng Ops to confirm the inbound’s parking apron location and if there is any particular runway exit it needs to take to get there, given what is already on the ground.
Also at this stage (ten mile check), GMC will start thinking about the plan in terms of where the inbound will vacate and request a Leader Vehicle on the GMC frequency to meet it at the expected location (they’ll write the Leader’s number on the inbound strip). Some arrivals may need more than one Leader (for example to pick up a brake chute).

Transfer of comms will take place next, where the inbound will be transferred to the Tower frequency and speak to Air, either at around 8 miles on the ILS, around 4 miles on the run in to initials, or a few miles to the N or S for VFR joiners. Air will have worked on a plan with BRL in terms of landing order, possibly asking Brize to hold one or more inbounds at one of a few locations close to Fairford.

At some point it’s vital to confirm visually exactly how many aircraft are in a multi-aircraft formation, and when a formation break into the circuit to land Air needs to keep track of each one, especially when some of the formation have landed, and some are still airborne.

Once landed and under control, instructions to vacate the runway are given, and then the transfer to GMC occurs. GMC will instruct the aircraft to follow the particular Leader number, and hopefully that’s it.
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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by verreli »

Great insight. Thank you.

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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by aviodromefriend »

Interesting.

Now waiting to read the one about departures. :innocent:
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Sneezy24
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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by Sneezy24 »

Any chance you can share the ATC Frequencies that will be in use?

There are various posts on various forums, some agreement but not a very clear picture.

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RIAT ATC
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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by RIAT ATC »

124.8 Tower
121.180 Ground
124.555 Delivery (only open Monday for departures)
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Tommy
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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by Tommy »

Really interesting stuff, as per!

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Sneezy24
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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by Sneezy24 »

RIAT ATC wrote:
Sat 09 Jul 2022, 1:45 pm
124.8 Tower
121.180 Ground
124.555 Delivery (only open Monday for departures)
Great!

Thanks, and good luck for the show.
Anything that flies!

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RIAT ATC
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Re: RIAT ATC

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Just seen this on the main thread, in relation to the Frecce starting up...
Also quite some time between the engine starts of the different machines. It just happens when the individual pilots are ready, and ATC allows them to.
Might be worth clarifying that while the airfield is in 'display' mode, it's up to the pilot(s) to call ATC at the appropriate time to make their display slot (*and ATC will start to chase them if we/Flying Display Director think it's getting a bit tight). ATC will not prevent an aircraft or team from starting if they call earlier than expected. On first call we will pass an update on the show timings, i.e. running x mins early or late, so they can adjust their own timings.

It's only really on departures day that ATC say 'stand by for start'!
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Re: RIAT ATC

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So, departure Monday - how do we empty the airfield?

Well, it’s become pretty structured in recent years. Departure slots are issued in advance by the Flight Ops department, primarily based on where the aircraft is parked. Obviously with a show ground that has seen 250,000 people on it over the previous days, there is a lot of detritus and FOD - which the air cadets do a sterling job in clearing. Until a particular apron is declared “clean”, we don’t start aircraft on it. This is the reason why many of the early departures are the Northside flying display assets, which haven’t seen the public.

After that, the aprons are broken down in an order relative to the parking position of the aircraft and whether it can “get out” - obviously anything hemmed in by a larger type such as a C17 or B52 has to wait.

Occasionally, static and display aircraft are filed to depart together (such as the Swedish Gripens) - these days the engineers are very good at towing them to the same spot on Sunday night, rather than giving us the problem of making sure two aircraft from different parts of the airfield start and taxi in order to arrive at the hold together.

Aircraft file flight plans based on their departure slot - some departing GAT (civil airways routes), some OAT (through the military system) and the rest VFR - we have a range of standard clearances that you may hear on the radio - E.g. Fairford West or Fairford North IFR , or COBEL or MANOR VFR.

So, all good - aircraft start to meet their airfield departure slot with GMP, all IFR traffic is co-ordinated into the ATC system (including Sector 23 at Swanwick, who handled the airways joining traffic) by our Brize Liaison position, with handover to GMC not given until a clearance is received from Brize Norton. VFR are free flow and only get held up by airfield congestion.

Aircraft are allocated a leader vehicle by GMC and, when ready, given taxi instructions to get them to the holding point in an orderly fashion. The Air controller then co-ordinates their release with our colleagues at Brize Norton and clears them for take off.

Late morning tends to be busiest, when we might have to delay start ups due to airfield congestion, but if all goes to plan that is short lived.

It starts to get a bit more tricky if an aircraft picks up an airways slot which gives it a large delay on its airfield time, especially if that aircraft is blocking other aircraft in - it’s a similar problem if such aircraft go tech on start…. Time to get out the tow bar and find a suitable area to hold it!

If all goes smoothly, by early afternoon the airfield just has the last stragglers left (usually tech airframes or the odd Tuesday departure). We carry out a sweep up to make sure that there isn’t a late departure which has dropped off the system, then close the airfield and return it to our USAF colleagues…… Its all a bit bittersweet, as we all enjoy our RIAT week. Like the rest of you, we then look forward to the next year …..
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RIAT ATC
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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by RIAT ATC »

There was a question on tailwinds.... we are happy to run with a 5 knot tailwind component, as this is broadly acceptable to all types, and for the smaller aircraft 10 knots may be okay.

However, if we get notification that inbounds need the opposite end, then we will change - trying to operate "both ends against the middle", as we call it, isn't conducive with safety in a busy/complex environment.

However, the aircraft operation at Brize Norton is less able to accept tailwinds, therefore we may need to operate on easterlies anyway.
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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by CJS »

This has to be one of the most interesting threads I've read on here, thanks for the fascinating insights 👍🏼
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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by Airwolfhound »

What a fab insight, many thanks for posting. My next door neighbour has been in Eng Ops for RIAT for the past 30 odd years, he has some great stories to tell when plied with a few glasses of shandy lol :-)
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Re: RIAT ATC

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RIAT ATC
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Re: RIAT ATC

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RIAT ATC
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Re: RIAT ATC

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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by CJS »

So exciting it was worth posting twice (it genuinely was 🤣 )
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Re: RIAT ATC

Post by RIAT ATC »

Ha!

Signal isn't great as you can tell!
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