Traffic Separation and Visibility
A problem I often witness at smaller airports with only a handful of movements a day (or many more) is the reluctance of controllers to actually separate traffic.
Even with radar, controllers try to handle only one flight at a time.
For example, asking a non scheduled flight to hold at 25 DME while the only other aircraft is already established on the ILS. All in beautiful VMC.
Or, not permitting a request to take off because a single incoming flight just reported 35 miles inbound (the one who was denied the immediate TKOF having to hold short until the other lone flight intercepts the DME arc, flies the ILS, lands, makes a 180 and, eventually vacates the RWY).
On another beautiful day with no clouds and 6000 m visi I heard a Citation pilot asking for a visual after he reported he had the runway in sight. Instead the controller forced him to fly the full ILS procedure. The pilot questioned the controller twice, but to no avail.
On that particular occasion, it was my turn to hold short until the Citation landed, turned around and vacated. There was no other traffic.
A separate problem, in my opinion, is the lack of AWOS or ASOS installations, leaving visibility reporting of smaller airports subjective to the prescription glasses or mood of the weatherman.
Once, while I was sitting in a tower, an incoming A320 was denied the approach because the visibility was reported to be 800 m. That morning the WX was clear, no haze and it was obvious from the tower and from the runway that the general visibility in all quadrants, as well as the horizontal visi was far more than 5 km. The A320 captain did enter a hold for 35 minutes; he even reported he had 20 miles visibility and stated he would file a complaint.
Still the weatherman would not change his reporting, the A320 could not start the approach (1200 m required for that particular ILS) and the flight had to proceed to its alternate 100 NM away. Even thought it was a perfect VFR day.
What a waste of money, waste of Jet-Fuel and waste of time (for the PAX)! In this particular case the controller was very helpful, the weatherman should have been fired.
Many are probably apprehensive of the bureaucracy (and of their superiors) and want to play it safe; most likely some lack situational awareness, judgment and training; or maybe they do not want to work because they are not paid enough?
Last edited by avionimc; 3rd Apr 2010 at 04:58.