Originally Posted by
good egg
Ah Zooker, there are plenty of good reasons why the approach functions for the bulk of TMA airfields were clumped together.
I'm presuming (I may be wrong here) that you see some logic in bringing those two functions closer together again?
Indeed cross-validation over the two functions seems eminently more practical again...given that they would be housed in the one location.
Such opportunities would be welcome, assuming the terms & conditions were right.
However, I doubt there will be a huge push for such a move any time soon. Crawling before walking springs to mind.
Ah good Egg the naivety of the young!!!mwhen the approach functions were moved to West Drayton in 1993 (Gatwick and Heathrow), Satnsted 1995, Luton around 1998ish,the reasoning was anything but sound.
Controllers with 2 validations, tower and radar, suddenly had 1, the approach controllers, and there were loads of us ending up doing split shifts until a plan was decided. Cross validations, of course, but again there was no planning, and still isn't. Essex radar should also do Luton, and gatwick should do thames, alas the mix is somewhat befuddled with some Gatwick doing Hearhrow, Luton and gatwick, Essex and Thames.
The advantage of approach in the same room as TMA? Well the big advantage at west Drayton, was that I got to play cricket for LATCC, and the comfy chairs in the rest room were better. Down here at Swanwick the advantage is living in the New forest!!!