Knowledge base

An Airprox is a situation in which, in the opinion of a pilot or air traffic services personnel, the distance between aircraft as well as their relative positions and speed have been such that the safety of the aircraft involved may have been compromised. The airprox system is designed to support the whole of the flying community and is primarily a mechanism for assessing how an airprox occurred and the lessons that can be learned. Paragliders can and do use this system. If y

Eden Valley Model Aero Club location Eden Valley Model Aero Club operate from a field in NE Cumbria, near to Kirkby Thore. The landing field centre is at NY 62452 25203 and they can use the field to the west. It is 4.8 miles on a bearing of 307 degrees from the centre of Appleby. The field and the flight radius are shown below. Flying is available on all days of the week, and they will fly until dark. The normal maximum height above ground level is 400ft although this may be

UK Mountain Soaring Club's runway The UK Mountain Soaring Group (formerly Eden Soaring Society) fly gliders from a field near to Cross Fell on the Pennines. Their flying season runs from the beginning of April to the end of October. The centre of their flying field is NY 62417 33858 near Skirwith. The field is on a bearing of 070 degrees, 7.15 miles from the centre of Penrith. The landing field can be seen on Google Earth and is outlined in red below. Note that the runway i

Carlisle Carlisle airport is located about 5nm ENE of Carlisle and is the largest airport in Cumbria. The main runway is 07/25 (i.e. 070°/250°) so most approaches will be made from the ENE. Carlisle Tower is on 123.6. The airport currently caters for business jets, general aviation, and microlights. Military flights may also use the airport. Kirkbride Kirkbride airfield is located in North Cumbria to the North of Wigton. The main runway 10/28 is so most approaches will com

Sellafield R413 restricted area shown on a topographical air chart Restricted Areas are areas in which flight is only permitted under certain circumstances. Two restricted areas affect Cumbria: Sellafield EG R413 A circle radius 2 nm centred on 54 25 05N 003 29 44W, height 2,200ft. This area covers the nuclear recycling facilities at Sellafield on the west coast, south of St Bees. Barrow in Furness EG R445 A circle radius 0.5nm centred on 54 06 35N 003 14 10W. Submarine works

The Spadeadam Danger Area in NE Cumbria shown on a topographical air chart A Danger Area (DA) in aviation is a defined airspace where potentially hazardous activities, usually military training (like live firing, air-to-air refuelling, or UAS use) or parachute drops, occur at certain times. Three danger areas affect Cumbria: Warcop EG DG407 This danger area covers an Army Training area on the Pennines to the south of Appleby. It's an extensive area of what could be a good Sou

As Cumbria is a long way from major airports, both civil and military, we don't have to worry about controlled airspace. The main issue in Cumbria is military low flying. Low Flying Being a mountainous area, Cumbria gets a lot of low-level traffic, mainly from the RAF but also from other NATO forces. Most aircraft will be transiting through Cumbria on their way to somewhere else, frequently from bases in Southern England to Scotland, or to the ranges at Spadeadam in Northumb