Originally Posted by
englishal
I totally agree. I spent last week flying around LA, where GA is encouraged to talk to ATC ang given an equal service to CAT - well almost, commercial pressures will mean YOU will go-around not the Airbus. Even so it is no big deal to get a clearance through the LA class B airspace, while being controlled by controllers who are handling the CAT. Safer for all.
No doubt someone will harp on about "too busy", "not enough time", "too much traffic". Well if zone infringements really ARE a safety hazard, then more ATCOs should be employed, and GA traffic should be encouraged to talk to these controllers - make it madatory around London if you want ("Contact London Approach within 30nm" etc ). Had the chap in the video been talking to ATC the bust would never have happened, ATC could have given avoiding vectors which obviously would have jogged the pilots mind that he had f**ked up his navigation.
I also agree that Mode C vales should be incorporated around all major airfields, whether in CAS or not.
You were lucky enough to be flying around in an air traffic system where (currently anyway) lots of taxpayers are subsidising it for you.
Great, employ more ATCOs here and then talk to them but it always boils down to who is going to contribute towards paying the costs and GA stating that it should be anyone but them.