Bush Pelican: I am glad you asked the question because it appears you may have been sucked in by Dicks Spin; either that or you are trying to wind me up: if the latter - mission accomplished.
The traffic information as you say flows freely, because everyone is trained, able and complicit in providing it : just like it WAS provided on the day of the SMOKA incident. The controller provided more information than was required (read the entire thread). Dicks remarks are defamatory and plain false. (I understand he is about to be served with papers to that effect.)
Under E airspace ATC can not separate an IFR aircraft from a VFR aircraft in Class E airspace - despite what Dick thinks. Frankly he doesnt even know the system he promotes. What he says about how it is done in the US is crap - I would say some poor American has just told him what he wants to hear to get the ignorant prick off the phone. ATC will provide traffic information, and when requested a suggested heading - remember ATC have no idea what the unidentified aircraft is going to do: it may well turn back in the opposite direction, climb, descend, who knows whatfequency it is on. Picture this: a controller turns or adjusts the altitude of the IFR aircraft in E airspace for separation, only to then have the VFR aircraft manouevre and impact the IFR aircraft: who is now at fault? Pretty obviously the lawyers and coroner are going to have a field day with the controller: THIS course of action is what Dick is saying the controller should have done - Dick says by not doing this the controller is a criminal! Do you get why the controlers are so angry now? (That scenario by the way doesn't even account for other VFR aircraft not showing on Radar who can well be there - thats already been proven time and time again in since November)
Traffic can be passed as many times as neccessary : ironically this takes many times more effort and frequency time than just separating the bloody planes like ATC used to in Class C: but oh, no, that was too restrictive for the masses of VFR aircraft wanting to transit without calling ATC.
ATC cannot separate aircraft using levels when the levels are not verified : this requires identification and radio contact, E airspace demands neither of those prerequisites. BTW, the old system did.
There is no work to rule: ATC are professionally applying the correct procedures Dick wanted: ATC didnt want these downgraded rules: frankly ATC would rather separate you all properly: but Dick doesnt want it.... or does he? Frankly I don't know what he wants - and I am not sure he does. Welcome to the tangled mess of the Dick Smith vision.
And for the record there is no industrial agenda . This is such a furphy even AirServices (ATC employer : remember Dick?) has issued a press release denying it.
Dick you reap what you sow you complete fool : if only the rest of us in Aviation didn't have to share in this ill crop you planted.
(As for you Anderson : if one of your cronies is reading these threads I hope they let you know that a lot of angry next of kin are going to hunt your sorry arse down when this goes pear shaped - for god sakes man come out of your bunker and admit you were wrong - you are ultimately responsible - you will be held accountable - it is time to ditch your mate Dick Smith: the personal implications of that, whatever it may have been alleged about a 'deal', will pale into comparison of where this is otherwise heading)
[Edited several times to reduce my passionate language]
Last edited by Shitsu-Tonka; 16th Apr 2004 at 08:52.