Since FNG gave White Waltham as an example of somewhere where A/G works well, here are some extracts from the West London Aero Club Flying Order Book, which all pilots flying from Waltham are required to read and sign on a regular basis:
3.2 The selection of Runway Direction is the responsibility of the Duty Operations Controller in consultation with the Duty Instructor. The Signals Square is to be adjusted before a runway change is introduced.
3.4 It is a requirement for pilots of WLAC aircraft to comply with all ATC signals and instructions unless it would be dangerous to do so.
In other words, the airfield decide the runway in use. They set the signal square to indicate the runway in use. Everyone must follow this. It works, and it works well, even during the busiest periods, despite a mix of helicoptors, microlights, airships and aeroplanes of a wide range of speeds, many of them with no radio. There is no need for ATC or AFISO just because an airfield is busy. I find it scary that pilots are operating in a less-than-safe way, and that some people feel this requires intervention - but even without ATC, an airfield owner or operator can intervene to instruct pilots to operate safely.
FFF
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