Controller questions commercial pressure on pilots
From FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL 18 June.
A confidential report filed by a UK air traffic controller says that aggressive pilot responses to ATC instructions are becoming more frequent, and that it is "primarily" the flight crews of budget airlines who are the culprits. The controller expressed the opinion that the "aggressively commercial ethos" in these airlines is causing this pilot behaviour.
"I would not wish to give the impression that anarchy has broken out or that this problem is occurring more often than not", says the controller's report, but nevertheless he/she gives examples of what has been observed.
This includes: pilots questioning approach sequencing; failure to observe assigned intermediate and final approach speed limitations, leading in one case to a go-around; accusations that runway visual range figures, read by the controllers from calibrated equipment were "dangerously inaccurate"; and aggressive responses to controller explanations as to why specific action has been taken.
The reporting controller says that he/she is concerned that this new kind of behaviour might be symptomatic of "frustration with anything that interferes with their ability to maintain the schedule", and that a timely report might help to ensure that this does not "compromise safety".