Does anyone else find flying into FRA rather frustrating because of the lottery of Runway assignments? I think they are excellent controllers and as good as anyone in Europe, but it is so frustrating to have to randomly select (guess) an arrival runway, then set it up and conduct a briefing, only to get usually one and sometimes two changes during late descent, obviously to make better use of the runways (from an ATC point of view).
The same happens on departure. You setup and brief for the best guess, and has happened me twice this month, only get told the runway for departure at pushback (the other one...). So on a bad day you have to re-programme the FMS then re-brief before or during taxy. On more than one occasion I then had the runway change a second time on taxy! Over to Plan C...
I understand that Airbus have a backup FMS plan that can be called up, but for Boeings it is really messy.
I am all for best use of runways, but it really is a complete pain, not to mention a distraction, to have to try to second guess, and then regularly have to change the plan at least once late on approach / taxy, especially after a 10 hour / four sector day. There must be a better way... Or is it just me?
I would love to hear a FRA ATC viewpoint. Thanks.
