[jhb] Re: FRA's
- From: "Bones" <bones@xxxxxxx>
- To: <jhb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:37:56 -0000
For Aircraft it's the Minimum Equipment List. For ATC it used to be the
Minimum Experience Level but I wouldn't be surprised if this has been
replaced by a sillier acronym these days. If you really want to know more
about controller training requirements thebible is here -
http://www.caa.co.uk/docs/33/CAP744.PDF
bones
bones@xxxxxxx
http://woodair.net
-----Original Message-----
From: jhb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:jhb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Peter Dodds
Sent: 11 November 2008 11:18
To: jhb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Cc: pdodds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [jhb] Re: FRA's
Just catching up with some old bookmarked emails. What does MEL stand
for?
Peter
> *From:* "Bones" <bones@xxxxxxx>
> *To:* <jhb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> *Date:* Fri, 10 Oct 2008 17:55:34 +0100
>
> Indeed. Every airfield is completely different and a small airfield
> can be
> just as complex to control as a big one. If this sounds odd then
> accept that
> at smaller airfields with fewer staff the tower controller is often
> in
> charge of ALL airfield operations and can be fulfilling the roles of
> controller, Operations Manager and Airport Director because he is
> the only
> management representative present. Once the 9 to 5 staff go home
> the tower
> controller is often left to run the whole airfield and ATC is only
> a minor
> part of his total remit.
>
> Once you get to larger airfields a controller's area of
> responsibility
> shrinks greatly and I doubt a Heathrow controller has much
> knowledge outside
> his specific ATC training. For example he won't have any authority
> over work
> on the airfield but will simple accept that it is going to happen as
> dictated by an Ops Manager or the Works Department.
>
> When you arrive at an airfield you can't control until you have
> completed a
> minimum 90 days MEL in that position. It matters not whether you
> have been
> controlling for 40 years or 2 - you simply don't know what is going
> on and
> so you spend a week going through all the paperwork like MATS Part
> 2 and
> then you sit in with a mentor to learn the local procedures. After
> 90 days
> you qualify for validation but the decision to put you forward
> rests with
> the mentor and it can take much longer sometimes.
>
> If you pass the validation your license is sent back to the CAA and
> it is
> endorsed for the new position (say EGNS Tower). At the same time
> your
> previous endorsements for any other airfields are revoked - you
> cannot go
> back and control there without going through the 90 day MEL again.
> Back at
> Ronaldsway you now start again and do a 90 day MEL for
> Approach/Radar.
>
> With VATSIM or IVAO they are stuck because they have no experienced
> staff to
> teach newcomers at unit level. They have both chosen an easier
> option in
> nominating large airfields to train controllers - I presume on the
> understanding that if they pass the exam they should be capable of
> working
> at any airfield large or small. It's a crude system but reasonably
> effective. It's only downfall is that the controllers who go
> through this
> system can only think in terms of big airfield ops, SID's and
> STAR's etc and
> would be lost trying to control at places like Blackpool with no
> controlled
> airspace, lots of VFR movements and no SID's..
>
> bones
> bones@xxxxxxx
> http://woodair.net
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: jhb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:jhb-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf
> Of Peter Dodds
> Sent: 10 October 2008 12:46
> To: jhb@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Cc: pdodds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [jhb] Re: FRA's
>
> The biggest flaw in both Vatsim and IVAO it seems is that training
> has to
> be carried out at airfields of which you have no knowledge and at
> which you
> have no intention of operating. If I want a VATSIM C1, I will have
> to
> start training at Manchester and learn procedures I will never need
> at
> Carlisle or Gloucester.
>
> I suspect (Bones?) this is not an echo of real world practice at
> all. If
> I'm any judge of the CAA/NATS, you have to get a "type rating" for
> every
> position and every individual airport.
>
> Peter
>
>
>
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