Introduction

Gloucestershire Airport is outside controlled airspace (Class G) but has an Air Traffic Zone and provides a full ATC service with primary radar (no call signs or altitude information). ATC will exercise positive control over all aircraft within the ATZ (2nm radius from the centre of runway 09/27 up to 2000ft QFE).

Departing VFR Traffic

ATIS is available on frequency 127.47 and this will advise the frequency to contact for ATC service. Departing light aircraft should contact ATC with engine/s running and ready to taxi. Taxi routing will be given along with aerodrome QNH followed by next reporting point. (E.g. "Taxi via A and B cross rwy 36 to holding point B1 for rwy 04. QNH 1023. Report ready for departure")

As you are entering class G airspace, there is no ATC clearance as such, but you will receive instructions for leaving the ATZ. This will include noise abatement procedure if any, direction of turn after departure and flight rules (E.g. "After the noise preferential routing, turn left on track, VFR"). Unlike at class D airports, these instructions are often given with the take off clearance. The readback required is: departure instructions, flight rules and clearance eg "after noise, left turn ,VFR, cleared for take off, [callsign]". You should set the transponder to 7000 all the time and squawk mode C when in the air.

After departure, VFR traffic will be advised to contact Gloster Approach for RIS or FIS (radar services limited to 25nm range up to FL80) until in range of another service or more than 15nm away. Under a FIS, pilots are typically asked to report at various visually recognised points along or near their route:

To Halfpenny Green and North - report Worcester
To Birmingham - report Evesham
To Wellesbourne and Coventry - report Broadway
To Kidlington and East - report Bourton-on-the-Water or Stow on the Wold
To South East - Report Cirencester or Cotswold Water Park
To Brize Norton and Kemble (if there is ATC there) - report crossing "the ridge" (the Cotswold escarpment about 5nm SE of the airfield)
To South - report Stroud
To Bristol, Filton, Cardiff and SW - report the bends in the river (large horseshoe bend at the end of the Severn estuary)
To West - report Ross on Wye
To Shobdon and North West - report Ledbury

If not following a direct route to your destination, include waypoints in your flight plan to enable ATC to decide an appropriate reporting point. In any case, you can request a different suitable point if you prefer or just decide to leave the frequency to call another agency - just report this intention to Gloster Approach first!

Circuits

Circuit height is 1000ft QFE usually left hand on runways 04,09 and 18; right hand on runways 22,27 and 36.

Rotary-wing: A helicopter circuit operates not above 750ft QFE inside the related fixed-wing circuit for each runway. Helicopters operate negative RT - just keeping a listening watch on the tower frequency and using the appropriate helipads for touching down (Eg Heli-North when rwy 09/27 is in use for fixed wing.)

Arriving VFR Traffic

Pilots should report on frequency with not less than 5 minutes flying time to go giving callsign and requested service only (the above list is a good guide for where to report when inbound). When asked to "pass your message", pass your full details and request joining instructions. At this point, the joining method should be agreed (standard overhead join/direct downwind etc) taking into account traffic in the circuit/joining/departing etc (Eg "G-ABCD, standard overhead join at 2000ft, QFE 1012. Report field in sight") The default joining method is the standard overhead join but this is negotiable!

If Tower is manned, a co-ordinated handoff will take place at some stage before entering the ATZ. Standard VFR circuit procedures should then be followed.

Rotary-wing: Standard helicopter arrival procedures are published - not above 750ft QFE at the ATZ boundary inbound to one of the helicopter landing areas (Heli-NW, heli-NE, heli-SW and heli-S)

Overflights

Traffic routing through the area will be given a FIS or radar service as requested (subject to workload). Pilots wishing to route through the overhead will need to report their ETA and altitude. A transit through the ATZ (ie 2000ft or below) will require the Approach controller to co-ordinate with Tower and it will be subject to ATZ traffic) You will be required to report overhead or passing abeam the airfield and when clear, to report passing a suitable point for handing off or free-calling another unit/station in the same way as departures.

Instrument traffic

Please bear in mind that Gloster is an ATC facility and has instrument approaches to runway 09/27 so you may have to keep well clear of the approach track if an instrument procedure is active. ATC will advise if this is the case and the type of aircraft to look out for. You must maintain VMC and keep a good look out.

Staverton Aerodrome