Originally Posted by DFC
Diddley Dee,
You can shake your head all you want. Let me simply say that even if you did cycle between radar and D+D in the MASOR, you would be simply shaking your head at a max of 3 tracks.
There is a frequency where you can get all the practice you want - using RAF aircraft and not affecting either the civil or military distress frequencies.
There is also some very expensive sims available to you but under used I think.
What everyone who says this is necessary and one can turn off 121.50 if it is busy fails to see is that nearby ATC units can not turn off 121.50 and while the pilot can turn it off to avoid the distraction, the ATC unit can not and a distracted controller is just as bad as a distracted pilot during a busy period.
There is also the issue that pilots operating in quiet areas of the Brest FIR heading out over the pond should not have to turn off 121.50 because the frequency is being abused hundreds of miles away.
The D+D controller allows the practice pan to continue based on there being no emergencies in progress with them. Do they ask Scottish or all the other adjacent units first? - They should.
They should check with everyone likely to be affected and that would include the B747 miles away who has just started to pick up a real signal.
Regards,
DFC
DFC you are certainly consistent in your "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing" mentality....
1. Max of three tracks. Usually yes but certainly not a max, and for a very good reason, ever tried three FJs in different areas of the the country all wanting different things under Radar Control & trying to route around CAT?Maybe you have I dont know. Three tracks, ever controlled a busy tanker slot with multiple chicks often handed over at V short notice. "oh cant take those two I've already got three ahead"..... Dont think so!
2. The sims are there to train new arrivals before going live as trainees on console.To suggest they could be used to maintain currency on is laughable, we have neither the staff or the time.
3. A frequency we can get all the practice we want on? Oh that will be the Mil PETF will it? The calls we get from GA are totally different to those from Mil ac. Handling Mil emergencies does not keep you up to speed on dealing with some guy who is lost, has no transponder & you cant see him on radar. Or maybe you are suggesting that GA ac fit UHF to their ac & use PETF?
4. Frequency being abused hundreds of miles away.... Where???? PP & TF calls are legitimate use of 121.5 as mandated by the CAA. Now if you are talking of ther abuse on 121.5 made by CAT talking on it....Then yeah okay I see your point.
5. Yes ( yawn ) we do liase with SCATCC
6. Check with B747 before Tx on 121.5. So, let me get this right.... you are now suggesting that we perhaps go out on 121.5 first & say "excuse me does anyone object if we do a PP for a couple of minutes on 121.5..."
In which order do you forsee them replying, alphabetically perhaps?
We are I assume, sitting on opposite sides of the same problem, I dont understand why you feel the solution is to bang on at D&D & the pilots who use 121.5 for practice. If you feel that strongly about it why dont you either ....
A. Adapt like so many of the other CAT guys on here do
B. Lobby to get things changed from within your work environment.
Regards
Diddley Dee