Originally Posted by chrisbl
D & D is unique in that it is a dedicated service one of the few in the world.
Anyway to ensure we retain D & D they need to show they perform a useful service and GA calls underpin the demand. Of course, the airlines do not fund D&D so do not control it like they do with NATS.
I am sure the D & D guys would rather be helping GA pilots and real emergencies that listening to some ignorant foreign pilots discussing who they slept with previous night when they use 121.5 incorrectly.
Retention of D&D is a licensing requirement on NATS. The airlines do, in a roundabout manner, fund D&D whereas GA do not in any sense. The airlines do not control NATS and I wonder why you have that impression?
As a former holder of a D&D licence I can say with authority that 95% of the time the dedicated D&D controllers sit around twiddling their thumbs bored to tears. So any sort of 'action' is welcome but you have to be careful what you wish for
My 'worst' incorrect use of 121.5 was of a flight heading West across the ocean where they transmitted the usual 'Welcome on board, our flight time blah blah', took about 2 minutes.
BD