Originally Posted by
Super Cecil
Previous experience with ATC has made many VFR pilots wary. I'm sure I've mentioned before about an experience into Tamworth, there were 4 aircraft inbound including a Singapore Lear and a Dash 8. I was inbound VFR and was held and had to change levels, after a barrage of instructions the controller said time to knock off and sort yourselves out. Previous to that it was dangerous to have 4 aircraft inbound, after the controller shut down the aircraft inbound sorted it out and you'll be surprised to know there were no accidents.
The experience I've found with Alice Springs, Tamworth, Coffs and Maroochydore, they make it hard for VFR traffic, even with no inbound IFR traffic. Most VFR pilots I talk to have the same experience, they try to avoid ATC even at their own peril it seems.
My experience with towers as a rather geriatric Auster driver has always been fine. I flew to Essendon a couple of weeks ago and phoned up before takeoff to see if I could get a direct via Kalkallo. Lovely chap suggested I plan via Doncaster because MELBOURNE was using east-west.
i called at Doncaster, no flight plan, and got a clearance straight away. Nice lady shepherded me to end of 08 because a C172 was close behind and the Auster is very slow with flaps deployed. I had explained I’m the same age as the aeroplane so she arranged for a safety vehicle to lead me back to the parking area :-)
Departing again in late afternoon and guy in the tower said some nice things about TW machines. I asked for a clearance north via KAO and he asked me how high I wanted. I said 1500 would be plenty and that’s what he cleared me to. He called again when I got to the boundary and he wished me a pleasant run home. Absolutely top class treatment all the way.
I’ve been into the Alice on a number of occasions, once with a dicky engine, and again they treated me royally. Ditto Moorabbin where they got me away Special VFR on one occasion when fog was hanging around. They’re human, helpful, and I find they respond positively to good manners.