Stansted need to do better
There have been moans on here and elsewhere about zone transits.
Personally, I find the willingness of pretty much all “zone controllers” to give transits very good, with one notable exception.
Stansted are hopeless.
I find it is very rare for them to give a transit.
I also feel on occasions they don’t set out to be helpful.
For example, XXXXX request zone transit just out of Cambridge.
Now to me that is a clear indication that if you do nothing else at least give the pilot a squawk so you can have him identified and see if traffic flow will permit.
But no, it is the usual remain outside etc., I will come back to you. Of course it would take exactly the same amount of time to utter the same words adding squawk xxxx.
By the edge of the zone a squawk is eventually given, indication that a transit is likely to be approved. Half way round the zone the transit is still not given or, if as is sometimes the case, it is, it is far to late and a complete waste of time. Cynically, is this just so that the statistics show the transit was approved a bit like having your eyes tested in casualty as soon as you arrive!
Now I always ask for a transit as early as I possibly can whatever I am flying but often because I am also aware I am moving over the ground a lot faster than most light traffic.
So I have got that moan off my chest. Maybe I have just been unlucky. Yes, I know I could file on their refusals, and yes I really do understand at times they are busy, but, and this is really my point, if they don’t identify the traffic as early as possible, there is going to be no chance to fit you in, and if it was simply always their intentions to not give the transit, for goodness sake own up straight away because all the sooner we can adjust our heading rather than having to dither around wondering whether or not it will be given.
Finally, and for the avoidance of doubt (and without wishing to sound too conceited) I know my RT is up to scratch, infact I was wondering recently about the standard of the RT of some of the CAT being vectored into Stansted which added to the delays and which seems to have detiorated in recent times.
Come on chaps - you need to do better.
Have others found the same, or am I the exception?