In Australia -the seeming lack of ability to use radar to good effect, especially for track shortning. From Sydney, Brisbane and Perth (DONT get me started on Darwin!
) I have wasted vast amounts of fuel over the years following SIDS and STARS to their full extent whilst being in a "Radar Enviroment". Having regularly flown in and out of cities on every continent except Antartica my experience has been that Australia is the only place where this is apparently the norm. Also a lack of understanding of relative performance abilities of different aircraft types, it is a delight to work with controllers who can understand the different capabilities of aircraft and make us all "dance" in harmony. How many times do we have to "Make your descent at 230 Kts For Sequencing" to then end up ten miles behind the preceding aircraft (same weight category or less)!
Perhaps Aussie ATC should be sent to spend time with Maastricht, Rhien, Chicago, LA, Miami, London etc. to see what can be done (and with a lot more traffic!). Radar should not be there just to "watch" pilots do their thing. As the debate grows about aviation's influence on "Global Warming" we should at least start from a position of not being wasteful of resources.
Useful information like wind direction and speed with take off and landing clearances would be appreciated (Perth are quite good at that-thanks!)
OCTA is a crock but we all know that except for the pollys. Maybe MEL and BNE centres should use the same procedures, however?
I believe that ATC wants to do a great job but we need to join the 21st century folks!