Fair play
kcockayne.
I guess I just feel slightly piqued when those who admit they are not familar with the project say that the changes are being introduced without evidence/safety assurance etc.
I'm not getting at you personally here, BTW. TBS is coming to all major airports, by 2024 at the latest, I think; according to EC Implementing Regulation 716/2014:
Time-Based Separation for Final Approach shall be operated at the following airports:
London-Heathrow
London-Gatwick
Paris-Orly
Milan-Malpensa
Frankfurt International
Madrid-Barajas
Amsterdam-Schiphol
Munich Franz Josef Strauss
Rome-Fiumicino
Zurich Kloten
(5)
Dόsseldorf International
Oslo Gardermoen
(6)
Manchester Ringway
Copenhagen Kastrup
Vienna Schwechat
Dublin
I'd far rather provide wake turbulence separation that is based on science and fact than on a 'finger in the air', one size fits all approach that takes no account of atmospheric conditions and wake behaviour. The 'tried and trusted' wake separation rules applied in tailwind conditions result in a significant increase in wake encounters as decay rate is low. The data shows that we need need to increase separation in tailwind conditions. The data also shows, and I am more than willing to be corrected on this, that there hasn't been a wake encounter on approach at LL when the surface wind has been above 10kts (or is it 15kts? Not sure).
As for a total reliance on technology, I think ATC is well past that point! Did we have the same arguments when radar was first introduced for civil ATC?