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• Pilots Briefing Pack - Safety at London Southend

Pilots Briefing Pack - Safety at London Southend

This section of the website provides useful safety and operational information for visiting pilots and airlines less familiar with the operating environment at London Southend Airport.

• Position of St. Laurence’s Church in the runway instrument strip
• Links to the UK-AIP and to other important textual and chart information
• General description of the operating environment at London Southend
• Airspace

Position of St. Laurence’s Church in the runway instrument strip

A picture of the Church (circled red) relative to the runway is shown below.

It is a condition of operating at London Southend Airport that all aircraft operators accept that St. Laurence Church and its graveyard are permanent obstacles within the runway instrument strip,  and that they take account of them to the extent necessary to ensure a safe operation.

The Church roof is at 78ft AMSL at 94m from  runway centreline, and its spire at 114ft AMSL, 105m from the runway centreline at approximately 200m north-east of runway 06 threshold. The obstacle is lit (by an adjacent pole) with a single red obstruction light.    

A frangible security fence is placed around Church graveyard up to 9ft AGL(56ft amsl), and at closest, 49m from Runway centreline.

The risks posed by the Church are subject to an annual review by the Aerodrome License Holder and are a standing Agenda item to the Airport User Group meeting.

Links to other sites

The correct source for up to date information regarding the Aerodrome physical characteristics and operating environment is the United Kingdom Aeronautical Information Publication entry available by clicking the link below:

United Kingdom Air Pilot entry. (UK-AIP)

Airport Conditions of Use

The UK-AIP should be used for all flight planning.Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and currency of the information in the sections below, the correct source of information is the UK-AIP.  LSACL will not be held responsible for any omissions or errors on the part of crews who plan operations on the basis of the abbreviated information below, instead of the UK-AIP.

The sections below are indicative of the operating environment to be expected. Nothing within them takes precedence over compliance with ATC instruction, current NOTAMs or general good airmanship.

 General description of the operating environment at London Southend (EGMC)

A summary of relevant information is contained below – but the UK-AIP and any supplements to it published by UK-AIS must be referred to for all flight planning                     

General situation

The airport is located between 1.5 NM (2.8 km; 1.7 mi) north of Southend-on-Sea in the county of Essex, approx 30NM to east of central London.

Aerodrome declared distances and other physical information

The runway surface is BBA (Beton Bitumeux Aeronautique). This is a porous material which is ungrooved but offers very good friction characteristics.

The runway is 1856 m long; its width is 37 m. In addition, R06 has a starter extension of length 135m and width 30m, with a turning circle of radius 15m at the end.

The Aerodrome Elevation is 55ft amsl.

An electrified railway line runs along the eastern boundary of the airport immediately beyond the ILS Localiser array. 

Approach lights and PAPI’s (3º GS on R24 and 3.5º GS  R06) are installed for both runways. 

At the end of R24 is a turning pad allowing back-track to taxiway Charlie.  Taxi with care, especially when the taxiway is contaminated or when following other aircraft

For larger aircraft types note that taxiways are narrow (15m).

Taxiway B, has no centreline lights and is not available in LVPs.

Taxiway C no centreline lights between Hold C2 and Hold C3.

Winter operations - details TBA.

On airport obstacle environment and runway excursion risks

St. Laurence’s Church is located in the instrument strip for runway 24/06, with the main church building at 90m from the runway centreline.

It is a condition of operating at the airport that the operator accepts that St. Laurence Church and graveyard are permanent obstacles within the runway instrument strip and that they take account of them to the extent necessary to ensure a safe operation.

The runway may potentially be considered “narrow” for use by certain larger Code C aircraft (e.g. A319 etc.,) – check with the aircraft flight manual as necessary.

Terrain and obstacles

The ground rises to the west of the airport – details of this,  the Aerodrome Type A Chart and a list of prominent obstacles are in the UK-AIP.

Airspace and ATC  around London Southend Airport (EGMC)

London Southend is located in Class G airspace; ; it has an Aerodrome Traffic Zone of radius 2.5 nautical miles, up to 2000ft above aerodrome level. London Southend is situated beneath London TMA, the base of which is 3500 ft. The airport is situated in a an area of high general aviation activity; all pilots are recommended to contact London Southend Radar on 130.775 when flying within the area. London Southend ATC offers a Lower Airspace Radar Service (LARS) to aircraft flying in the area.

General warnings and cautions

Danger Areas located to the South and East of London Southend may be active, London Southend ATC provide a Danger Area Activity Information Service (DAAIS) for these and can inform pilots of the activity status of these areas.

A holding pattern 'SND' is established outside CAS based on the airport NDB, and extends to the west and south-west of the airport overhead. It is frequently in use by aircraft flying according to IFR, and due to the associated joining procedures and IAPs, aircraft may be encountered in all quadrants from SND at any time.

^{THIS MAP IS NOT TO BE USED FOR FLIGHT PLANNING}

Light aircraft

Click here for separate briefing material prepared by GA Operators at London Southend.

Pilots must keep an excellent look out, and should wherever practical maintain contact with ATC and use transponders. In particular, general aviation pilots operating light aircraft should be aware that faster jet types (up to B757 size) operate into and out of Southend.

For jet and faster propeller aircraft the following principles should be considered:

• Arrivals and departures require transit through Class G airspace and must be speed limited 250 kts or less.
• General Aviation activity increases when weather conditions are finest
• Ensure good lookout. Crews should operate aircraft in a manner that can establish that the intended flight path is clear of other traffic. Request a radar service from ATC and be prepared to respond without delay to ATC heading adjustments or TCAS alerts.
• Conspicuity is important, and all external aircraft lights should be used where available.

General ATC practices for aircraft operating into and out of the London TMA Airways system to London Southend Airport

Arrival

Pre-brief on details of runway in use and weather conditions by listening in advance to the ATIS broadcast ‘London Southend Information’ on frequency  136.050.

Expect handover from London or Thames Radar. Make sure that you specify what service is requested for once you are outside of controlled airspace. During radar hours, pilots can normally expect vectoring to an ILS approach at Southend to the runway in use.

Departures for aircraft routing into controlled airspace beyond EGMC

Request  push-back clearance and engine start-up approval from ATC on Tower frequency 127.725.

ATC will issue you a generic clearance based on the Southend Preferred Departure Routes (PDRs) (see AIP AD 2-EGMC-1-8 Section 2a) will be passed either prior to, or on taxi. Normally these will require to level off outside controlled airspace - at any level below 3500ft you will still be outside controlled airspace.

      Departures are to inform ATC prior to departure which ATC service they will be requesting on departure, ie Deconfliction service.

Prior to departure, an amended departure clearance may be passed by ATC with a further vertical level restriction, and/or a radar heading to fly.Unless ATC indicate otherwise, the Noise Abatement Procedure is to be followed before turning onto the radar heading. When given a radar heading to fly on departure, you will normally contact Southend Radar next on frequency 130.775. When contacting Southend Radar, state your passing and cleared altitude, and you may then be instructed to ‘Squawk Ident’. Expect further frequency change soon afterwards to either ‘Thames Radar’ or ‘London Control’.

Noise Abatement Departure Routings:

Operators of all aircraft using the aerodrome shall ensure at all times that aircraft are operated in a manner calculated to cause the least disturbance practicable in the areas surrounding the aerodrome. Full details are available in the UK-AIP at Section AD 2.21.

Applies to all aircraftover 5.7 tonnes in weight:

RWY06 – Maintain runway heading until at least 1500ft and 1 DME (I-SO or I-ND) is passed, before turning on track.

RWY24 – Maintain runway heading until at least 1500ft and 2.5 DME (I-ND or I-SO) is passed, before turning on track.