14 June 2023
A consultation regarding a Radio Mandatory Zone (RMZ) to support an Instrument Approach at Stapleford Aerodrome is running until 10 July 2023.
The consultation launched on 17 April but is “hard to find” according to one of the listed consultees who also said they have not been contacted. The proposed change has yet to be posted on the CAA’s Airspace Change Portal website.
The consultation document (which can be downloaded here) says, “The objective of the Airspace Change Proposal (ACP) was to introduce the Instrument Approach Procedure (IAP) to both formalise the use of instrument flight procedures for training purposes and provide an official instrument approach procedure to support the return to base flights for Stapleford aircraft and other aircraft when the weather conditions (e.g. cloud base) are below that required for Visual Flight Rules (VFR) operations.
“The airspace around Stapleford is Class G uncontrolled airspace and is a high traffic environment for VFR traffic since it is in a bottle-neck surrounded by the controlled airspace of Luton and Stansted to the north, Heathrow and London City to the south and Southend to the east. Hence aircraft flying under VFR in the north London area are naturally funnelled into this area.
“The intention is not to use the procedure operationally when VFR conditions exist (e.g. the normal circuit is active), but only for training (with an instructor/safety pilot). The operational use of the proposed instrument approach could result in aircraft flying Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) descending through cloud with VFR traffic operating below the cloud in Visual Meteorological Conditions (VMC) in Class G airspace.
“It is Stapleford’s intention to share information on the activation and use of the IAP with aerodromes and Air Traffic Service Units (ATSU) in close proximity to the IAP so that transiting aircraft or adjacent departing and arriving traffic are aware of the operation of the Stapleford IAP.
“Nevertheless, there remains the possibility for aircraft not in receipt of a Lower Airspace Radar Service (LARS) service, nor in communication with Stapleford to be operating in the vicinity without IFR traffic being aware of their presence.”
Three options have been put forward (four if you include ‘do nothing’) with the preferred option (pictured above) showing the RMZ extending vertically from the ground to the base of the London TMA.
“It would mean improved situational awareness for any aircraft having established or about to establish on the approach,” says the consultation document.
“This proposed option would contain the full IAP for arriving aircraft just prior to establishing at the Initial Approach Fix (IAF). All traffic departing and arriving within the RMZ would be informed of the likely use of the IAP through their local ATSU following the established LoAs.”
It means that all operations with the RMZ would need to be radio equipped and on frequency. This would be expected to mainly impact North Weald and Stapleford traffic, but there are also a number of private airstrips in the area including Willingale, the former RAF Chipping Ongar.
Other points raised in the consultation document include:
