This agreement gives us privileges not rights.  Please don’t abuse it or contravene it as we want it to continue.  (It is annually renewable and reviewable by agreement).

The LofA sets out some precisely designated XC paragliding zones that allow flying within Class D airspace.  These zones are not active by default.  YOU MUST ACTIVATE THE ZONE by phoning Edinburgh ATC Watch Manager to request activation.  The phone number for the ATC Watch Manager is 0131 333 6239.  

Identify the zone you wish to activate by using its designation, e.g. “Pentland Hills ParaglidingZone”.  (Details can be found on the information page for each site).  

ATC may refuse, but this is unlikely.  ATC will advise altitude clearance if this differs from the agreement.

ATC will request a contact number.  Give them your number or the number of a representative at the hill who can answer this phone.  This is for the event that ATC require to suspend paraglider operations due to some emergency.  You or a representative must be in a position to take this call and must be able to clear the air of gliders.  See note on radios below.

Once all flying within the zone has ceased YOU MUST DE-ACTIVATE THE ZONE by phone call to ATC.   If you do not de-activate the zone, you’ll (1) get an angry phone call from ATC and (2) endanger the agreement for all pilots.  Please be responsible.

There is no minimum pilot rating to fly in the zones.  However, you must be very confident of your competency in 3D navigation, specifically -

You must be able to accurately read an airspace chart and must know in which classes of airspace you are allowed to fly.  (Hint – you are not allowed in classes A through D, there are special VFR rules for E, and F&G are no problem.)  If you are not sure, take advice from a club coach or advanced pilot, consider sitting your pilot or advanced pilot exam yourself and most importantly, to avoid conflicts and ruining the agreement for other pilots, DON’T FLY IN THE ZONES UNTIL YOU CAN ACCURATELY NAVIGATE and stay in Class F&G.  (i.e. stay low).

To make navigation easier, each site’s page includes visual reference aids and airspace overlaid on OS maps.  You should be able to correlate visual references on the ground to these maps.  You should consider flying with a map if you are unable to memorise and identify the visual references.

YOU MUST FLY WITH AN ALTIMETER.  The vertical buffer zone between paragliders in the zones and commercial jets will generally be only 1000ft or 300m.  That’s not much.  You can’t just guess;  it’s too dangerous.

YOU MUST SET YOUR ALTIMETER TO EDINBURGH AIRPORT QNH.  It is NOT good enough to set your altimeter to an accurate ground reference.  That may be absolutely accurate and you’ll know exactly how high you are off the ground.   However, the jets you wish to avoid crashing into have their altimeters set to notional pressure altitude - Edinburgh QNH.  You must too.  It’s separation that counts.  (If you are not familiar with the concept of QNH, ask for advice from a club coach or advanced pilot and consider upgrading your rating to Pilot or Advanced Pilot).  Edinburgh Air Traffic Information Service broadcasts QNH on airband 131.35 MHz , or alternatively you can listen to a recorded ATIS message including the same info by phoning 0131 333 6216.  (OK, so it’s true that for there to be a 1000ft difference in indicated altitude between Edinburgh and Broughton, it would also have to be really, really windy.  However, it doesn’t take so much to be 200ft out and that could mean you’re infringing airspace).

Consider using a GPS which shows airspace and better still warns of airspace infringement.  (Garmin 76, Pocket PC + SeeYou / CompeGPS etc).

Radios and phones.  It is advisable but not compulsory for every pilot to carry a radio and a phone.  Although it is highly unlikely to happen, ATC must be able to suspend paragliding by phoning the contact number supplied to them.  This means that one person on the hill should be able to take a call and pass a message to all pilots in the air.  If you cannot answer the phone during flight, you must land and call back.  Radio contact between all pilots is advisable.  (FM 143.675 and 143.75 are commonly used frequencies).  If you are not on radio but you see everyone else land quickly, land to check.  You can always take off again if there’s no emergency.