The ATC Gweillos have have been neutralised and marginalised, and are staying below the radar for fear of.......................
We're losing 5+ next year, 'time expired'!
So don't expect too much feedback or support. Last years press releases screwed us!
We have a poorly designed terminal for movement of traffic to/from, and we have mountainous terrain all around us, thanks to Norman Foster and the legacy of the ex colonial govt. hell bent on locating the airport in the "Territory" next to Lantau/Sunset Peak.
We have seen the 'flood gates' open as to the number of aircraft / airlines flying into CLK, only to be made more complex with the overflights to/from Pearl River Delta. Throw in the recent weather, and the system near collapsed on several recent bad wx days. 40+ - 60 mins delays entering the FIR and diversions and fuel emergencies. That's part of the recipe for high threat and error! TCAS RA are not an acceptable form of ATC separation for the prevention of collision.
+ The level of airmanship and RTF discipline and 'intelligibility' is at an all time LOW! Up to x3 tx to est. contact and / or pass the instruction = unacceptable.
Misconstrued readbacks, wrong levels, "confirm, confirm, confirm" by every mainland Chinese airline, and more! e.g. We don't need squawk and level on each frequency change within HK airspace as has now crept in.
Ensure one crew has a headset on whilst in the HKFIR and/or turn up the 'speaker volume'. Otherwise bring back the flight engineer as there's no excuse for lack of priority for ATC tx regardless of your x2 man crew. A safety issue!
Agreed, ATC handling has gone backwards with more aircraft in the FIR to process due to lack of sufficient 'sectors' therefore increased RTF workload proportionately per controller and no support (from our esteemed DGCA) for more staff NOW, regardless of the
PR spin! 2+ yrs before the new centre and the system at present is at the limit and exceeded with weather.
No difference between day and night tfc but reduced manning from midnight.
Descent profiles: ATC will always battle different airlines/aircraft types/pilot variations and therefore we need standardisation of crossing levels and speeds, but then you (ATC) get criticised for changing the profile and unnecessary fuel burn, etc etc, 'damned if you do and damned if you don't. Expect more holding!
AMAN - Arrival Manager computer is being used correctly and but varies with each 'different' flow controller. To follow it religiously as management mandate, we can end up with the 'ridiculous' radar vectors for the compliance of AMAN entry time and the pilots quite rightly should be 'pissed'. Min speeds to meet the time, then speed up, then slow down, screw up the profile for you and following aircraft, it just looks bad from our side too.
It should be 'Minimal vectoring' for 2 - 3 minute delay otherwise we should be using the orbit or hold to soak up the time and fine tune / or even change the sequence wrt other arrivals from the other 2 of 3 entry gates within 40 NM from 'touch'.
Simple but some 2D controllers just don't get it!! Expect more holding!
The only change likely is if the pilots get together and demand change, so do what ya got to do.