Slot times

[go_soaring]

G'day All,

Quick and simple query, when a slot time is booked into BNE or SYD is that based on a landing time, on chocks time or doesn't it matter due to the reason below? I'm really just trying to avoid being slowed down.

I ask this because on a recent flight going to SYD, we had beacons on 3min prior to schedule. However, with the planned tailwind for cruise, it had us landing into SYD 25min prior to schedule.


As far as I'm concerned a slot is a 15min 'window' allocated to an operator for the arrival and departure into the airport (BNE/SYD). It's based off scheduled beacon on time. Delays incurred once on the way are considered 'excusable' by the slot control system.


go_soaring! instead

[maverick22]

It's based on landing time. You have +/- 15 minute tolerence on the slot, but if you're too early and things are busy that's when ATC will slow you down or make you hold etc. That is why there is the fuel requirements for holding when operating into such aerodromes.

That's my understanding anyway

[goin'flyin]

And you can expect to get "Minimum speed in the cruise" followed 5 minutes later by "Maximum speed on descent, cancel speed restriction".

That one always gets the brain ticking over as to why...

[le Pingouin]

We're just playing with your mind........:E

[Under Dog]

An then track shorting after holding, that really spins me out.

The Dog:ok:

[Blockla]

Slots (and CTMS times) are 'strategic' as an ATC I couldn't tell you what slot time you actually got unless you depart somewhere like Canberra then I can spot you in the "Flow tool" MAESTRO before you depart. Perhaps the info is available somewhere, but certainly not to the operational ATCs (maybe the flow gets a copy, but I doubt it)

For everything airborne it's tactical flow; if you are trying to arrange your flight for a specific strategic landing time, with the inaccuracies of everybody else flying it won't effect what happens to you airborne.

Re CTMS times, a certain regional airline was renowned for ignoring them; until a full audit was conducted; then when discovered some harsh words were had and compliance of CTMS time commenced across the board with threats of 'withdrawn slots' etc. But they got away with it for years, as no operational ATC cared because we didn't have the information about the times and it was only been counters who discovered it when trying to work out why CTMS times didn't solve all the things they were supposed to save.

Underdog, if the gap is there wouldn't you rather fill it; or keep the gap and delay the rest of the sequence? Sometimes they do just happen. Think about a line of 'crawling car traffic' on a single lane road due an accident or something, you don't cruise along at a constant reduced speed, if someone does then there is a hole in the line of cars; increase speed, get overtaken or the gap remains...

[le Pingouin]

If you boogers made your times more often it would happen less :}

As Block says if there's a gap we try to jam 'em up a bit to stop the sequence blowing out. It'd be easy if all those green circles flew the same profile.

[airman13]

or you are assigned stand number xxx, and being abeam this stand you are amazed because other airplane is in the same stand, but happily apron says to wait another 3 minutes till the stand will be available........it happened to me in a major European airport......

[go_soaring]

Thanks everyone, most helpful. I've now learnt to get the slot time off ops and work around that if the tailwinds become an issue.


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