Basic Service??

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Member for

16 years 1 month

Posts: 30

Hi,

Ive just started my PPL (JAR) at Coventry, and im a little confused about the new Radar service Phraseology, what exactly is offered in a basic service level?

Thanks

Ewan

Original post

Member for

15 years 2 months

Posts: 2,828

Ewan,
Good luck with the PPL. Who are you training with? What type are you training on? I fly out of an airfield not far south of you (Cranfield) ;)

Just before the change over I got a CD sent from the CAA, which I assume most PPL pilots got. Mind you this was quite some months ago now. Did you have the CD sent to you? From what I gather basic service is no real difference to the old FIS (Flight Information Service) that we used prior to the change over. However, so that I didnt misinform you as its been a while since I last looked at my CD I had a look on pprune and gathered this info..

Basic Service
Provides advice and information useful for the safe and efficient conduct
of flights. e.g. weather information, changes of serviceability of facilities,
conditions at aerodromes, general airspace activity information, and any
other information likely to affect safety.
Provision: ATC and FISO
Flight Rules & Met: VFR and IFR, VMC and IMC
Identification: Possibly, but does not imply radar service
Traffic & Deconfliction: Not specific
Terrain Clearance: Pilot responsible
Headings & Levels: Not required to notify, No specific control
Note: Allocation of a squawk does not imply a radar service

If you're at the start of your PPL that maybe a little bit much to digest but if you have any questions please feel free to PM me, and I know there is also a few other pilots around here (from PPL's to ATPL's) who can also help answer your questions. Although, a word of advice - always ask your instructor about things you dont understand as hes in the most qualified position to give you the answers you're looking for.

I'll take another look at my CAA CD tonight and see if theres anymore additional info for you.

Member for

16 years 1 month

Posts: 30

Thanks for the reply :-)

Im training with Almat in Coventry on a couple of 152s

I never had the CD sent, I started right after the change in legistration so I jsut missed it, ill see if my mate has one (hes already got a PPL.)

What youve got does answer most of my questions on it thanks

Member for

15 years 2 months

Posts: 2,828

Good luck mate! The C152 is a nice little bird. I flew the C152 for a while in Cornwall before going on to C172's. Although now at Cranfield I fly C150's (normal and aerobat) which arent really any different to the 152.

I'm not sure i've heard of Almat. Are they good?

Are you using the Trevor Thom Manuals for study? I'm guessing not even those are up to date regarding to basic service.

I hope your mate has the CD so you can lookover it. :cool:

Member for

16 years 1 month

Posts: 30

Yes I am using the Trevor Thom mauals, almat are very good :-) They have some good planes like G-BLAX an aerobat that is a joy to fly, its really balanced througth the turns, and keeps trim extremely well (compared to some of the other ones)

I looked at the vol 7 of threvor thoms, and its out of date, it goes on about Flight information service (possible equlivant to basic service) , radar advisory service etc. It still mentions that QFE is always given as well which is bizzare becasue EGBE only give it on request

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 16,832

At the root of all this is a combination of

1) Widespread misunderstanding from PPLs of what exactly an FIS gave them. Some actually thought it gave them deconfliction warnings, which it did not

2) Bad practice from some ATOCAS providers who tacked on unasked for traffic advisories to the FIS.

Now the FIS is only of any use if you have some specific enquiry and in truth, most of the time you'd be better off going non-radio and enjoying the peace and quiet.

Once it gets claggy and busy you can ask for a Traffic service, but many of the providers seem less than keen to provide one.

Whatever your instructor says (for practice), do it. But don't forget once you have the ppl that the aircraft lies perfectly well without the radio. They generally forget to tell you that at the end of your course hence much of the pointless bollox you hear over the radio every sunny weekend.

Moggy

Member for

16 years 1 month

Posts: 30

Thanks for the reply

I think we're made to request Basic Service from Radar is the large amount of GA traffic going around Coventry. As were so close to the EGBB CTA and the Danetry Control area, nearly all the VFR traffic is around Draycott and Rugby, so I think it lets us know if there are any traffic around those areas. It is also infested with gliders as well.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 16,832

Wrong!

The basic service provides NO traffic information

Moggy

Member for

16 years 1 month

Posts: 30

I have requested basic service, and been told about "Traffic in the vicinity of Draycott" or "Multiple contacts in the area", I think this is the "general airspace activity information" in the CAP774

I got the CD and its cleared it up.

"Chapter 2 Basic Service
1 Definition
A Basic Service is an ATS provided for the purpose of giving advice and information
useful for the safe and efficient conduct of flights. This may include weather
information, changes of serviceability of facilities, conditions at aerodromes, general
airspace activity information, and any other information likely to affect safety. The
avoidance of other traffic is solely the pilot’s responsibility.
Basic Service relies on the pilot avoiding other traffic, unaided by controllers/
FISOs. It is essential that a pilot receiving this service remains alert to the fact that,
unlike a Traffic Service and a Deconfliction Service, the provider of a Basic Service
is not required to monitor the flight."

Member for

15 years 2 months

Posts: 2,828

Glad thats cleared up for you now mate.

Good to hear that you're enjoying your time with Almat and I wish you the very best with the rest of the training. I had a feeling those manuals would be slightly out of date. They'll probably revise them now.

I must addmit in my days requesting FIS Culdrose Approach used to give me info about traffic in the area, which was a nice addition.

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 16,832

Sorry Ewan, I'm not being awkward for the sake of it, merely so that you don't stumble at an examiner's question.

What you may or may not have been given on a basic service, or its predecessor has nor relevance.

Basic service does NOT provide traffic information legally.

General Airspace Activity may include "Intense Gliding Activity around XXX"

It does not include "Traffic in your 3 o'clock, range five miles indicating 3,000 ft"

Moggy

Member for

16 years 1 month

Posts: 30

Sorry Ewan, I'm not being awkward for the sake of it, merely so that you don't stumble at an examiner's question.

What you may or may not have been given on a basic service, or its predecessor has nor relevance.

Basic service does NOT provide traffic information legally.

General Airspace Activity may include "Intense Gliding Activity around XXX"

It does not include "Traffic in your 3 o'clock, range five miles indicating 3,000 ft"

Moggy

Thats what I ment, I just dont think I was clear, they give like "Several aircraft known to be in the vicinity of Dratcott (VRP) "

Member for

24 years 2 months

Posts: 16,832

Spot on.

Moggy

Member for

16 years 1 month

Posts: 30

Thanks :-)