COP26 Restrictions
COP26 Restrictions
I see the impending COP26 gathering in Glasgow involves what looks to be some completely over the top aircraft movement prohibitions; effectively the entire Central Belt area of Scotland, plus Cumbernauld airport,.is inaccessible except with Police permission for the whole fortnight. Even more absurd than the restrictions for the 2012 Olympics, the last wide blanket restrictions that I recall.
Fortunately it is late Autumn, so rather fewer of us wanting to fly anyway.
Judging by the difficulty I had the last time I had to explain to Police what was involved in an aircraft incident, I don't hold out much hope that logic, common sense or even significant knowledge will be much in play when permission is being requested. I hope I am wrong in that, but experience suggests otherwise !
Fortunately it is late Autumn, so rather fewer of us wanting to fly anyway.
Judging by the difficulty I had the last time I had to explain to Police what was involved in an aircraft incident, I don't hold out much hope that logic, common sense or even significant knowledge will be much in play when permission is being requested. I hope I am wrong in that, but experience suggests otherwise !
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the last wide blanket restrictions that I recall
Hi,
Unfortunately, we in Cornwall recall all too well identical restrictions for G7 just this June. Horrendous right in the middle of the flying season. We're still waiting for our compensation. Not holding our breath, though.
We had a huge swathe right up to 10,000', covering the whole of our flying area. We weren't even allowed to fly models below 400'.
TOO
Yes, thank you TOO. I had forgotten about that very recent example - silly of me since my daughter who lives in Cornwall described the localised chaos to the family very amusingly.
I really do wonder what risks 'the authorities' are imagining in this ; have they spoken to anyone who actually understands general aviation and light aviation - or even model flying - and could guide them towards a more realistic appraisal. I suspect they haven't. Sadly, too few senior folk in the Police service appear to be listeners. Better on being authoritative and at issuing instructions than on being reflective; the nature of the job to some extent.
That said, the style of our media in this country does not encourage anything other than a defensive approach, to CYA in case of problems.
I really do wonder what risks 'the authorities' are imagining in this ; have they spoken to anyone who actually understands general aviation and light aviation - or even model flying - and could guide them towards a more realistic appraisal. I suspect they haven't. Sadly, too few senior folk in the Police service appear to be listeners. Better on being authoritative and at issuing instructions than on being reflective; the nature of the job to some extent.
That said, the style of our media in this country does not encourage anything other than a defensive approach, to CYA in case of problems.
Unfortunately COP26 seems to be attracting all sorts of attention-seekers, and some of the stunts they're planning may well involve aircraft – of any size, big, small or tiny.
Among the attention-seekers are 'Extinction Rebellion'. Why they are so determined to disrupt a climate change conference is beyond me.
Among the attention-seekers are 'Extinction Rebellion'. Why they are so determined to disrupt a climate change conference is beyond me.
Sounds like you were lucky, Dave.
Remember the previous “lockdown “ for the Olympics ? We even needed a full flight plan, slot times and return plan for a training detail.....every time !
God help the guys around Cumbernauld etc. and the whole of the Glasgow/Edinburgh slice.
Still maybe the weather will be so bad that our visitors will all want to go home early and nobody local‘ll want to fly either !
Remember the previous “lockdown “ for the Olympics ? We even needed a full flight plan, slot times and return plan for a training detail.....every time !
God help the guys around Cumbernauld etc. and the whole of the Glasgow/Edinburgh slice.
Still maybe the weather will be so bad that our visitors will all want to go home early and nobody local‘ll want to fly either !
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Ban? What ban?
You can fly in (most) uncontrolled airspace up to 400ft above ground level. So with Pythagorus's 3,4,5 law, you could scoot from Strathaven to Scone 300ft above the ground and 400ft horizontally from any person, vessel, vehicle or structure!
Maybe not quite so safe as a normal routing, but then is all this really about safety? The paramotor pilot who flew into the door of Turnburry when Donald was there never got prosecuted (or shot!), either, so it is he-haw anything about punishment for nutters.
The vehicle part might even be easier if Extinction Insulation block all the traffic for you.
ps. Please double check the rules yourself!
You can fly in (most) uncontrolled airspace up to 400ft above ground level. So with Pythagorus's 3,4,5 law, you could scoot from Strathaven to Scone 300ft above the ground and 400ft horizontally from any person, vessel, vehicle or structure!
Maybe not quite so safe as a normal routing, but then is all this really about safety? The paramotor pilot who flew into the door of Turnburry when Donald was there never got prosecuted (or shot!), either, so it is he-haw anything about punishment for nutters.
The vehicle part might even be easier if Extinction Insulation block all the traffic for you.
ps. Please double check the rules yourself!
Yes, scudding around at 400 ft is going to be lots of fun in your area 'xrayalpha' and on, say, a jaunt to Scone. Make sure you slalom around the total exclusion ground level to 10K sections!
I just wonder how difficult it will be to explain to Police why you are requesting permission to fly. The understanding of light aviation amongst the Police seems very patchy at best.
Given that that paramotor pilot did not get prosecuted (I wonder why), I'd suggest this OTT caper is all about 'being seen to take action', 'being proactive' and similar management BS Bingo phrases. Sigh.
I just wonder how difficult it will be to explain to Police why you are requesting permission to fly. The understanding of light aviation amongst the Police seems very patchy at best.
Given that that paramotor pilot did not get prosecuted (I wonder why), I'd suggest this OTT caper is all about 'being seen to take action', 'being proactive' and similar management BS Bingo phrases. Sigh.
It is utter nonsense banning us tax paying citizens from going about our normal activities, last year was bad enough. My golf club / hotel is putting up someone, close to Edinburgh, and the place is introducing security checks on people and cars. So both my GA flying and golf is being interfered with by this nonsense. Quite ironic that 25,000 people fly from around the world to talk about the climate. And all the big wigs are going to moving around by cars and helicopters.
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It is utter nonsense banning us tax paying citizens from going about our normal activities, last year was bad enough. My golf club / hotel is putting up someone, close to Edinburgh, and the place is introducing security checks on people and cars. So both my GA flying and golf is being interfered with by this nonsense. Quite ironic that 25,000 people fly from around the world to talk about the climate. And all the big wigs are going to moving around by cars and helicopters.
Ah - my wife has just pointed out another handy dandy restriction which is being put in place for the duration of COP26; warnings of GPS jamming all over the Central Belt.
Hmm - that isn't so clever, I'd say. Perhaps understandable there is to be jamming of 'UAS' frequencies - though most annoying for the increasing number of legitimate users, It seems that aviation GPS may well also be unreliable or unusable. Not a great idea for safety, given how many people rely on GPS nowadays.
So, you want us all to stay out of these restricted zones, and then remove (potentially) the main mechanism by which so many crosscheck positions. Someone possibly hasn't thought that through fully ! Get the maps out folks, it's back to basics time.
Hmm - that isn't so clever, I'd say. Perhaps understandable there is to be jamming of 'UAS' frequencies - though most annoying for the increasing number of legitimate users, It seems that aviation GPS may well also be unreliable or unusable. Not a great idea for safety, given how many people rely on GPS nowadays.
So, you want us all to stay out of these restricted zones, and then remove (potentially) the main mechanism by which so many crosscheck positions. Someone possibly hasn't thought that through fully ! Get the maps out folks, it's back to basics time.
If their frequencies are known, they'll be jammed.
PS I searched the CAA site for "COP26". Nil return.
I can only access the AIS "contingency" site since their improvement. I've emailed them to regain access.access.
I had a link to a map, but have lost it. Not easy to find.
PS I searched the CAA site for "COP26". Nil return.
I can only access the AIS "contingency" site since their improvement. I've emailed them to regain access.access.
I had a link to a map, but have lost it. Not easy to find.
From the "Sun":
"The shooters — which can also bring down planes — work by jamming radiowave signals from the device’s controller.A source said: “There will be Police Scotland officers with EMPs stationed around airports including Glasgow and Prestwick."
All of us would be well advised to handfly our aircraft, and not rely on electromagnetic brain signals to move the controls directly. ( Does anyone other than Uri Geller use this technique?)
"The shooters — which can also bring down planes — work by jamming radiowave signals from the device’s controller.A source said: “There will be Police Scotland officers with EMPs stationed around airports including Glasgow and Prestwick."
All of us would be well advised to handfly our aircraft, and not rely on electromagnetic brain signals to move the controls directly. ( Does anyone other than Uri Geller use this technique?)
I used the Notam Info Flight Planning Map web page; in the relevant Notam they quote it mentions GNSS as well. As Maoraigh1 said, I expect any known frequencies may be jammed. The fact the Notam also gives a contact number for 'emergency shutdown' of jamming only, suggests that any aerial work relying on GPS coverage will be impossible, Handy - do these characters actually think, or just knee jerk the first control freak nonsense which springs to their minds?
As for the "Sun" and its sensationalist BS, I do hope any 'shooters' recall how well their various follies around Gatwick went. If they start to try to down drones working using GPS navigation, they might be surprised where the darn things end up. That can be fairly random. Of course this is reported by '"The Sun", not well known for accuracy or detail thinking.
Mind you, the thought of Police Scotland with 'EMP' kit of any strength.(whatever that actually means !) is rather worrying anyway, especially for anyone in the Central Belt. For all their undoubted talents, our Police really don't do subtle terribly well; I can imagine all sorts of ways this could go 'orribly wrong !
Faraday's cages, anyone?
As for the "Sun" and its sensationalist BS, I do hope any 'shooters' recall how well their various follies around Gatwick went. If they start to try to down drones working using GPS navigation, they might be surprised where the darn things end up. That can be fairly random. Of course this is reported by '"The Sun", not well known for accuracy or detail thinking.
Mind you, the thought of Police Scotland with 'EMP' kit of any strength.(whatever that actually means !) is rather worrying anyway, especially for anyone in the Central Belt. For all their undoubted talents, our Police really don't do subtle terribly well; I can imagine all sorts of ways this could go 'orribly wrong !
Faraday's cages, anyone?
Last edited by biscuit74; 26th Oct 2021 at 17:44.