[jhb] Re: IVAO Presence
- From: "Fossil" <fossil@xxxxxxx>
- To: <jhb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 10 Jul 2009 15:58:25 +0100
The FRA's at Heathrow rather limit the number of controllers who can plug
in. The bad side of this is that we just don't have sufficient numbers in
the UK to provide anything like continual coverage there. We don't even have
the numbers to provide evening coverage each night.
The Dutch are far more dedicated to FS and have good organisation. Their
priority is EHAM and Centre coverage first with any surplus ATC moving out
to Rotterdam, Eelde or Twenthe. It's a good idea because with almost
guaranteed coverage pilots know they can plan there any time of day or
night.
Gaz is unrepentant about UK rules. If a C2 or C3 isn't around to plug into
EGLL then it stays shut because he considers quality more important than
coverage. I would agree with this if we had more controllers but even with
lots of C1's coming out the training courses I don't see vast increases in
ATC presence on IVAO. In truth we need a great deal more C1 rated
controllers before we see any real impact.
Assume that most guys can log in for maybe three hours a night and once a
week. To man EGLL_TWR from 1700 - 2300 each night would require 14
controllers. EGLL_GND, APP and CTR increase this to 56 controllers and this
is well outside availability. Until we get numbers up to provide full
evening coverage for every night of the week the UK will always remain a
quiet area to fly in.
bones
bones@xxxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: jhb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:jhb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Gerry Winskill
Sent: 10 July 2009 09:17
To: JHB Restricted
Subject: [jhb] IVAO Presence
I'm sure I've mentioned this before, I think...
Early morning flight, probably most daytime flights too, show decent
amounts of traffic heading for Heathrow. The same applies to Schiphol
but there's a significant difference. Schiphol ATC seats are nearly
always manned. Heathrow is seldom manned, though others with no traffic
may be.
Perhaps the Dutch IVAO controller group have arranged a roster.
Whatever, if I look at Servinfo, the difference between the two is quite
dramatic.
Is it that a few of the qualified controllers have Heathrow ring fenced,
so that they can get in when convenient?
It doesn't affect me, since I rarely head for EGLL, just that it seems
an excellent opportunity for controllers to get traffic is being wasted.
I guess the pilots may feel they are being short changed?
Gerry Winskill
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