Nobody out there has answered my question yet. What does the ATC Manual say about talking to aircraft on a CAT III approach when LVPs are in force and the aircraft has passed the OM/Decision Point? Surely there is an air trafficer out there with the answer?
I can well remember arriving at EDI early one morning with the RVRs around 300 metres and I am doing a CAT II approach with LVPs in force. I was handed over to Tower (118.7) by Approach (121.2) at about 7 nms on finals.
When I changed to Tower all hell errupted. It quickly became apparent that the Ground frequency was still not manned and every man and his dog was on Tower frequency:
"Tug 46 request clearance to tow a....737....from Stand....XYZ to ......Standby one.....Ah....to Stand ......ABC".
"Ops One request permission to enter ........ to pick up a dead rabbit from...... but that might not be where it is......"
Etc. Etc. Etc.
In the meantime I am on short finals still without a landing clearance with an RVR of 300 metres.
I finally managed to get a word in and said something along the lines of:
"It might astonish all you guys down there but some of us are actually up here trying to get down there so can you all shut up and can I please have landing clearance".
After landing I was invited to visit the Tower. My response was "Don't worry, I'm already on my way"! I really was very piss*d off.
The ATC excuse was that their manning levels were such that they couldn't man the Ground frequency until such and such a time and there was therefore no alternative.
I gave them my alternative and that was that the Approach Controller gave the landing clearance and the aircraft only changed to the Tower frequency after landing safely.
This was greeted by blank stares. I pointed out that every single PAR approach in the RAF was completed on the Radar frequency and it was only on the rollout that the aircraft was changed to Tower frequency.
It is totally unacceptable to carry out an approach in LVP conditions with all of these totally unnecessary distractions taking place.
Could an air trafficer please give some comment?