London ATC system capacity

[CC700_GuinnessTanker]

Just wondered when the new centre will be providing ATC capacity that exceeds demand. I mean peak time capacity.

It's been going 6 months now by my calculations and there's still heavy delays. We were all told to put up with the delays over the last year or two while training took place which took controllers off the shop floor but it's all over now, and I assume everyone is trained.

Me no understand.

[eyeinthesky]

Read back through a year's worth of posts and you will see that those of us who are at the sharp end warned that the promised capacity would not be realised as quickly as the public were led to believe.

Given the present staffing levels I can see no end to the problems that are occurring at present.:( :rolleyes:

[Nogbad the Bad]

eyeinthesky is quite correct I'm afraid. You have been subjected to the lies that are inherent whenever NATS Management talks to airlines about capacity.

We are GROSSLY short of staff within NATS and will continue to be so for the foreseeable future I'm afraid.

But at least the airlines are at last getting to know the truth, rather that what they have been told by NATS Management up until now.

That must be a bonus, surely !

[Bombay Bad Boy]

Rumour control told me there were 10 retirements in Terminal Control over the next year, holding a total of 28 validations ! With only 12 validations forecasted to replace them.....maths time:

28 validations (out)
12 validations (in)
==============
16 validations SHORT !! = even bigger shortage !!


There again, my source could be entirely wrong will be knee-capped on our next rendezvous!!
:D

[Not Long Now]

Not sure about the new centre, but for us left at sunny West Drayton, we are working at capacity for several hours each shift. These generally being usual busy times when someone somewhere else has already applied flow, we don't tend to bother, but if everyone else ups capacity then we presumably will start applying rates ourselves.
So to be frank, there is no more capacity to be had if you're going in or over anywhere near the London TMA. If someone's saying there is, it's a porky!

[Nogbad the Bad]

Bombay Bad Boy...........I hear it's nearer 15 !!!