Arrivals...

[seven]

I've been told what ATCer has already stated. Too many pilot deviations from their inability to comply with the published procedures. It's being re-evaluated...7...

[ATCer]

A 76 captain told me that one of the restrictions forced him to descend 7000 ft, slow close to 150 kts all over a 15-20 mile span WITH a 100 kt tailwind at times. Don't know how correct he is, but there are many pilots that have stated they some of the procedures, depending on which direction they are coming from are near impossible.

[gatorbuc99]

Ahh, i see. Wow that scenario sounds pretty hairy, although those numbers are a lil puzzling, the 150ktskias part...anyway. I 'preciate the info, gentlemen. I understand the procedures are in the process of being re-evaluated, is there a concensus on if they're goin to redo it and re-impliment 'em, or just say "ehh, to heck with it?"

p.s. Mike, every now and then when things are slow on the ramp or when it looks like like are having fun, i'll monitor ground or tower to see if i can pick you up, it's always a treat eavesdropping on ya, you do great work.

[ATCer]

Thank you sir. Should have seen the backup the other night. They stopped north departures and it was a parking lot on most of the north side taxiways!!


I cannot vouch for the report from the pilot regarding the 150 kt speed reduction. I know with the tailwind from the Dalas sector, I could see a scenario where that could happen occasionally.

The procedures are under review and I imagine they will be back relatively soon.

[gatorbuc99]

I see, thanks.

Yea we've had a few of those days...nights this summer, matter of fact i heard last thursday was especially bad. Overall though, it hasn't been as bad as it was last year, at least in my opinion. We had some absolutely helacious days then. Ya'll keeping the holdouts out there on the taxiways sure makes it easier on us. I mean, it's night-and-day.

I got another question now, especially for Seven, since you got all that airspace at your fingertips...an inquiring mind never stops, ya know? I understand why before/during/after bad weather, there's spacing needed for departing flights, whether it be 20, 30, whatever number of miles in between. I guess this is to ensure spacing is kept when those guys start zig zagging around the weather, correct? My question is one day i was monitoring tower and for some reason he was having to put something like 30 in between the eastbound European departures. There was no weather in the terminal area, and if i recall, none along the eastern seaboard as well. Why the need for that kinda spacing? Is it for the Gander folks, even though that's still 3 flying hours away? Surely they'd just let the D.C. or New York or Boston guys and gals figure all that out, no?

[ATCer]

<<Ya'll keeping the holdouts out there on the taxiways sure makes it easier on us. I mean, it's night-and-day.>>

As long as it is easier for YOU!!! Nothing sucks more than for y'all to block both lanes when we have 4 coming your way. As long as we know ahead of time, it is not that big a deal. It is when they get to the ramp and you tell us.

One of the ramp tower girls just was just hired off the street. Supposed to be starting in the next month or so. Can't wait for her to see the crap that she used to give us!!

[gatorbuc99]

Lol, thanks. Well in all fairness, it's the airlines who handcuff you and us alike. They need to do a more consistent job of keeping track of their arrivals and if they have a gate available when they land; they need to keep ya'll advised BEFORE, like you say, they get to the ramp. We're usually more than happy to take them onto the ramp unless the sh*ts hitting the fan, and that is only because it clogs things up and we already have limited room to keep traffic moving, while you guys have miles of taxiway :-P

As far as blocking the ramp, i'm going to get on the soap box here for a second. We don't consider it blocked up unless aircraft are outbound in both lanes, i think most of ya'll don't either but some do. We push out Airtran and ASA guys the wrong way routinely, if there's a lengthy outbound line, so they can double back to get in line and we're still able to take in arrivals. Ramps 1 and 2, the Delta guys can't do that (dumb rule), so i'd like to think we're not as bad as them, lol.

Every now and then, you do mess up and block up both lanes or the pilots don't listen (imagine that, huh?)...but we don't have radar or anything, half the time we have no idea what's headed our way inbound, so we just kinda go with what we have visually. The airlines are in our ears to get their planes pushed out to trip the acars and get that oh-so-important on-time departure, so we push 'em out and go from there, even if their gates are at the very end.

What's frustrationg sometimes is, like you say, we have four or five straight inbound an we take 'em all in without flinching while it's take 10 mins sometimes for 4 or 5 outbounds to leave the ramp...(although in all fairness, most of our guys don't realize ya'll have to worry about sequencing, flights plans that have timed out, re-routes, intrail restrictions, flow/delay programs, groundstops, etc.) we can't help it if airplanes don't have rampers to pull them in, towbars being broken, passengers getting up, etc. Anyway, i'm off now...:-D

Yea her name's Heather, i went to school with her. Trust me, we'll eat her up when she starts on the radio in a few weeks or months more than likely, lol. She'll have quite a learning curve, let me put it that way ;-)

[ATCer]

I know you guys get frustrated with us all the time. Y'all do a great job of moving a lot of planes!

When are you going to come back up and visit?

[gatorbuc99]

Thank you sir, and likewise. i'll pm

[DLkid]

Hey don't leave me out!

DL