RIP Papar route......
From what I understand(which is not much) there is a new MSSR en-route radar that has been installed at Kish Island. So now Tehran control said to the UAE, thank you, we will take control of the airway between KUMUN and PAPAR.
Here lies the problem......... Dubai approach does not have any landline contact with Tehran conrol. No letters of agreement or hand-over procedures are in place between Tehran control and Dubai approach.
Up until yesterday, it would happen at least a couple of times during a shift, that Dubai approach will contact UAE ACC to co-ordinate parallel headings or further climb for aircraft en-route to Papar, that is to avoid even more delays for the aircraft. I must admit I would much rather contact the UAE ACC to co-ordinate futher climb, parallel headings ect... then to try and co-ordinate that with Tehran control.
As if Dubai Airport does not have enough delays as it is????
Absolute chaos at work today!! Ranbi gate and Maxmo gate now between the two of them have to share the Papar load!!!
Maxmo/Darax route was not designed for more then +/-2 aircraft at a time......The UAE ACC have limited outbound levels available via Darax....so.....they put in flow control to try and deal with the increase of traffic via a gate that was designed for limited aircraft at a time. So there will now be times at Dubai where there will be different flow control via all the outbound gates. Now isn't this fun with just one runway and to try and incorperate the SJH traffic into the flow as well. So, it could happen that on a good day you have, not more than 3 every 10 minutes via Riket, not more then 3 every 10 minutes via Anvix, 5 minutes between Ranbi departures and 10 minutes via Maxmo departures. And let's not forget to try and squeeze the SJH outbounds in there as well.
So what did management do???????
They put out a memo stating that the Papar gate is closed and that new instructions will follow on SATURDAY!! So they all go and have a nice weekend(Shopping festival is on), and the poor controllers at Dubai and UAE Centre has to try and make the system work!! Pilots get upset because of the delays, which I can understand and sympathize with, but no use getting upset with ATC. We are just stuck in the middle trying to make the system work!
As if this is not enough to deal with, the paradropper at UAQ gets upset with Dubai approach because he now gets restricted, due to the increase of traffic in- and outbound routing over UAQ.
So ATC needs to deal with, operators calling complaining about delays, trying to co-ordinate climb/headings ect. with the UAE centre and take numerous calls from the parashooting club not understanding why they get restricted.
So, if I answer the phone and sound a bit grumpy..........please excuse!
Hopefully when our pay increase for 2007 get announced, it will all make it worthwhile and we will all smile again
