The three main airports (Dublin, Shannon and Cork) have extensive Class C controlled areas around them. The smaller airports (Waterford, Knock, Farranfore, Galway, Sligo and Donegal) have a 10 nautical mile radius cylinder of airspace controlled by local ATC. These smaller, regional airports also have additional stubs, generally 10 nautical miles long and wide, along extended runway centrelines, extending from 2500 feet AMSL upwards. These stubs are controlled by Shannon ATC. You can safely fly below these stubs (i.e. below 2500 feet).

Flying Sites In, Under or Near Controlled Airspace in Ireland

The following flying sites are located either inside, underneath or near controlled air space and require either specific permission or knowledge before they may be flown. Please be aware that by flying these sites without permission or by violating the restrictions laid down by Air Traffic Control you are endangering not only your own life but also the lives of others. You also run the risk of having a good flying site closed permenantly and earning the emnity of every other pilot in the country. The rules and restrictions are there for your safety and the safety of others - obey them.

All hang gliding and paragliding flights must be conducted in accordance with Normal Visual Flight Rules unless express permission is granted by Air Traffic Control, in which case the flight is governed by Special Visual Flight Rules.

• Normal VFR - This is a daylight flight with three miles visibility and 1000' clearance from clouds (verticle and horozontal clearance.)
• Special VFR - This is a clearance, from ATC, permitting a VFR flight to operate in controlled airspace with minimums of 1 mile visibility, and "clear of clouds."
• VFR ends at sundown, when the sun touches the horizon. This is a different time each day, which ATC will advise you of.

Killiney (Co. Dublin) - This site is inside Class C airspace for Dublin airport and may only be flown with the expressed permission from Dublin Air Traffic Control. Permission is always subject to restrictions - you must not fly above 700 feet above sea level and you must remain within one mile of the obilisk on top of the hill. Note, also, that Killiney is a hazerdous site and has a 50-hour restriction on it. Pilots MUST have a minimum of 50 hours air time experience before attempting to fly there.

Following a safety review in 2007 a new protocol has been agreed with Dublin ATC. Pilots wishing to fly at Killiney MUST contact Dublin ATC on 01 8144601 and ask for the Data Assistant. A typical call will go as follows:

Pilot: "Hello, may I speak to the Data Assistant please?"
Dublin ATC: "This is the Data Assistant speaking, how can I help you?"
Pilot: "My name is Joe Bloggs. I am a Paraglider / Hang Glider pilot seeking permission to fly at Killiney Hill."
Dublin ATC: "Ok, when do you wish to commence flying operations at Killiney?"
Pilot: "From now (give the current time) until the end of VFR (Visual Flight Rules) and I would be grateful if you would advise all powered aircraft to avoid this area please."
Dublin ATC: "One moment please while I check with the Duty Controller." 
At this point your call may be passed on to the Duty Controller and you should repeat your request again to him.
Dublin ATC: "Ok, you are cleared to fly at Killiney from now until the end of VFR which is at 18:30 (or whatever time VFR ends at.) Your flight operations are restricted to under 700 feet AMSL (Above Mean Sea Level) and to within one mile radius of Killiney Hill. Please call back when flight operations have ceased for the day."
Pilot: "Ok, just to confirm: I am cleared to fly at Killiney Hill from now (give the time) until the end of VFR at 18:30 (or whatever time you were told.) Flight operations are to be restricted to under 700 feet AMSL and to within one mile radius of Killiney Hill. Correct?"
Dublin ATC: "That's correct. Thanks for calling." Click, burrrr....

Remember, your call is being recorded so keep your conversation polite, courteous and professional - stick to the script! 

If helicopters or other small aircraft fly close in front of Killiney Hill while you are flying, please do not call Dublin ATC to complain. Note down the time and date of the incident and the type of aircraft infringing your agreed airspace and call or email the This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it who will take appropriate action. Remember, you are receiving PERMISSION to fly at Killiney Hill, not a cast iron guarantee that you have the air all to yourself!

At the end of a day's flying, normal practice is that the last pilot out of the air MUST call Dublin ATC back to advise them that flight operations have ceased for the day. Again, a typical call will go as follows:

Pilot: "Hello, may I speak to the Data Assistant please?"
Dublin ATC: "This is the Data Assistant speaking, how can I help you?"
Pilot: "My name is Joe Bloggs. I am calling to advise you that Paragliding / Hang Gliding flight operations at Killiney Hill have ceased for the day."
Dublin ATC: "Paragliding / Hang Gliding operations have ceased for the day at Killiney Hill. Ok, thanks for your call." Click, burrr...

Bray Head (Co. Wicklow) - Bray Head lies below the Dublin Control Traffic Area, which extends from 2500 feet upwards. You are unlikely to reach 2500 feet at Bray so there is no danger of infringing on that.

Lough Bray (Co. Wicklow) - Lough Bray lies just south of the Dublin Control Zone. Do not go over the back of Lough Bray towards Tallaght because you will first enter Dublin Control Zone, and then cross into Baldonnel Restricted airspace. Heading west towards the transmitter on Kippure is fine.

Lacken (Co. Wicklow) - This site is in airspace controlled by Casement Military Aerodrome at Baldonnel. Check airspace class and restrictions. Call Casement ATC on 01 403 7514 if you plan to fly there mid-week and alert them to your activities. There have been a number of instances where low-flying helicopters have come close to PGs/HGs in the air.

Arra, Keeper Hill and Silvermines (Co. Tiperrary) - Keeper Hill and most of the Silvermines are below the Shannon Control Area. Pilots should call Shannon ATC on 061 770700 and ask to speak to the Supervisor. The main directions on Arra are South West to West. It is possible to fly it on a Northwesterly but you need a stiffer breeze. Take off is about 1500 and when you ring ATC, they normally give you 1000ft above the hill. On rare occasions they can give you more height than this but usually only about another 500 ft. Keeper Hill is slightly further away from Shannon than Arra. The Hill is 2200 ft and normally one can get to 3500 AMSL clearance from ATC. Going cross country from Keeper is taking a fairly big risk. There is a lot of air traffic passing over (below cloudbase regularly) and as a result, we haven't flown there that often in recent years. Best directions for flying Keeper is NE right around to SW. Bear in mind the NE take off involves a nerve racking take off over a huge gully. (nearly a cliff launch). 

Blackstair Mountains (Co. Wexford/Carlow) - Pilots flying cross country off the southern end of the Blackstair Mts. should be aware that there is controlled air space around Waterford City and should plan their flight path accordingly.

Comeragh Mts. (Co. Waterford) - While this site is not inside any air traffic control zone it is frequently used by the Waterford Search & Rescue helicopter for training exercises. Pilots intending to fly the Comeragh Mts. should call the Search & Rescue base and advise them of your activities before and after you fly. You should specifically explain the danger posed to hang gliders and paragliders from the turbulence caused by the helicopter and request that they do not fly into the area unless there is a genuine emergency. Pilots should also call to advise them when HG/PG activities have ceased for the day. Waterford Search & Rescue: 051 875265.

Truskmore (Co. Sligo) - Truskmore is on the edge of the Sligo Control Area. If you fly west or south from Truskmore you are in controlled airspace. Contact Sligo ATC beforehand if you want to fly the hills west of Truskmore, including Ben Bulben.

Kinsale (Co. Cork) - All flying sites around Kinsale are inside Class C airspace controlled by Cork ATC. Pilots wishing to fly in or through this area must call Cork Tower on (021) 4329623 and request permission to fly. The format for requesting clearance is: "Hello Cork tower, this is a paraglider pilot on the ground at the Old Head of Kinsale. I request clearance for 2 hours paragliding on the cliffs south and west of the Old Head. Maximum altitude 500ft QNH. I will call you when finished." When finished call the tower again and say " the paragliders are on the ground at (say time) at Kinsale." They are very nice people and are now used to us calling them. They want us to let them know what we are doing  and always thank us for calling in.

Slieve Mish (Co. Kerry) - Part of Slieve Mish is inside the Farranfore CTA (Controlled Traffic Area.) Farranfore airport have made it clear that they will not tolerate any free-flying activity in their airspace unless the pilots are equipped with airband radios and are in direct communication with the Farranfore tower at all times. Airband radios require the operator to have an RT licence. So, for the forseeable future, pilots wishing to fly the length of the Dingle peninsula must not enter Farranfore airspace at any time. Please check your airspace maps before flying in this part of the country. The IHPA will continue to endevour to have this policy changed so that it is treated similarly to other flying sites inside air traffic control zones.

Rossbehey (Co. Kerry) - This site lies just outside the Farranfore CTA and must be flown with due attention to the extent of Farranfore controlled airspace. Please check your airspace maps before flying this site.

Dublin ATC                 (EIDW)   01 8144601 - Call before you fly at Killiney.
Casement ATC           (EIME)    01 403 7514 - Call before you fly at Lacken.
Sligo Airport               (EISG)    071 916 8280
Donegal Airport          (EIDL)     074 9548284
Galway Airport           (EICM)     091 755569
Shannon Airport        (EINN)      061 712000
Cork Airport Tower    (EICK)      021 4329623 - Call before you fly at Kinsale
Farranfore Airport      (EIKY)      066 9764644 - Kerry Regional Airport
Knock Airport           (EIKN)      094 936 8100
Waterford S&R         (EIWF)     051 875265 - Call before you fly the Comeragh Mts.