What I find curious is that I see virtually no 8.33 channels in IFR flight. Maybe 2 in all of 2017.
It almost looks like there is a move to shaft all the VFR pilots just for a laugh. Obviously that can’t be it, so why is the VFR sphere moving so fast right now? We all know 8.33 is completely pointless; there is no technical reason for it. There is no evidence of interference.
One has to wonder who is driving this. It’s like in the old days, whenever there was a left-wing rally somewhere in the West, the Q would be usefully asked: who paid for the buses? Who are the biggest gainers from 8.33? I am not suggesting it is directly this but EASA and the national CAAs have recruited lots from that arena.
Airborne_Again wrote:
Sweden has also started the conversion of ground frequencies to 8.33. There is an AIC with the schedule.
More one that:
From 1 January 2018 an operator shall not operate an aircraft in airspace where carriage of radio is required unless the aircraft radio equipment has the 8.33 kHz channel spacing capability.
Exemptions from the requirement to be equipped with 8.33 kHz channel spacing radio communication equipment for operation within Sweden FIR can be found in AIC B 103-17 concerning general aviation operations in uncontrolled airspace.
https://aro.lfv.se/Editorial/View/3561/AIC%20A%2013-2017
The exemption is only for Swedish club frequencies (air-to-air up to 4000 ft), 123.450 (for clubs with no frequencies up to 4000 ft) and 123.500 (for gliders up to infinity), not FIS frequencies (Sweden Control). You still need 8.33 separation if you want FIS in G-airspace from Sweden Control, even though legally you are not required to carry a radio in G-airspace.
Also, this is relevant for the IR-rated people of the forum:
1st of January 2018 (04/01/2018 AIRAC date), the Network Manager Integrated Flight Planning System (IFPS) will reject automatically all the flight plans for non 8.33 kHz radio equipped flights operated as General Air Traffic (GAT) under Instrumental Flight Rules (IFR), within the airspace of the ICAO EUR region where Switzerland, Norway and EU Member States are responsible for the provision of air traffic services.
Peter wrote:
We all know 8.33 is completely pointless; there is no technical reason for it. There is no evidence of interference.
My understanding of the UK position is that there is still no legal requirement, in 2018, IF the airfield you depart from has no 8.33 capability, and the airfield you are flying to has no capability. Firstly do I have that correct?
Secondly, I agree that it is totally pointless, and yet, a fear has appeared that individuals cannot/wont fly an aeroplane unless it is 8.33 converted. Quite incredible.
BeechBaby wrote:
My understanding of the UK position is that there is still no legal requirement, in 2018, IF the airfield you depart from has no 8.33 capability, and the airfield you are flying to has no capability. Firstly do I have that correct?Secondly, I agree that it is totally pointless, and yet, a fear has appeared that individuals cannot/wont fly an aeroplane unless it is 8.33 converted. Quite incredible.
On Flyer in November the UK position was summarised by a CAA manager as:
Bob Liddiard of the CAA’s General Aviation Unit said, “To clarify the situation with the requirement for pilots to transition to 8.33kHz radios by the end of the year, there are two separate exemptions being offered by the CAA in 2018:
“1. Certain frequencies, primarily those used by pilots of gliders, hot air balloons and microlights, can continue being used on 25kHz radios during 2018.
“2. Where a ground station has not transitioned to 8.33kHz capability, pilots will still be able to communicate with that ground station on a 25kHz radio in 2018. However, where a ground station has transitioned to 8.33kHz, pilots must use an 8.33kHz radio to communicate.”
That might well mean that if you fly between farm strips, you don’t need 8.33 for airworthiness. After all, you can fly in Class G non-radio so operationally you definitely don’t need 8.33. The FIS frequencies will never go to 8.33 (it would be completely mad to do that) and neither will 121.50 
Also a lot of airfields will go “officially” to 8.33 but retaining the 25kHz frequencies so, ahem, nothing will change. The UK is AFAIK the only place to implement the frequency tax but I don’t think it has actually happened as yet.
Don’t mix up the requirements on aircraft with the requirements on ground stations.
Unless they have an exemption (like the Swedish club exemption) all ground stations must convert to 8.33 kHz channels during 2018.
Aircraft (at least for GA use) since new year need at least one 8.33 kHz capable radio if they fly in airspace where radio communication is mandatory. There is AFAIK no exemption mechanism for aircraft (except possibly for individual flights). If you don’t need to use the radio, you don’t need 8.33 kHz equipment. If you do need to use the radio, you must have 8.33 kHz equipment even if you will only be using 25 kHz channels.
This popped up on my email:
When you fly in Germany this year, don’t rely on the printed charts for frequencies/channels.
So funny. Of course one can NEVER rely on printed charts alone for frequencies, as these charts are issued only once a year and are thus out of date in one way or another by the day they are printed!
I think this changing of frequencies is a a good thing to some degree, as it will teach a lesson to many people and FINALLY make them start reading NOTAMs before going flying!
From 1st of February 2018 Greece has also published that the use of 8.33 transceivers is mandatory:
GEN 3.4.5.3 Carriage and operation of 8.33 kHz channel spacing capable radio equipment is mandatory in Greece. Further information is provided in GEN 1.5 and ENR 1.3.6.1.3.
ENR 1.10.5.1.3.1 Flight plans will be rejected (Eurocontrol/ IFPS User Manual OCT 2017) unless:
a) the letter Y is inserted in item 10 of the flight plan of 8.33 kHz equipped aircraft, or
b) the letter Z is inserted in item 10 and the indicator “COM/EXM833” is included in item 18 of the flight plan of non 8.33 kHz equipped aircraft that have been granted exemption (see GEN 1.5.3), or
c) the letter M is inserted in item 8, the letter U and/or Z are inserted in item 10 and the indicator “STS/STATE” followed by the indicator “COM/EXM833” in item 18 is included in the flight plan of non 8.33 kHz equipped state aircraft operating military flight ,or
d) the letter U and/or Z are inserted in item 10 and the indicator “STS/HOSP” or “STS/FFR” or “STS/SAR” or “STS/STATE”, followed by the indicator “COM/EXM833” in item 18 are included in the flight plan of other non 8.33 kHz equipped state aircraft.
