GEN | RAF Brize Norton (EGVN)¶

Overview¶

RAF Brize Norton – hereafter referred to as Brize – is a UK Strategic Airbase located in Oxfordshire. It is the largest RAF Station and is home to the RAF’s Strategic and Tactical Air Transport and Air-to-Air Refuelling forces. A mixed fleet of Air Systems are based at Brize, such as Voyager Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), and Globemaster, Atlas and Hercules Tactical Airlift Air Systems.

As a military airfield, controllers shall apply ATC procedures in accordance with the VATSIM UK Military ATC Manual and the Regulatory Article 3000 Series. RT phraseology shall be in accordance with military specific phraseology in CAP 413.

ATC Positions¶

Callsign	Position Logon	Controller Identifier	Frequency
Brize Information	EGVN_ATIS	ATIS	126.505
Brize Ground	EGVN_GND	GMC	121.730
Brize Tower	EGVN_TWR	TWR	123.730
Brize Approach	EGVN_APP	APP	127.255
Brize Zone	EGMV_Z_APP	ZONE	119.005
Brize Director	EGVN_F_APP	DIR	133.755
Brize Talkdown	EGVN_P_APP	PAR	123.555
Brize Radar	EGVN_L_APP	LARS	124.280

Altimeter Setting Procedures¶

All arriving and departing Air Systems will operate on the Brize QNH. Air Systems remaining in the visual circuit will operate on the Brize QNH, or on the Brize QFE (QNH - 10 hPa) at the request of the pilot. Military Air Systems are advised to operate using QNH, but QFE is also available on request.

The Transition Altitude is 3000 feet, except that portion of airspace underneath the Daventry CTA, where the Transition Altitude is 6000 feet.

Info

From here on, unless otherwise specified, vertical references measured in feet are to be assumed as altitudes AMSL.

Runways and Instrument Approach Procedures¶

Runway 25 is the preferred runway at Brize unless the tailwind component exceeds 5 knots, or the pilot requests otherwise.

There are multiple IAPs available at Brize, with the most common being a vectored ILS approach. Other approach types can be found in the UK Mil AIP, including details on PAR and SRA procedures. Radar-to-Visual recoveries are also commonly used when conditions allow.

VFR Procedures¶

VFR circuits shall be not above 1300 ft (1000 ft height) for “Light” category Air Systems, and 1800 ft (1500 ft height) for Air Systems within the “Small” category or higher. Circuit direction for Runway 07 is left-hand, and Runway 25 is right-hand. Circuit direction may be varied by TWR if the traffic situation dictates, and this must be coordinated with ZONE and DIR.

VFR departures shall be cleared to leave the Brize CTR not above 1800 ft and may route via a specified VRP or compass direction (if the pilot is unfamiliar with the area). Conversely, pilots may request a specific, non-defined routing e.g., “via the Fairford overhead.” Zone departure clearances shall be coordinated with ZONE when the Air System requests start.

VFR arrivals shall make initial contact with ZONE no later than 15 NM from Brize, and from outside the CTR boundary. Light Air Systems and Helicopters can expect to be cleared into the Brize CTR via Burford VRP or Faringdon VRP. Other VRPs may be used at the discretion of ZONE to facilitate a more direct routing, or to accommodate other traffic in the area.

Local SSR Code Procedures¶

Traffic remaining within the visual circuit shall squawk 7010.

Brize is assigned the local SSR code range 3701-3745.

The Brize Conspicuity Squawk is 3737 - this code shall be used for traffic receiving a Basic Service and remaining outside the Brize CTR, which does not require identification. Brize also has a Frequency Monitoring Code or “Listening Squawk”, which is 3727.

Brize ZONE is allocated codes 3701-3707 (see Note), LARS is allocated 3710-3726 (excl. 3727), and APP/DIR are allocated 3730-3736 for outbound traffic and 3740-3745 to arrivals.

Note

3707 is also used as a conspicuity squawk for RAF Brize Norton Flying Club traffic, joining or leaving the control zone.

Adjacent Unit SSR Codes

Oxford Radar uses SSR code range 4501-4516. Oxford also has a Basic Service Conspicuity Squawk of 4520 and a Frequency Monitoring Code of 4517.