walney transponder mandatory zone (tmz) · aviation stakeholder operations post implementation of...

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Date: 6 September 2018

Author: xxxxxxxxxxx

Revision: Issue 1

Osprey Ref: 70791 035

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Walney Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ)

Post Implementation Review (PIR)

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Walney Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ) | Document Details

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Document Details

Reference Description

Document Title Walney Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ)

Post Implementation Review (PIR)

Document Ref 70791 035

Issue Issue 1

Date 6 September 2018

Client Name Ørsted

Classification Nil

Issue Amendment Date

Draft A Initial Draft 17.10.17

Draft B Internal Review 25.07.18

Draft C Warton ATC Review 13.08.18

Draft D1 Warton ATC Review 17.08.18

Issue 1 Warton SATCO Review 05.09.18

Approval Level Authority Name

Author Osprey CSL xxxxxxxxxxx

Reviewer Osprey CSL xxxxxxxxxxx

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Walney Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ) | Executive Summary

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Executive Summary

Ørsted has developed the extension to the Walney Offshore Wind Farm in the Irish Sea. The Walney Extension Offshore Wind Farm covers an area of 145 kilometres (km)2 and located approximately 33 km (17.8 Nautical Miles (NM)) northwest of the Fleetwood and Blackpool coast, and 31 km (16.7 NM) east from the Isle of Man.

The Issue

The presence of the Walney Extension Offshore Wind Farm would have impacted BAE Systems Warton (Warton) Aerodrome flying operations and Air Traffic Service (ATS) provision, with the most significant impact being the detection of the Wind Turbine Generators (WTGs) by the Warton Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR).

Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ)

Ørsted worked with Warton to identify a solution to mitigate the effects of the WTGs on the Warton PSR. Ørsted and Warton considered a variety of options to determine how best to meet the needs of Warton as well as other aviation and non-aviation stakeholders and considered that if mitigation involved a change to local airspace, then it was simpler to apply the change over the whole of the Walney Offshore Wind Farms.

A Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ) is now established around the Walney Offshore Wind Farms up to FL100 and is active during the Warton Lower Airspace Radar Service (LARS) provision times.

The establishment of the TMZ is one element of a 3-part Mitigation Package aimed at negating the impact of the clutter from the Walney Offshore Wind Farm WTGs upon the Warton PSR. The three parts are:

Element 1: Establishment of a TMZ; Element 2: Authorisation to control Secondary Surveillance Radar (SSR)-alone and; Element 3: Suppression of WTG returns within the boundary of the Wind Farms

within the TMZ.

The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) Safety and Airspace Regulation Group (SARG) Stirling authorised Warton Air Traffic Control (ATC) to provide services using SSR-alone adjacent to and within the Walney TMZ.

The CAA requires a Post Implementation Review (PIR) which assesses the effectiveness and efficiency of the TMZ and Walney Offshore Wind Farms’ surrounding airspace through mitigating the effects of the WTGs on Warton flying and PSR-based ATS operations. Figure 1 below provides an illustration of the lateral extent of the Walney TMZ surrounding the Walney Offshore Wind Farms.

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Figure 1 Walney TMZ in pink (SFC-FL100). The grey dotted lines outline the Walney, Barrow and Ormond Offshore Wind Farms.

Reproduced from CAA digital map data © Crown copyright 2018. UK IAIP ENR

Conclusion

The objective of the TMZ is to maintain Warton Aerodrome flying and ATS operations near Walney despite the presence of the Walney offshore Wind Farms. This has been achieved.

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Walney Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ) | Table of Contents

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Table of Contents

1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1

1.1 General ................................................................................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Purpose and Objectives................................................................................................................................ 2 1.3 Consultation ...................................................................................................................................................... 2 1.4 Related Documents ........................................................................................................................................ 2 1.5 Document Structure ...................................................................................................................................... 2

2 Walney TMZ Operations ....................................................................................................... 3

2.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................................. 3 2.2 General Flying Operations at Warton Aerodrome .......................................................................... 3 2.3 Walney TMZ ....................................................................................................................................................... 3 2.4 TMZ with associated PSR Suppression Techniques ....................................................................... 7 2.5 The TMZ Horizontal Buffer Zone ............................................................................................................. 8 2.6 Conclusion .......................................................................................................................................................... 8

3 References ................................................................................................................................. 9

Table of Figures

Figure 1 Walney TMZ in pink (SFC-FL100). The grey dotted lines outline the Walney, Barrow and Ormond Offshore Wind Farms. ............................................................................................................................. iv Figure 2 Walney TMZ in pink (SFC-FL100). The grey dotted lines outline the Walney, Barrow and Ormond Offshore Wind Farms. .............................................................................................................................. 1 Figure 3 The Morecambe Bay and Liverpool Bay Airspace. The Walney TMZ is outlined in pink (SFC-FL100). ............................................................................................................................................................................. 4

Table of Tables

Table 1 Table of References. ............................................................................................................................................. 9

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Walney Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ) | Introduction

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1 Introduction

The presence of the Walney Extension Offshore Wind Farm would affect BAE Systems Warton Aerodrome flying operations and Air Traffic Service (ATS) provision, with the most significant impact being the detection of the Wind Turbine Generators (WTGs) as unwanted clutter by the Warton Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR).

1.1 General

Ørsted has developed the extension to the Walney Offshore Wind Farm in the Irish Sea. The Offshore Wind Farm covers an area of 145 kilometres (km)2 and located approximately 33 km (17.8 Nautical Miles (NM)) northwest of the Fleetwood and Blackpool coast, and 31 km (16.7 NM) east from the Isle of Man.

The presence of the Walney Extension Offshore Wind Farm WTGs would have affected BAE Systems Warton (Warton) Aerodrome flying operations and Air Traffic Service (ATS) provision thereby requiring a change to the arrangements and procedures in the immediate airspace surrounding the windfarms.

Figure 2 Walney TMZ in pink (SFC-FL100). The grey dotted lines outline the Walney, Barrow and Ormond Offshore Wind Farms.


The degradation in the detection and tracking capabilities of the Warton Primary Surveillance Radar (PSR) in the area of Walney Offshore Wind Farms is of particular importance with regard to the flight test area near to the Offshore Wind Farm

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Walney Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ) | Introduction

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boundary. Unmitigated WTG clutter would lead to a restricted ATS from Warton Air Traffic Control (ATC) in the area of Walney, effectively rendering the area to the south of EG D406 (Eskmeals) unusable. Other airspace users requiring an ATS from Warton ATC would also experience disruption due to unnecessary route deviation (dependent of the type of radar service being provided).

1.2 Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of this document is to provide information regarding Warton and other aviation stakeholder operations post implementation of the Walney Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ). This document has been prepared by Osprey Consulting Services Limited (Osprey), on behalf of Ørsted and Warton ATC and in accordance with CAP 7251 [Reference 1].

This document ensures that the key objective of the TMZ has been met:

To maintain Warton Aerodrome flying and ATS operations near the Walney Offshore Windfarms despite the presence of the WTGs; whilst

o Ensuring that other aviation stakeholders whom utilise the airspace, have not suffered burdensome inconvenience.

It is Ørsted’s responsibility as Sponsor of the Airspace Change Proposal to ensure that a Post Implementation Review (PIR) is completed.

1.3 Consultation

The National Air Traffic Management Advisory Committee (NATMAC) members plus selected additional stakeholders likely to be impacted by the proposal were directly consulted. Prior to implementation, a refinement to the north-eastern extent of the TMZ was made, at the request of the CAA2, to ensure that any potential for ‘channelling’ air traffic close to the Barrow/Walney Island Peninsula was avoided.

1.4 Related Documents

The Warton Manual of Air Traffic Services (MATS) Part 2. The UK Integrated Aeronautical Information Package (IAIP) [Reference 2].

1.5 Document Structure

This document contains two main sections outlined below for convenience:

Section 1 this section, introduces the document; and Section 2 describes the Walney TMZ operation.

1 Superseded by CAP 1616 2 Post consultation

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Walney Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ) | Walney TMZ Operations

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2 Walney TMZ Operations

Warton ATC operates under regulatory oversight of both the Military Aviation Authority (MAA) and the CAA, providing essential ATS to military and civil aircraft in the area of the Walney Extension Wind Farm development.

2.1 Overview

This section describes the current background to the TMZ operations highlighting the primary areas of concern relating to the effects of the Walney Offshore Wind Farm, prior to its implementation, on Warton operations.

In this case, there are four principal issues to be considered: Test flying operations in the Irish Sea; Services to aircraft under the Lower Airspace Radar Service (LARS) scheme; The Approach Control Service; and operations at BAE Systems Barrow/Walney Island Aerodrome.

2.2 General Flying Operations at Warton Aerodrome

A range of military and civilian aircraft operate from Warton aerodrome. The airfield carries out, on average, around 1,000 aircraft movements per month, 40% of which are military registered flights, in support of the following operational tasks:

Flight development and test activities, predominantly on Typhoon, Tornado and Hawk aircraft, which can include civilian test support aircraft operations;

Production test flying of brand new Typhoon and Hawk aircraft that are manufactured on site;

Daily commercial passenger flying operations; Military and civilian transport operations; and Flying training activity on civilian and military aircraft.

Warton ATC provides aerodrome and approach control services to a wide range of commercial, General Aviation (GA) and military aircraft in the airspace over the Irish Sea and overland within radar and radio coverage. In addition to these routine ATC tasks, Warton ATC is responsible for providing a LARS to a radius of 74 km (40 NM) from Warton and a dedicated specialist service to aircraft conducting test and development flights flying up to (and occasionally beyond) 370 km (200 NM) from Warton.

Warton ATC operates under regulatory oversight of both the MAA and the CAA. The standard ATS, the LARS, and the dedicated test service combine to support the required efficient and effective operations of a mix of aircraft in the local and extended operating areas.

2.3 Walney TMZ

The overall aim of the Walney Airspace Change Proposal is to maintain airspace efficiency and effectiveness for all users and mitigate the impacts of Walney Offshore Wind Farm on Warton flying and ATS operations.

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The CAA, in CAP 725 [Reference 1], provides extensive regulatory requirements to be applied to the design of the airspace arrangements. However, most of these requirements, such as Instrument Flight Procedure (IFP) containment, are relevant to the development of CAS, which is not the case with the application of this TMZ proposal. The significant regulatory requirements applicable to this proposal are that the:

Dimensions of the proposed airspace should be the minimum practicable to meet the safety and operational requirements; and

Configuration of the airspace should be as simple as practicable.

Thus, the primary matters for consideration in the development of the proposed TMZ are the lateral and vertical dimensions, including alignment with other, pre-existing, airspace boundaries and the impact on:

Those aircraft wishing to use the airspace which are not and/or cannot be equipped with a transponder; and

The operational impact on adjacent Air Traffic Service Units (ATSU) who may not be SSR equipped.

The four areas of concern outlined above in Section 2.1 have led to the requirement to mitigate the effects of the Walney Offshore Wind Farm WTGs on the Warton PSR.

Figure 3 The Morecambe Bay and Liverpool Bay Airspace. The Walney TMZ is outlined in pink (SFC-FL100).


2.3.1 Hours of operation of the TMZ

Under normal UK Integrated Aeronautical Information Package (IAIP) (Reference 2) arrangements, the operating hours of a particular airspace segment established for specific ATS purposes are linked to the operating hours of the associated ATS Unit.

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Hence, TMZ activation coincides with the Warton LARS hours (Mon-Thu 0730-1900; Fri 0730-1700 Local Time) and this is captured within the UK IAIP (noting the LARS frequency and timings as well as the boundary of the TMZ), and associated CAA Visual Flight Rules (VFR) Charts. Exceptions to this are promulgated by Notices to Airmen (NOTAM)3.

2.3.2 Flight test operations in the vicinity of the EG D406 (Eskmeals) Complex

Warton’s coastal location, adjacent to extensive CAS and uncontrolled airspace, makes it an ideal site for testing, research and development of complex military aircraft. The majority of these operations take place offshore over Morecambe Bay and Liverpool Bay. The Ministry of Defence (MoD), in support of front line military aviation operations, and other export customers rely on this operation for the delivery of high specification military capability. The Fast Jet (FJ) military aircraft conducting test and development sorties operate in accordance with predetermined schedules, coordinated processes and procedures to ensure that appropriate test data is gathered; the test and development aircrew involved rely on Warton ATC to provide a range of ATS and coordination with NATS4 and MoD controllers. Coordination activities have been enhanced with NATS Area Control Centres (ACC) and the flight test operations continue, uninterrupted, albeit with some tactical modification to account for the lack of PSR cover as a result of the implementation of the Walney TMZ.

The Warton Advisory Radio Area (ARA) incorporates the Morecambe and Liverpool Bay areas and is notified airspace extending from Flight Level (FL) 95 (9,500 feet (ft)) to FL 190 (19,000 ft). Within the ARA all pilots are advised to make radio contact with Warton ATC in order to receive up to date information on other traffic operating in the area. The continued robust airspace sharing agreement, SSR-alone provision (approved by CAA SARG) and the Walney TMZ enables allows Warton ATC to maintain efficient and flexible tactical freedom for aircraft manoeuvres close to Warton, the Walney Offshore Wind Farm and in the airspace above the Irish Sea.

SSR-alone provision and related TMZ procedures are defined in the Warton MATS Pt2 with a brief aide memoire provided at controller positions.

In summary, the Walney TMZ has enabled the continued ATS provision from Warton ATC in the area of the Walney Offshore Wind Farm, maintained the available size of the Warton ARA airspace and avoided disruption and unnecessary route deviation, to airspace users requiring a service from Warton ATC in the vicinity of the Walney Offshore Wind Farms. A Walney TMZ operational occurrence log was established in October 2016 within Warton ATC (on implementation of the Walney TMZ); it confirms that there have been no access refusals to the TMZ within its operation; all operators in the area have operated with serviceable transponders. The log and consultation also confirms that other service providers in the area; Isle-of-Man, Liverpool, Hawarden and Royal Air Force (RAF) Valley have no issue with the TMZ and are able to operate freely.

3 NOTAMs cover short duration or temporary changes or short notice permanent changes. They contain information concerning the establishment, condition or change in any aeronautical facility, service, procedure or hazard, the timely knowledge of which is essential to personnel concerned with flight operations. 4 NATS, the en-route provider of ATS in CAS.

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2.3.3 LARS provision

Warton ATC provides a LARS, in accordance with CAP774 [Reference 3], for the purpose of ensuring participating pilots are aware of other nearby aircraft and/or flying activities conducted at Warton, thereby enhancing flight safety in the area. This service is available to any aircraft requesting it within radar and/or radio cover, operating outside CAS, from ground level up to 10,000 ft, within a 74 km (40 NM) radius of Warton, with services often provided outside these parameters.

LARS is sponsored by the Department for Transport (DfT) and is determined by SARG as key to enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of the airspace in an area that experience a mixture of aviation activities. SSR-alone provision (approved by SARG) and the Walney TMZ have enabled the safe continuation of LARS provision.

2.3.4 Approach Control Service

The airspace around Warton is considered to be of medium complexity in that it is surrounded by areas of open (Class G) airspace, particularly to the west and northwest, but is bounded closely by CAS to the south and east. Warton ATC is responsible for providing services to aircraft arriving at and departing from Warton, as well as local air traffic and military aircraft involved in complex test and development flights.

Warton ATC, in accordance with CAP 393 [Reference 4] provides an approach control service to aircraft operating from the aerodrome. Warton is also the approach control unit for Barrow/Walney Island and has a Letter of Agreement (LoA) with Blackpool Airport (BA) to cater for seamless ATS provision in the area.

2.3.5 Isle of Man Airport PSR operations

No detrimental effect has been reported or identified.

2.3.6 RAF Woodvale operations

The RAF operates Grob 115E Tutor aircraft from Woodvale aerodrome as part of the Liverpool, Manchester and Salford University Air Squadrons (UAS). The Air Experience Flight also operates from Woodvale, providing flying experience and pilot training for Air Cadets in the North West Region.

As part of a LoA with the RAF, Warton ATC provides, where controller workload permits, an ATS to Grob aircraft operating from RAF Woodvale.

The Walney TMZ has enabled maintenance of the ATS LARS provision to RAF Woodvale VGS, as well as Barrow/Walney Island Aerodrome, in the Liverpool Bay airspace.

2.3.7 Impact of the TMZ on military operations

Military test flying sorties requiring ATS from Warton when testing without use of Mode 3/A have been tactically positioned to remain outside the confines of the Walney TMZ. No other impact on military operations from other military aerodromes has been identified.

2.3.8 Impact of the TMZ on light GA operations

Whilst not prohibited from operating over water, the majority of pilots of light single engine aircraft (sports and recreation) prefer to minimise their over-water flight time by using routes that track predominantly overland and require them to be over water for as short a period as practicable. Notwithstanding the transponder

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mandate within a TMZ, provision exists for conditional access by non-transponder equipped aircraft by prior arrangement, establishing two-way radio contact, with the appropriate ATSU (Controlling Authority), in this case Warton ATC.

The Warton TMZ operational log confirms that there have been no GA access refusals to the TMZ.

2.3.9 Impact of the TMZ on Glider operations

No impact on glider operations, either from Barrow/Walney Island (Lakes Gliding Club) or other glider aerodromes, has been identified or reported.

2.3.10 Impact of the TMZ on Offshore Helicopter operations

Aircraft likely to be affected by the proposed TMZ are those with a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTWA) of less than 5,700 kilogrammes (kg), as above this weight the aircraft are likely to be used for public transport operations and therefore transponder equipped. The helicopters operated by Babcock Mission Critical Services Offshore, Blackpool, in the Walney area are Medium Twin aircraft equipped with a transponder.

Light Twin helicopters are unlikely to operate with regularity in the area of the Wind Farms. There is a regular, daily return air taxi flight by a light helicopter, transponder and radio equipped (captured in the air traffic survey), between Andreas Aerodrome (on the north of the Isle of Man) and Chorley, Lancashire that transits close to the Walney area.

2.4 TMZ with associated PSR Suppression Techniques

The Walney TMZ is one element of a 3-part Mitigation Package negating the impact of the clutter from the Walney Offshore Wind Farm upon the Warton PSR. The three parts are:

Element 1: The TMZ; Element 2: Authorisation to control SSR-alone and; Element 3: Suppression of PSR returns within the boundary of the Wind

Farms inside the TMZ.

The Walney TMZ is only considered to be a short-term mitigation measure. Work is ongoing between Ørsted and Warton to deliver a suitable long-term technical solution which will mitigate the effects of the Walney (and Burbo Bank) Offshore Wind Farms on the Warton PSR throughout the projected lifespan.

The TMZ provides Warton ATC with assured positional identification and Commercial Air Traffic (CAT) operators with collision avoidance mitigation through the cooperative use of Airborne Collision avoidance Systems (ACAS). It also maintains current effectiveness and efficiency in the airspace while radar services are provided using SSR data-alone (approved by SARG) in the area of the Walney Offshore Wind Farm.

The primary determining features for the TMZ are:

The location of Walney WTGs; The tracking characteristics of the Warton PSR; The base FL100 of transponder mandated airspace above; The presentation of the TMZ to pilots (i.e. how it is portrayed on the charts);

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Proximity to the coastline; and Proximity to the Barrow/Walney Island Aerodrome Traffic Zone (ATZ).

2.5 The TMZ Horizontal Buffer Zone

In order to assure effective and expeditious ATS provision within and around the TMZ, it was considered that an additional lateral buffer to the ‘blanked area’, necessary for ATS purposes close to the area of PSR return suppression may be required. Such a buffer zone provides time for ATC to provide avoiding action to other aircraft close to the boundary of the TMZ, if required. The variable lateral buffer zone around the WTG ‘blanking’, outside EG D406, ensures that tracks close to the TMZ are initiated and known to ATC, including Barrow/Walney Island. However, the CAA, in its decision, removed the proposed buffer on the north-eastern boundary of the TMZ, as a practical measure, to facilitate GA transits close to the Barrow/Walney Island ATZ and southwest coast of Cumbria. However, Warton ATC felt that this was inconsistent with the application of a buffer to the Burbo TMZ when considering the amount of traffic in the area which does not carry a transponder. To Warton ATC’s knowledge there has been no non-radio, non-transponder air traffic above or in the vicinity of the Walney TMZ. Warton consider that erosion of this buffer to the north-east boundary of the TMZ is not ideal.

2.6 Conclusion

The objective of the TMZ is to maintain Warton Aerodrome, and other flying and ATS operations near Walney despite the presence of the Walney offshore Wind Farms. This has been achieved.

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Walney Transponder Mandatory Zone (TMZ) | References

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3 References

Reference Name Origin

1 CAP 725 CAA Guidance on the Application of the Airspace Change Process

Fourth Edition (corrected) February 2018

CAA

ISBN 978 0 11790 739 3

2 UK Integrated Aeronautical Information Package (IAIP)

AIRAC 06/2018

NATS Aeronautical Information Service

3 CAP 774 UK Flight Information Service

Third Edition 25 May 2017

CAA

4 CAP 393 The Air Navigation Order 2016 (ANO) and Regulations

Fifth Edition (v5.1) 27 March 2018

CAA

ISBN 978 0 11792 658 5

Table 1 Table of References.