Originally Posted by
BFSGrad
I’ll toss my hat into the one-hand-clapping ring for the local controller. If the pilot can’t execute basic instructions like enter a downwind for a visual approach, the LC should have either offered an instrument approach or another airport. In addition to confusing vectors (how often do you hear an LC issue specific vectors?), comments like “you’re too fast” leaned too much toward LC acting as pilot.
One compliment I will extend to the traffic-pattern-mangler is that he managed to stay clear of the Class B, not always an easy task at KVGT.
The LC does deserve credit for staying calm.
AFAIK there are no approaches for 30L or 30R, so other than turning the whole airport around, there was no way to vector him for an approach. I think if the LC would have given more positive control, assigned heading altitude and speed until short final, this would have been a much shorter video, but I don't know is the LC is authorized/able to do that. I do hope there will be an investigation. Although nothing ended up going wrong, it could very easily have. I hate to throw stones from my glass house, but the pilot in that plane should not have been flying. Either not that day, or not ever....