The -5 +10 mins seems to be a bone of contention with some ATC units.
I know its for their use but any mention of airborne at -5 mins gets the old its for us not you lecture. Ok but but it takes 2 to tango. If we don't have our engine's running checks complete and ready for departure neither of us can use this bonus in the system.
A reply of "rodger be ready to taxi x mins before slot" would be alot more helpful than a lecture how how its for ATC use not the pilots. It would be very handy for us as well, especially for us as well when operating out of airports which we are "strangers" to. And the ATCO has a clue on the likely traffic loads at the time and when THEY need the aircraft ready for. It would also let us have a clue when we need to refile if we won't make the taxi time required.
And save the lectures for people that deserve them getting stroppy at the holding point.
BTW EGCC seem to have it sussed when it comes to this sort of thing. I have never heard a lecture on freq and Clearance give's all the details required for an effecient use of time and tarmac. If you call them they will always give you the heads up.
It would be easier for the local airport to issue a ready for taxi time instead of getting into debates with this -5 plus 10 mins stuff. Let the ATCO's deal with what they are good at, shifting tin and pilots do what they are good at getting the aircraft ready for a certain time point. If they can't they will tell you, if they can they will do it.
Last edited by mad_jock; 13th June 2006 at 21:11.