Heathrow ATC simulator

[CB1000]

I was just wondering how many of you have experienced the new simulator to train people to work at Heathrow. Whats it like? Is is very realistic?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4978598.stm

[Jerricho]

n the simulator one of NATS' high flying young controllers, Dale Reeson, gives me a crash course

Young high flying? Reeson? I call bullsh*t!

[Gonzo]

Realistic? No. It's far too cold in there....... :cool:

[Airline Tycoon]

Apparently Dale enjoys “Faking It”

[Gonzo]

Nnnnngggg......too.......many.......jokes........

[Jerricho]

The humour is strong with this one................

[Married a Canadian]

Why is Heathrow always referred to as the "worlds busiest international airport" ??

I thought Chicago and Atlanta vied for that title??

[Felix Saddler]

Heathrow has the most international departures, which gives it the title of, 'Worlds busiest international airport', Chicago has the highest frequency of domestic traffic thus the title, 'Worlds busiest airport' :D

[Married a Canadian]

HA! Good advertising then for Heathrow...bit of a con title!..last time I checked it was something like 14th busiest in the world in terms of actual aircraft movements! I believe Paris outstrips it now in European terms.

Oh for that 3rd runway eh!

BTW Was the tower simulator bought from NAV Canada or did NATS develop it?

[Jerricho]

I think it is the Nav Canada 360 sim.

[Talkdownman]

Not MicroNav?

[youngskywalker]

Micronav, Bournemouth I believe

[Talkdownman]

Mike Male Micronav?

[Gonzo]

And Barco
And Navcanada
And Evans and Sutherland

[throw a dyce]

Hong Kong had a 360 tower sim in 1998.It was used to train Kia Tak controllers on the layout at CLK.A lot of experienced controllers said it was only semi realistic,but it got them used to the green field airport.
You could fly targets on circuits ,and weird patterns which was good fun.Gweilo Airlines and Gweilo Regional saw to that.
It's a good system to get people up to a certain level before going live.
Also it was bleedin freezing in there as well,and the snow simulation outside was cool.

[Felix Saddler]

HA! Good advertising then for Heathrow...bit of a con title!..last time I checked it was something like 14th busiest in the world in terms of actual aircraft movements!

Yeah, heathrow isnt up there when it comes to aircraft movements, i believe Atlanta is at the top with the most aircraft landing and taking off, followed by chicago. Heathrow just handles the most passengers!!

[Gort]

Aircraft movements can mean jack squat. Airspace setup, runways, proximity of other airfields can all make somewhere 'busy'.

[Felix Saddler]

Proximity of other airfields has little relevance to how busy an individual airport is, nor is how many runways it has, the main thing is how many aircraft and passengers it serves. However these things can have a certain effect on the frequency of the traffic. :D

[HEATHROW DIRECTOR]

Heathrow never has been, is not and probably never ever will be the "world's busiest" airport. Back when we were handling 1000 movements a day O'Hare was doing three times that much. I am Heathrow's greatest fan but it makes me cringe every time I hear all the media claims for the place.

However, I'd sure like to know of any other major airport which handles the same amount of traffic as Heathrow in such a confined space, both on the ground and in the air.

On the simulator bit.. I was to be the first trainee radar controller to experience the first sim there back in 1972. Unfortunately they couldn't get it working so all my training was "live". That sim was quite realistic, built to exactly resemble the Approach Control Room. Some years later they threw it away and introduced a simulator using PCs - I kid you not!! PCs to train radar controllers at Heathrow!! This at a time when aircraft simulators were becoming truly realistic. Thankfully someone, somewhere seems to have seen sense.

[White Hart]

Quote "Whats it like? Is is very realistic?"


Is it working properly this week?? :hmm:

[Talkdownman]

I did my Heathrow ATC 'face-fitting audition' on that realistic radar sim. Having passed the audition on radar I then went straight into to live training in the VCR prior to radar. At that time the old sim was replaced by the PC thingy. I thought the latter very disappointing. Maybe something to do with the number of people required to operate the former? Not sure I have ever seen a visual sim.

[Gonzo]

White Hart........Shhhhhhhhhhhhhh! :=

[White Hart]

Errmm, didn't they mention THAT during the interview?? :rolleyes:

[Gonzo]

Engineers et al were working very hard in the lead up to the press day.....

[anotherthing]

HD wrote -

However, I'd sure like to know of any other major airport which handles the same amount of traffic as Heathrow in such a confined space, both on the ground and in the air.


Gatwick?? The busiest single runway airport in the world?!!

The TC area controllers, who deal with all the major airports in the LTMA, not just one??!!

All tongue in cheek old boy - its a complex bit of airspace - having some of the worlds busiest airports in such close proximity (Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted must be getting higher with the low cost carriers, Luton (with it's projected growth and the two new holds, London City with it's uniqueness ans 20% annual growth).

I can't think of many places with so many holds for different airports, in such a tight bit of airspace.

Pity the Red Baron does not have a real idea of what we do.

[White Hart]

"Engineers et al were working very hard in the lead up to the press day.."

I thought they had been doing that since Day 1 - 'cos it hasn't worked properly since Day 1 !! :}

BTW - is it capable of simulating a total loss of EFPS info, and creating the printout from which you will all be expected to work? And what about LVPs? (and I mean 100% fog cover & zero ground vis)

[SilentHandover]

LVP's must be easy to simulate, just turn the Contrast and Brightness twiddle knobs down to minimum!!!

[throw a dyce]

The Honkers 360 sim also had Kia Tak loaded into it.They could load any program available,so LL one might be used for sim on KK,SS,GW and even EGPD:D That might be cost efficient.:ugh:
It broke down on a regular basis,and could throw the odd woopsie.As a far as EFPS breakdowns then I guess it's mark 1 writing implements.You band 5 guys can think of something I'm sure.
Funny how Nats trumpets that it's leading the world,but it's only 8 years behind on this one.:p

[bagpuss lives]

It won't be as good as SIMTAC. FACT!

[Point Seven]

Yes it will. FACT.

[Jerricho]

Christ P7........you took yer time getting here :p

[Point Seven]

Good evenin Christopher. I take it the Cannucks still treat you well, non? If you PM me your email, I'll send you the full set of .wavs.

Man, you'll die. Oh, good on you for the dog walkin to...

Your humble friend
P7