Thimo Koolen Posted April 16, 2017 at 11:29 AM Posted April 16, 2017 at 11:29 AM Hello all, Gatwick is one of my favorite airports in the UK to fly in/out from and the ATC is always wonderful. I have a question regarding the departures out of this airport. Sometimes after departure, Gatwick Tower hands us over to Gatwick Approach, sometimes to London Control / UNICOM. What determines if an aircraft is switched to any of those? I wasn't able to find a pattern so far. ACCNL4 (Training Director) - Dutch VACC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Blackburn Posted April 16, 2017 at 11:37 AM Posted April 16, 2017 at 11:37 AM It depends simply on the next position being staffed. If none exist then its off to unicom. Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimo Koolen Posted April 17, 2017 at 10:07 AM Author Posted April 17, 2017 at 10:07 AM So if both London Control and Gatwick Approach are online, its Approach and thereafter Control. If only Approach is only, it's immediately Unicom? ACCNL4 (Training Director) - Dutch VACC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Blackburn Posted April 17, 2017 at 10:33 AM Posted April 17, 2017 at 10:33 AM Generally it's (from top to bottom): CTR APP/DEP TWR GND DEL The higher positions can cover those below so for example CTR could cover all positions down to GND and therefore give you your clearance but TWR couldn't give you vectors in the absence of APP or DEP. In your case APP covers you from start to handing you over to CTR or from being handed from CTR all the way to the gate. Norman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phillip Speer Posted April 17, 2017 at 09:35 PM Posted April 17, 2017 at 09:35 PM Most the departures from Gatwick will go straight to CTR from TWR (if online), the exception being the SFD9P which will go to APP. At Gatwick, APP predominantly only handles arrivals (the SFD9P crosses the arrival stream hence going to APP). If CTR isn't online then APP will handle departures initiallly. Phillip VATSIM UK Divisional Instructor Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thimo Koolen Posted April 18, 2017 at 03:44 PM Author Posted April 18, 2017 at 03:44 PM Thanks for the answers. That makes sense. ACCNL4 (Training Director) - Dutch VACC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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