Winstun wrote
However....this is no excuse for not having efficient ATC, easy access to airspace and airports for all, airline pilots that can think a little quicker ("on the whole their delivery is Gatling gun fast" ), and airline pilots that practise basic airmanship of maintaining a vigilant lookout the window.
There is just no evidence that ATC is not already efficient; the ratio of Movements vs. ATCs is the best in the world in Australia. (According to Eurocontrol). But lets keep relying on a few anecdotal stories.
I have worked the same airspace now since 1997; (my last move) I have had two VFR aircraft call me from out of the blue in all that time looking for a clearance; there seems to be some myth that you can't just call because ATCs are a bunch of pricks and won't let you in; there may be times/locations when that happens but as an enroute ATC it almost never happens, so there is no need to knock anyone back.
The concept of getting into places like Sydney because you change the airspace category is ludicrous. You can do it now and nothing will change. If you do it in the RPT push (or certain LTOP modes) expect delays; come the end state NAS if you do it in the RPT push (or certain LTOP modes) expect delays; NAS does not equal better access to major aerodromes, if we roll out class B it may mean less access.
Australia's biggest problem with ‘aerodrome efficiency’ is political interference; with caps on movements and procedures to appease the noise lobby, mode sharing etc.
I currently control ‘E’ airspace; I've done all the training in the new procedures and not once have I had one request for IFR pick-up, VFR descent/climb or VFR on TOP. How cost effective and efficient is the training of 150 ATCs in new procedures (300 days training so far, with much more to come 2- 5 days each just for 2b changes) for ****** all requests? Can I remember the fandangled procedures 3 months later? No chance of doing them right because I've never seen it; I’ll look to the books and work it out when I get a request; is that efficient, safe or service orientated?
The majority of traffic that I'll have requesting any of this stuff, if it ever happens, I'll just give them heading if needed, which could be rare and get 5 miles and separate them, as the ATCs do in the USA. I'm so glad I've got radar coverage; then again I might actually have to watch someone of Winstun’s character do something stupid 'because I always see them'; then the aircraft coming the other way might ask me to intervene and offer some ATC protection (vector me away from that cowboy) because they don’t trust the someone of Winstun’s character.
Bottle of Rum