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Airspace Infringement and Navigation
From SKYbrary Wiki
| Article Information | ||
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| Category: | Airspace Infringement | 
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| Content source: | SKYbrary | 
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| Content control: | EUROCONTROL | 
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Contents |
Description
Airspace infringement occurs when an aircraft penetrates airspace for which explicit prior clearance is required without having such a clearance.
A major cause of airspace infringement is poor navigation, leading to penetration of the controlled airspace or danger, restricted or prohibited area concerned.
This situation may arise either because the pilots are uncertain of their position or because they are unaware of the designation of the area concerned because of inadequate briefing or their use of out-of-date charts.
Effects
- Loss of Separation from other aircraft, which may result in collision.
- Exposure to danger from military hazards, e.g. radiation, gun-firing or manoeuvring high-performance aircraft.
- Perceived security risk if prohibited area is penetrated, which may result in a military response.
- Damage to ground installations within prohibited areas, including vulnerable animals.
- Disruption of military or other special activities within restricted, danger or prohibited airspace.
Defences
- Improved training in navigation techniques, including:
- Visual navigation;
- Use of radio navigation aids; and,
- Use of GPS;
- Good ATC radar coverage, particularly Low Altitude Radar Service (LARS), where it exists.
- Aircraft Transponders to enable aircraft to be identified by ATS and to enable TCAS avoiding action to be taken.
- Accurate easy to use aircraft navigation systems e.g. Global Positioning System (GPS).
- Short Term Conflict Alert (STCA).
Typical Scenarios
- An aircraft operating VFR and approaching controlled airspace with the intention of obtaining crossing clearance mis-identifies a position on the ground due to partial cloud cover and enters the controlled airspace without permission.
- A pilot navigating by reference to VOR beacons makes an error in determining his position, alters heading on this basis and enters a Prohibited Area.
- A pilot using GPS incorrectly programmes the equipment and follows a track which diverges from the planned route, resulting in violation of a Danger Area.
- A pilot using an out of date chart enters the area concerned without awareness because it is not marked on the chart being used.
Contributory Factors
- Inadequate basic training in appropriate navigational techniques;
- Lack of expertise of VFR private pilots in equipment operation, especially GPS;
- Adverse weather;
- Inadequate pre-flight preparation.
Solutions
- Improved training in navigational techniques, equipment operation and pre-flight preparation;
- Improved, easier to use light aircraft navigation systems, especially GPS integrated with other aircaft navigational aids
Related Articles
- European Airspace Infringement Action Plan
- Airspace Infringement and Briefing
- Airspace Infringement and Communication
- Airspace Infringement: Guidance Notes for GA Pilots
- Introduction of Glass Cockpit Avionics into Light Aircraft: NTSB Safety Study.
Further Reading
EUROCONTROL Airspace Infringement Initiative
- European Action Plan for Airspace Infringement Risk Reduction
- Airspace Infringement Risk Analysis Part II
- Airspace Infringement Initiative website
EUROCONTROL Guidance Notes for GA pilots
- Rules for VFR flight
- Flight preparation
- Getting aeronautical information before flight
- Reading and understanding NOTAMS
- Getting meteorological information before flight
- Reading and understanding weather reports and forecasts
- Using meteorological information for planning
- Visual navigation
- VOR/DME/ADF Navigation
- GPS Navigation
- Getting aeronautical and meteorological information in flight
- Entering controlled airspace
- Getting the most out of your transponder