The production is great and very informative. I'm glad someone has done this, it really opens up people's eyes to the differences between the ATS. Will you do a video on the different types of services, such as basic, traffic, deconfliction etc? I think that would be useful.
Excellent video again, such impressive production quality and without too much ‘gloss’ I think Tony is excellent, he’s clearly safe and pragmatic, doesn’t bark orders and pretend to be Heathrow Tower, because the situation clearly doesn’t warrant it. He’d be very good to have on the other end of the radio if I was flying there.
All comments will be subjective based on ones own experience but I agree with Tony’s uncomplicated explanation and I think he recognises his audience. I have worked at three AD’s of varying complexity, been lucky enough to handle everything from 747’s to Microlights and everything in between, I have also visited many units here and some in Europe. Tony is involved in all the ancillary tasks mentioned in the comments, often has a busy and complex circuit, liaises with Brum for clearances, border force, fuel etc etc.
Love Halfpenny Green, it was part of my x-country qualifier when I was a student at Liverpool. It was always quite strange going there and to Sleap (A/G) having learned the RT for so long at a fully controlled airport complete with Ground, Tower and Radar.
Your videos are great, one reason you are not afraid to leave in mistakes, which must give trainee pilots on the channel points to watch out for at the same time giving them a smile. That’s what makes you a Great Flying Reporter. ✈️
@@TheFlyingReporter Hi Jon....brilliant series so far!!! i definitely was shocked by the pronunciation of the airfield. Is that your local dialect, or really how everyone pronounces it? I always assumed it was the literal "Half Penny"
chris ultrabeat ah right! Expensive to keep! But then again I’ve worked for some guy at biggin hill who had a load of aircraft and then standard of maintenance was shoddy!
Great multi camera production. This must of taken a great deal of effort and time. Sywell is a very good FISO airfield. Warbirds, great restaurant and extensive WW2 museum. Just remember you have to ask permission for engine startup!
Currently 25 hours into my PPL. I am learning from Gloucester and visited Halfpenny Green a few months ago, very friendly airfield and looking forward to a return journey. Had the pleasure of visiting Cardiff yesterday which although coming from a full ATC airfield still stumped me with the incoming procedures of Cardiff but we got there. Great video and very well put together. Looking forward to the next one.,
Despite having only been there once, by road, I think Halfpenny Green is fantastic airfield. Great to see it. I liked how casual everyone was about the Sea Fury in the circuit. :-)
I have always believed that passing the RT course is far from easy. Training is not particularly accessible, although there are some exceptions. One of the challenges for a rookie is to work with different aircraft call signs. Of course one ought to be able to read a call sign off a piece of paper (or indeed off an instrument panel), but with high work loads, a simple task becomes more challenging. I've often thought one should be able to sit the teat & pick the call sign of the student's choosing (e.g. from the aircraft in which they train) to make matters more straightforward. An examiner can more easily deal with a different call sign for each candidate. Your (as always candid an honest) mistake(s) are very understandable. As always you're an inspiration to both students and pilots. It's reaffirming to see a polished BBC presenter fluff their "lines" more than once and so very reassuring to know that an AFISO won't bite one's head off. To err is human. We've all stumbled through our fair share of radio calls. Thanks for sharing. Another brilliant upload. Could you perhaps edit in some traces from Skydemon at the point you're making your calls ? It would enhance the video footage and the viewers situational awareness.
I always used to read back land/ take off at my discretion and have just found out I got it wrong all the time! Hey ho. Always learning and all that :).
The great thing about the FISO system is that the ATC exchange of information helps to build up an invaluable picture of what is happening in the locality. We don’t have it in Australia and operating in and around non-controlled aerodromes can be that much more arduous.
TB10 is the MOST spacefull GA small single engine plane that I’ve ever seen! It must have the space of a private jet cockpit as far as distance between two front seaters shoulders 🙂
I enjoyed the video, but I have to say that I disagree somewhat about the usefulness of AFIS. I've been providing AFIS at Fairoaks for years, and find that there are two main roles that the service can provide: firstly, it's about ensuring situational awareness for all pilots (which can be critical at congested aerodromes with limited airspace like Fairoaks), and secondly maintaining a safe and orderly flow of taxying aircraft on the ground. I know of a few aerodromes, such as Fairoaks, Elstree, Duxford and Goodwood, where the provision of this service has a huge impact on the safety of pilots. There is no control of airborne traffic, however the radio calls and interventions that AFISOs make on a daily basis can often be the difference between everything flowing safely and expeditiously or pilots flying without adequate information and situational awareness. In addition to this, the ability to coordinate with adjacent units (for Fairoaks it is regularly Farnborough, TC SVFR or TC South), adds a great deal of value to pilots as we can negotiate IFR airways departures and entry into controlled airspace on their behalf, leaving them only to input the correct squawk code and call the correct frequency on departure. It's a fantastic service, and I hope that the CAA continues to protect its unique place in UK ATS!
Tony was telling me AFISO services were probably for the chop though, under EASA rules, is that right? Obviously different AFISO units will have different complexities, and I know Tony made it clear in the film that he was talking from his experience at his unit. Some AFISO units operate like Heathrow, others are more relaxed. Perhaps these variables are part of the problem for pilots, when they struggle to understand where they stand? This wasn't a series designed to show every AFISO, every ATC, every A/G setup, it was to show the general differences between each of those main category of aerodrome. Hopefully, the films are doing that. Anyhow, getting aerodromes to participate in projects such as this isn't easy, because they will fear criticism and scrutiny. I say good-on Tony and Wolverhampton for being willing to be put under the spotlight for the benefit of everyone else.
@@TheFlyingReporter The inconsistent application and regulation of UK AFIS have created those unnecessary variables which confuse pilots and, I am sorry to say, some AFISOs who try to operate beyond their remit.
@@malcolmhemming2173 Agreed. Too many aerodromes are just trying to do ATC on the cheap. AFISO is just a poor-mans ATC staffed largely by ex or failed ATCOs - harsh but true. The balmy thing is that a lot of these AFISO units are also trying to get IAPs! Do it properly or not at all. Hopefully this mess will be sorted out in the next few years.
@@jamesbhx From my experience the worst AFIS providers are those 'wannabee' ATCOs who feel aggrieved that they are not one, for whatever reason. Some attempt to operate way beyond their licence privileges without the expertise to go with it. I actually think that current ATCOs or ex-ATCOs acting as AFISOs are acutely aware of the differences, and actually provide a mature and reasonable service accordingly. But failed ATCOs operating as AFISOs is another matter... ;-)
Thanks to terrain and local procedures I routinely fly 10 mile finals at my local airport. Makes me feel like I'm flying something a lot bigger. It just takes a lot longer than a 737 or Q400. :-)
what i don't understand is how do you know which airfield is an AFISO aerodrome and which isn't? my home airfield I am training at is sleap and you call up sleap radio request radio check and airfield info then the next time you speak to them can be "at holding poit ... power checks complete ready for departure" where as this place you have to request taxi then places like Doncaster that I once visited you have to request everything, request start up and onwards........so how do you know what to say for which airfield?
Your instructor should be able to explain this, as will your theoretical knowledge study. But the AIP listing for licensed aerodromes will indicate what services are available, and any special requirements to call up for start etc. The clue is in the callsign - if the aerodrome is listed as Sleap Radio, then it's an A/G radio. If it's Halfpenny Green Information, then it's INFORMATION = AFISO. If it's Biggin Hill Approach, Shoreham Tower, Southend Radar, Gatwick Director, then it's ATC. Hope that helps.
Google CAP413, the link will keep changing on their site. It's currently here. publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplication.aspx?catid=1&pagetype=65&appid=11&mode=detail&id=6973
I think Tony needs to add a better mix of traffic to his skill set. Try adding poor weather, restricted airspace, mix helicopter circuits with fixed wing, 100kt speed difference between traffic, IFR departures during a good weather day, coordinating with multiple radar units, full control on the ground with merging taxiways and grass parking, coordinating hard stranding parking when ALWAYS running out of room, landing fees, hanger requests, fuel requests, briefing pilots, customs/immigration/sb forwarding and being inside Class D airspace..... that's using all your % ability. We are there for safety, to give information to the 2-3 joining aircraft that cannot see 2 of 4 in the circuit. Aispance constraints means you cannot bug out and rejoin north, west or east. I think a better way to phrase it would be that his role only requires a small amount of input at his airfield. His comments certainly do not represent the more complex and busier airfields that the FIS service covers.
I think Tony has more than adequately explained that he is talking from his experience and his aerodrome. In everything, there are different experiences and flavours, and good on Tony and Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green for letting us film there. Perhaps there is scope for visiting some busier AFISO aerodromes, and if any wish to invite me along, I will be more than happy to pop in with my camera. Just because it wasn't covered in the film, Tony does have some of the complexity to which you refer, I saw him taking phone calls, landing fees, signing first solo certificates and giving instructions to helicopters on the ground etc.
I have to say I do not agree. From a professional viewpoint, I first see an AFISO that does not seem to be enjoying his role. It could be his overall personal demeanour or a lack in motivation for the job. One of the biggest reasons Vlogers are not permitted in the ops room/tower, is the inconsistency in their approach to videos. One example from yours is when you travelled across Europe but could not enter controlled airspace in the uk. Rather than complain, did you research and report back why the restriction were in force at Gatwick? A quick call to London Info, Gatwick tower would have given you your answer. Restrictions are not put on lightly. No matter how much of the video you dedicated to the flying, the overall concept became ‘UK air traffic can’t cope with GA’
I did my PPL at Rochester EGTO in 91' Having flown in the US for the last 20+ years I look back at "Rochester Information" as a joke..... I think its actually safer to just have a Unicom frequency where all pilots just self announce...... like literally thousands of airfields in the US.
I hear what you're saying, but I find it useful having someone there, keeping an eye, and offering information, especially when it's busy. Plus, if I had a problem, it would be good to know there was someone to roll the fire truck.
Cheers Jon - another belter - well done and thanks you so much for taking the time to do it for us
The production is great and very informative. I'm glad someone has done this, it really opens up people's eyes to the differences between the ATS. Will you do a video on the different types of services, such as basic, traffic, deconfliction etc? I think that would be useful.
Excellent video again, such impressive production quality and without too much ‘gloss’
I think Tony is excellent, he’s clearly safe and pragmatic, doesn’t bark orders and pretend to be Heathrow Tower, because the situation clearly doesn’t warrant it. He’d be very good to have on the other end of the radio if I was flying there.
I think you've hit the nail on the head Tom.
All comments will be subjective based on ones own experience but I agree with Tony’s uncomplicated explanation and I think he recognises his audience. I have worked at three AD’s of varying complexity, been lucky enough to handle everything from 747’s to Microlights and everything in between, I have also visited many units here and some in Europe. Tony is involved in all the ancillary tasks mentioned in the comments, often has a busy and complex circuit, liaises with Brum for clearances, border force, fuel etc etc.
Love Halfpenny Green, it was part of my x-country qualifier when I was a student at Liverpool. It was always quite strange going there and to Sleap (A/G) having learned the RT for so long at a fully controlled airport complete with Ground, Tower and Radar.
I was the same as you Ian...still am to some extent!
Your videos are great, one reason you are not afraid to leave in mistakes, which must give trainee pilots on the channel points to watch out for at the same time giving them a smile. That’s what makes you a Great Flying Reporter. ✈️
Thank you Stewart.
Just discovered this series. Really well put together, thanks.
Two down so far, Jon. Really enjoying them. Very well made!
Excellent Jason. Binge watching, very good.
This series is really good Jon, and I’m looking forward to the last one. Being a student based at Tatenhill, Halfpenny Green is our quick go-to.
Thanks Liz. I am yet to fly into Wolverhampton myself yet...promised aerodrome manager I would be back.
ha I'm good old Scott from esfc chat ... also a student over at tatenhill!!
@@TheFlyingReporter Hi Jon....brilliant series so far!!!
i definitely was shocked by the pronunciation of the airfield. Is that your local dialect, or really how everyone pronounces it? I always assumed it was the literal "Half Penny"
Very enjoyable and informative Jon. Nicely crafted finished video and helped by inputs from a good production crew. Good one! 👍
Thanks time.
Ahhhhh My old TB10 G-BHDE, Really glad to see her again and being looked after so well too! Looking great
What have you got now?! If I could fly and had the money I’d get a Rockwell turbo commander!
Nothing anymore, I just do a bit of renting from Merseyflight based at Liverpool.
chris ultrabeat ah right! Expensive to keep! But then again I’ve worked for some guy at biggin hill who had a load of aircraft and then standard of maintenance was shoddy!
Great multi camera production. This must of taken a great deal of effort and time.
Sywell is a very good FISO airfield. Warbirds, great restaurant and extensive WW2 museum. Just remember you have to ask permission for engine startup!
Thanks Sky Bound. Had a lot of help from Alexey Alexeev and Brice Munn on this one.
Very informative and well put together Jon, thank you. Looking out for number 3!
Thanks Kevin - coming out Wednesday.
As a newly qualified pilot, this is a really useful insight! Thanks again!
That's great, thanks Ben.
Currently 25 hours into my PPL. I am learning from Gloucester and visited Halfpenny Green a few months ago, very friendly airfield and looking forward to a return journey.
Had the pleasure of visiting Cardiff yesterday which although coming from a full ATC airfield still stumped me with the incoming procedures of Cardiff but we got there.
Great video and very well put together. Looking forward to the next one.,
Cardiff is great, but those procedures are more complicated that they are at most places.
@@TheFlyingReporter It was quite a mouthful and I believe my QXC is going include Cardiff.
Despite having only been there once, by road, I think Halfpenny Green is fantastic airfield. Great to see it. I liked how casual everyone was about the Sea Fury in the circuit. :-)
It overtook us after take off.
Great series, as a recently qualified pilot out of Leicester, great to see the differences to be expected
I have always believed that passing the RT course is far from easy. Training is not particularly accessible, although there are some exceptions. One of the challenges for a rookie is to work with different aircraft call signs. Of course one ought to be able to read a call sign off a piece of paper (or indeed off an instrument panel), but with high work loads, a simple task becomes more challenging. I've often thought one should be able to sit the teat & pick the call sign of the student's choosing (e.g. from the aircraft in which they train) to make matters more straightforward. An examiner can more easily deal with a different call sign for each candidate. Your (as always candid an honest) mistake(s) are very understandable. As always you're an inspiration to both students and pilots. It's reaffirming to see a polished BBC presenter fluff their "lines" more than once and so very reassuring to know that an AFISO won't bite one's head off. To err is human. We've all stumbled through our fair share of radio calls. Thanks for sharing. Another brilliant upload. Could you perhaps edit in some traces from Skydemon at the point you're making your calls ? It would enhance the video footage and the viewers situational awareness.
Thanks Graeme.
I always used to read back land/ take off at my discretion and have just found out I got it wrong all the time! Hey ho. Always learning and all that :).
The great thing about the FISO system is that the ATC exchange of information helps to build up an invaluable picture of what is happening in the locality. We don’t have it in Australia and operating in and around non-controlled aerodromes can be that much more arduous.
Good to see or here the other side as well
Cracking shot of G-OZAM and G-GPSR at 4:53 - spent a good few hours in both of those!
hermand can’t forget G-GPSI
@@asr1407 Passed my skills test in SI!
hermand so far done all my training in SI
@@asr1407 Great aircraft! Loved the Grob, just not practical really with only two seats. Great trainer though
hermand pain to taxi aswell
What gorgeous land!
Great stuff FR!
A really great video 👍.
I was in the C42 - CIEE
And you didn't wave!?
I did.. but was ignored 🙈.
I was in AA, i wondered what the filming was for.
TB10 is the MOST spacefull GA small single engine plane that I’ve ever seen! It must have the space of a private jet cockpit as far as distance between two front seaters shoulders 🙂
Good job you didn’t have Clive on the radio with those reg mishaps 🙈🙈
Great and informative series.
Thanks for taking the time to watch it.
I learnt to fly at Halfpenny greeen, learning in G-GPSR, G-GPSI & G-OZAM featured in the video. I can attest to how patient the FISOs are there.
Also I finally understand what you were up to when i met you at Halfpenny!
It's taken a while to get the series out!
Quality >> Speed always
Great episode Jon -Maybe out of your element being in the right seat?!!
A bit...had some headset problems, meaning I couldn't hear myself very well...so was all over the place!
I enjoyed the video, but I have to say that I disagree somewhat about the usefulness of AFIS. I've been providing AFIS at Fairoaks for years, and find that there are two main roles that the service can provide: firstly, it's about ensuring situational awareness for all pilots (which can be critical at congested aerodromes with limited airspace like Fairoaks), and secondly maintaining a safe and orderly flow of taxying aircraft on the ground. I know of a few aerodromes, such as Fairoaks, Elstree, Duxford and Goodwood, where the provision of this service has a huge impact on the safety of pilots. There is no control of airborne traffic, however the radio calls and interventions that AFISOs make on a daily basis can often be the difference between everything flowing safely and expeditiously or pilots flying without adequate information and situational awareness. In addition to this, the ability to coordinate with adjacent units (for Fairoaks it is regularly Farnborough, TC SVFR or TC South), adds a great deal of value to pilots as we can negotiate IFR airways departures and entry into controlled airspace on their behalf, leaving them only to input the correct squawk code and call the correct frequency on departure. It's a fantastic service, and I hope that the CAA continues to protect its unique place in UK ATS!
Tony was telling me AFISO services were probably for the chop though, under EASA rules, is that right? Obviously different AFISO units will have different complexities, and I know Tony made it clear in the film that he was talking from his experience at his unit. Some AFISO units operate like Heathrow, others are more relaxed. Perhaps these variables are part of the problem for pilots, when they struggle to understand where they stand? This wasn't a series designed to show every AFISO, every ATC, every A/G setup, it was to show the general differences between each of those main category of aerodrome. Hopefully, the films are doing that. Anyhow, getting aerodromes to participate in projects such as this isn't easy, because they will fear criticism and scrutiny. I say good-on Tony and Wolverhampton for being willing to be put under the spotlight for the benefit of everyone else.
@@TheFlyingReporter The inconsistent application and regulation of UK AFIS have created those unnecessary variables which confuse pilots and, I am sorry to say, some AFISOs who try to operate beyond their remit.
@@malcolmhemming2173 Agreed. Too many aerodromes are just trying to do ATC on the cheap. AFISO is just a poor-mans ATC staffed largely by ex or failed ATCOs - harsh but true. The balmy thing is that a lot of these AFISO units are also trying to get IAPs! Do it properly or not at all. Hopefully this mess will be sorted out in the next few years.
@@jamesbhx From my experience the worst AFIS providers are those 'wannabee' ATCOs who feel aggrieved that they are not one, for whatever reason. Some attempt to operate way beyond their licence privileges without the expertise to go with it. I actually think that current ATCOs or ex-ATCOs acting as AFISOs are acutely aware of the differences, and actually provide a mature and reasonable service accordingly. But failed ATCOs operating as AFISOs is another matter... ;-)
Great video Jon!
Thanks Lee.
Ong. It’s my airport!!!! Halfpenny Green!!!!!!
Thanks Jon.
Pleasure Sean.
You didn't ask for engine start request ;-)
Exactly great point FISO aerodrome you ask for permission to start engine that's your first call also clearance for crossing runways etc ..
Refreshing to hear comments from an AFISO who knows what AFIS is really all about...
Unfortunately he does not
If you have the aircraft registration on the panel placard and written down, why do you repeatedly get it wrong?
3 mile final!!
Not included in the video, was an extension downwind for helicopter traffic on final.
Thanks to terrain and local procedures I routinely fly 10 mile finals at my local airport. Makes me feel like I'm flying something a lot bigger. It just takes a lot longer than a 737 or Q400. :-)
Just wondering, at 8:58 FISO manager said QFE 1036 but 1026 was read back with no correction from the manager.
You're mis-hearing this. He said 1026.
I heard 1026 man
What do you call AFISO when calling up in the radio is it still for example Wolverhampton Radio?
With Information at the end word
what i don't understand is how do you know which airfield is an AFISO aerodrome and which isn't? my home airfield I am training at is sleap and you call up sleap radio request radio check and airfield info then the next time you speak to them can be "at holding poit ... power checks complete ready for departure" where as this place you have to request taxi then places like Doncaster that I once visited you have to request everything, request start up and onwards........so how do you know what to say for which airfield?
Your instructor should be able to explain this, as will your theoretical knowledge study. But the AIP listing for licensed aerodromes will indicate what services are available, and any special requirements to call up for start etc. The clue is in the callsign - if the aerodrome is listed as Sleap Radio, then it's an A/G radio. If it's Halfpenny Green Information, then it's INFORMATION = AFISO. If it's Biggin Hill Approach, Shoreham Tower, Southend Radar, Gatwick Director, then it's ATC. Hope that helps.
@@TheFlyingReporter it does thank you, just found this in the uk aerodromes guide aswell. entire series very helpful thankyou
@@TheFlyingReporter well done jon.. great explaination ❤️
Can someone put a link to UK radio manual as mentioned at 09:16
Google CAP413, the link will keep changing on their site. It's currently here. publicapps.caa.co.uk/modalapplication.aspx?catid=1&pagetype=65&appid=11&mode=detail&id=6973
@@TheFlyingReporter many thanks jon 🙏🏼👍🏼
I think Tony needs to add a better mix of traffic to his skill set. Try adding poor weather, restricted airspace, mix helicopter circuits with fixed wing, 100kt speed difference between traffic, IFR departures during a good weather day, coordinating with multiple radar units, full control on the ground with merging taxiways and grass parking, coordinating hard stranding parking when ALWAYS running out of room, landing fees, hanger requests, fuel requests, briefing pilots, customs/immigration/sb forwarding and being inside Class D airspace..... that's using all your % ability.
We are there for safety, to give information to the 2-3 joining aircraft that cannot see 2 of 4 in the circuit. Aispance constraints means you cannot bug out and rejoin north, west or east. I think a better way to phrase it would be that his role only requires a small amount of input at his airfield. His comments certainly do not represent the more complex and busier airfields that the FIS service covers.
I think Tony has more than adequately explained that he is talking from his experience and his aerodrome. In everything, there are different experiences and flavours, and good on Tony and Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green for letting us film there. Perhaps there is scope for visiting some busier AFISO aerodromes, and if any wish to invite me along, I will be more than happy to pop in with my camera. Just because it wasn't covered in the film, Tony does have some of the complexity to which you refer, I saw him taking phone calls, landing fees, signing first solo certificates and giving instructions to helicopters on the ground etc.
I have to say I do not agree. From a professional viewpoint, I first see an AFISO that does not seem to be enjoying his role. It could be his overall personal demeanour or a lack in motivation for the job.
One of the biggest reasons Vlogers are not permitted in the ops room/tower, is the inconsistency in their approach to videos. One example from yours is when you travelled across Europe but could not enter controlled airspace in the uk. Rather than complain, did you research and report back why the restriction were in force at Gatwick? A quick call to London Info, Gatwick tower would have given you your answer. Restrictions are not put on lightly. No matter how much of the video you dedicated to the flying, the overall concept became ‘UK air traffic can’t cope with GA’
I know this airport inside out
Do you know how may pill boxes there are and where they are?
Enjoyable and informative as usual John. My instructor would have given me a right b0llocking if I took off without one hand on the throttle !
Same, the death grip and no hand on the throttle.
Instructors love a good bOllocking.
I did my PPL at Rochester EGTO in 91' Having flown in the US for the last 20+ years I look back at "Rochester Information" as a joke..... I think its actually safer to just have a Unicom frequency where all pilots just self announce...... like literally thousands of airfields in the US.
I hear what you're saying, but I find it useful having someone there, keeping an eye, and offering information, especially when it's busy. Plus, if I had a problem, it would be good to know there was someone to roll the fire truck.
Blimey Jon, get a grip. Good video though
I kind of lost interest when I saw the sea fury!