Orly implemented 8.33 in 2014 for ground and clearance delivery frequencies. Not sure about CDG.
Could you please specify this rumour, as it seems to be untrue as you report it.
Jesse, I checked out the source.
The original report was in a closed Facebook group for Dutch VFR Pilots
https://www.facebook.com/groups/112333338891839/permalink/409320435859793/
I don’t know if that link is accessible if you’re not a member, but AOPA picked it up as well:
https://www.aopa.nl/pages/61/nieuwsbericht/?newsID=49
Both in Dutch unfortunately but I’m sure Google Translate will help you make sense out of it.
Just heard from a reliable source that the 1750 euro fine is now off the table (fortunately for the poor pilot involved).
However, at this time the FIO (Flight Information Office) is still rejecting any flight plan for VFR flight through A, B or C airspace if the “Y” indicator is missing. So for all practical purposes an 8.33 radio – and more so, the “Y” indicator in the flight plan that testifies to this – is required for flight in A, B, C airspace, EVEN IF THE AIRSPACE AUTHORITY (ATC) IS NOT ON 8.33 YET. (And note that civil controlled ADs in NL are class C, while military ADs are class D.)
I know that there are several parallel attempts underway to reason with LVNL to change this. An 8.33 radio should only be required if your planned VFR flight (including any alternates) takes you through airspace where 8.33 is used.
An old thread … but today I am in EHEH (for another hour or so) and this is “my” first airport with a Tower frequency that requires 8,33kHz capability. More to follow…
So what would happen if you said “unable”? Just curious…
(I appreciate it’s Holland, land of mandatory ELT, Mode ‘S’, etc.)
So what would happen if you said “unable”? Just curious…
Depending on the exact frequency/channel used, either one of two things.
1. If they are operating on an 8.33 channel that somehow does not fall within your 25 kHz frequency selectivity, they won’t hear you and/or you won’t hear them.
2. If it does, and you can hear them and they can hear you, technically they should not allow you, so you’ll hear “remain outside controlled airspace, have a nice day”. But more likely nobody will notice and you’ll be cleared as normal. (However, you may interfere on nearby 8.33 channels, or receive interference from nearby 8.33 channels.)
Okay, it seems that most of the Dutch GA aviation organizations put enough pressure on LVNL to reverse their stance.
From what I’ve heard is that the interpretation of the current AIC has been changed, and for VFR flight you only require an 8.33 capable radio if you intend to fly in airspace where 8.33 is used. If your journey does not take you through 8.33 airspace, a 25 kHz radio is still OK for now. LVNL is apparently looking at getting the wording in the AIC modified to this effect.
As a consequence, the FIO should no longer automatically reject flightplans through class A/B/C airspace if the “Y” indicator is not present. But if you intend to fly through airspace where 8.33 is actively used (that’s just the EHEH CTR/TMA for now) and your flight plan has no “Y” indicator, then the FIO has every right – and maybe even the obligation – to refuse your flight plan.
Nothing changed for IFR. 8.33 has been mandatory and will remain so. So you’ll need the “Y” indicator in your flight plan for it to be accepted.
8.33 kHz – would Jepp publish the requirement on plates?
With all the uncertainty around 8.33 mhz radios, I was wondering if a certain approach facility was using 8.33 mhz, we would probably expect to see that in the Jepp info? Does anybody know of a way to look up which ATC enroute sectors are using 8.33mhz frequencys?
This is difficult IMO. As far as I know this is not published, and most ATC frequencies aren’t published either.
But Eurocontrol checks for it, at least in those countries where the country has asked them to do so. So if you try to validate a flightplan without Y, you should get an error if it would require 8.33.
Whether this check is sufficient I’m not sure. It doesn’t directly cover airports needing 8.33kHz, maybe indirectly by being inside 8.33kHz airspace. And sometimes, only certain things on an airport need 8.33kHz, for example deicing in LSZH.
