David Viewing
But do controllers fully appreciate the converse, the tension escalating in the cockpit as some boundary approaches?
Why is there tension? Why haven't you got plan 'B' (going around it or holding outside if inbound) ready and available to use. If you're feeling tension in that scenario then what are you gong to be like dealing with a real problem. Sorry, but that's a 'non comment'.
would it help if pilots used a specific initial call similar to 'G-abcd request Matz pentration?' ie 'request zone penetration in x mins' or something? (I mean on first contact).
Yes - and why don't you?
"xyz Approach, G-ABCD request zone transit" would be perfectly acceptable and even desirable
Working Hard
Surely the basic premise is that ALL a/c have a right to enter provided the airspace can accomodate them safely and no conflicts will result (i.e. equal access). The fact that a CONTROLLER is too busy does seem to be an invalid reason.
Fact of life - if you're working at full capacity you prioritise the workload (as WBS points out). You as a transit I'm afraid is a lower priority than the people you are vectoring for the approach or are departing. Nothing against you as a transit - that's just life. They
have to be sequenced on the ILS, or
have to be given a service on departure to get them to their cruising level. You on the other hand
don't have to transit the zone.
You may have the right, but if the Controller's too busy with his primary task and so is unable to give the clearance then you're not going to get it.
As for the system being poorly resourced - the bad news is there aren't enough qualified controllers to go round, whether the unit wants to be fully manned for the task or not.