LANDING AND TAKE CLEARANCES ON OTHER THAN THE DESIGNATED TOWER FREQUENCIES.
[QUOTE=Chrome]Fair.Pilot, but this wasn't the case of Tower 118.8 being in charge of Ground 121.65. It was Ground 121.65 being in charge of Tower 118.8, giving instructions to aircraft on approach and giving clearances to land and takeoff. Well I know it's not that important but I was just wondering why. No biggie.
Hi Brianigham...............
Chrome, your curiosity is well founded. It is safer to have all traffic operating on the designated frequencies. Situational awareness among the pilots operating into and out of the same runway is improved and pilots can catch controller fowl-ups. We erect walls or rather displace the ‘Swiss Cheese’ holes in the slices so that all do not align and end up in an incident/accident. Believe me; I have come across many instances where pilot/controller queries (works both ways) have saved situations. It helps push air-safety a notch higher. During my days in KLIA I never condoned take-off and landing clearance on other than the designated frequencies. Unfortunately some of controllers did practice it then and the inclination to do it more often happens during the lull nights. But it is during this lull night periods that controllers fight hard to keep their eyes open and it only needs two traffic to catch the controller off-guard.
I am not a privy to the culture now. There could be other genuine reasons for the particular event. Consider two real-life situations below.
1. Flight comes on the wrong frequency. After weighing the situation for the sake of expediency and reducing pilot workload the controller may elect to give the instructions on the frequency the flight is currently on. This event could have been triggered by both controller and/or pilot error. Chances of controller instructing the wrong frequencies, I presume increases when the controller moves from one frequency to another in ad-hoc rotation and of-course fatigue/ loss of concentration etc.etc
2. The designated frequency could have failed. (Even then there they also have quality backup radios readily available at each of the each of the workstations/frequencies.)
I believe ATC management in KLIA is extremely safety conscious despite the accompanying constraints of a government organization. If they catch any safety lapses I am sure they would put it right. Time permitting, events quoted can be clarified, acted upon or even resolved if a call is made on the land-line to the Tower Supervisor (direct line 603-87874230) of the shift at the soonest. Notwithstanding the previous I am sure Veloo would try to deliver the message. If opportunity arises I will do it too.