Originally Posted by
FullMetalJackass
For what must be the twentieth time in this thread, how does someone in the tower know how much space is adequate for take off? It's not as if the controller has simply said: Cleared for take off. He's TOLD the crew that they are at D5 and not D6, the controller has given them the TODA available, he has ALSO questioned them whether that would be sufficient, he's also offered them the opportunity of turning around, backtracking up the runway to D6 in order to give them sufficient space without the crew losing their position as number one on the runway - what more could the controller do? Get out and fly the damned plane for them????
No. Just tell them to go back to D6 to avoid any possible confusion(why even bother offering options after they acknowledged they made the mistake), whats the worst that could happen? I'm convinced these pilot(s) had the original 2200m in their head all the time, that's why flaps were at the "wrong" position.
ATC doesn't have to know specifications of the plane but he should be aware of the fact that configuring the plane for T/O takes time and that cutting the runway in half by mistake and reconfiguring it under time pressure might cause problems, especially if it involves the jet that never ever took off from that position before.