Luanda - Get a Grip!
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Luanda - Get a Grip!
It'll soon start again ... Monday 0700 with 20 fixed wing and 20 helis all trying to get away together. Poor pilot discipline, don't listen out, little consideration, just step on each other, bombard the tower so that they just freeze and shut up! Bad luck if you're waiting to take-off or land.
And why? They can afford new SUV's but won't buy the second radio for the ground frequency promised by NOTAM 1 April last year - who's the April fool?!
Instead we have to get flight plan and dispatch on the same frequency before later having to give all details prior to start up (do they not read the flight plan??) route, level, time en route, pax and fuel endurance. Meanwhile 747 still not cleared to land on 23 the main runway ... smaller craft use 25 just to make it fun!
There aren't even any SID's but endless repetition of the same drivel (hectic for new co-pilots!) - why not instigate a standard VFR dep for helis, even if it's too difficult for a modern international airport to produce SID's for large fee paying commercial traffic - at least then the landing traffic might hear its clearance.
It might also give the ATC staff a chance to breathe! and concentrate on an efficient flow of aircraft. And they may have a chance to issue ATC clearances instead of being bullied into answering admin details first!
Returning helis also have to reel off the full spiel on return as well ....
And another thing - Why oh why do Twin Otters and the like, having taken yonks to get there - with gazillions of feet of runway ahead of them, and with a queue of traffic behind them on the taxiway - painfully back track a measly 120 meters prior to taking off???? More frustration and heat in the cockpits following them ..... this is a real safety issue all round, so:
1. Provide a ground radio and operator and halve the calls on ATC
2. Produce SID's and standard heli VFR departures
3. Pilots please be more considerate - allow ATC time to issue instructions before jumping in, thinking only of self (though I do understand the immense frustration)
And why? They can afford new SUV's but won't buy the second radio for the ground frequency promised by NOTAM 1 April last year - who's the April fool?!
Instead we have to get flight plan and dispatch on the same frequency before later having to give all details prior to start up (do they not read the flight plan??) route, level, time en route, pax and fuel endurance. Meanwhile 747 still not cleared to land on 23 the main runway ... smaller craft use 25 just to make it fun!
There aren't even any SID's but endless repetition of the same drivel (hectic for new co-pilots!) - why not instigate a standard VFR dep for helis, even if it's too difficult for a modern international airport to produce SID's for large fee paying commercial traffic - at least then the landing traffic might hear its clearance.
It might also give the ATC staff a chance to breathe! and concentrate on an efficient flow of aircraft. And they may have a chance to issue ATC clearances instead of being bullied into answering admin details first!
Returning helis also have to reel off the full spiel on return as well ....
And another thing - Why oh why do Twin Otters and the like, having taken yonks to get there - with gazillions of feet of runway ahead of them, and with a queue of traffic behind them on the taxiway - painfully back track a measly 120 meters prior to taking off???? More frustration and heat in the cockpits following them ..... this is a real safety issue all round, so:
1. Provide a ground radio and operator and halve the calls on ATC
2. Produce SID's and standard heli VFR departures
3. Pilots please be more considerate - allow ATC time to issue instructions before jumping in, thinking only of self (though I do understand the immense frustration)
Last edited by tistisnot; 6th Jan 2007 at 20:44. Reason: typo
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sounds like its gotten better since I was based there in 97 & 98.
We used to call for start and wait 30 mins for a secret service clearance before the tower would acknowledge you could take an hour on a good day.
We used to call for start and wait 30 mins for a secret service clearance before the tower would acknowledge you could take an hour on a good day.
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And another Luanda winner: 'The airport is closed, the president is here.'
'Er, so what now....when will it open?'
'We don't know - maybe an hour or two from now.'
Yay! Africa!
'Er, so what now....when will it open?'
'We don't know - maybe an hour or two from now.'
Yay! Africa!
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Oh ye of little faith
Thank you Luanda! 
121.90 is now back in operation as the ground frequency .... for how long some of the wizened cynics will retort ...
However the alarming recent increase in ATC related incidents will be greatly reduced now that Tower is left solely for ATC clearances and instructions.
Next on the agenda is to convince the Authority / ENANA to introduce SID's to cut out that irritating and annoying read back of clearances at break neck speeds to impress who can burble fastest .....
121.90 is now back in operation as the ground frequency .... for how long some of the wizened cynics will retort ...However the alarming recent increase in ATC related incidents will be greatly reduced now that Tower is left solely for ATC clearances and instructions.
Next on the agenda is to convince the Authority / ENANA to introduce SID's to cut out that irritating and annoying read back of clearances at break neck speeds to impress who can burble fastest .....
I don't want to be the best pilot in the world - Just the oldest
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And another Luanda winner: 'The airport is closed, the president is here.'
'Er, so what now....when will it open?'
'We don't know - maybe an hour or two from now.'
'Er, so what now....when will it open?'
'We don't know - maybe an hour or two from now.'
"ooh anytime from now"
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Tower: "ehhh Lima, Lima, ehh... Fox, after deeputcher, ehh.... turn left two four zerro, climb six thousand, route for the boundry, and then contact 123.7"
New Student": Um..okay
New Student": Um..okay
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Re Luanda
Sounds like the Luanda I came to hate with a vengence when operating into there a decade ago. All the usual problems of getting a landing clearance and then once safely parked on the apron trying to get past the oke with the AK47 at the door to the terminal to use the sh1thole for a toilet. A $$ bill eased that a bit. Then our handling agent CELTA (are they still there??) who took a heck of a lot more $$bills off us assured us that everything was ok and we could go. I think the best we did was to get start clearance about 2 and a half hours later; the worst was six hours and that included the airport shutting cos the presidents plane was going to leave although nobody knew when, and then a police "check" of the aircraft and its documents. Hot, frustrating and from what I heard on the radio lots of fraying tempers was a good day at FNLU. Happiness was the "Rotate" call at Luanda
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Don't worry
once the Chinese have taken over Angola and completed their railway from Benguela to Dar, wrapped up all the mineral rights in Africa, we will have no worries on the ramp
Must go off now and brush up on my mandrin language skills, learning vector numbers using my take away menu, it really helps
once the Chinese have taken over Angola and completed their railway from Benguela to Dar, wrapped up all the mineral rights in Africa, we will have no worries on the ramp
Must go off now and brush up on my mandrin language skills, learning vector numbers using my take away menu, it really helps
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FNLU Traffic
At least you can see them, we couldn't see the 7.62 that came our way over the ramp just before so called liberation day.
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Luanda
I dont think it will change soon without mass documentation from the pilots to the Angolan Authority. I recall the words "No Dispatch". I find myself fortunate enough to only go there rarely and then for two hours max unless the acft breaks - but still I hear the words " No Dispatch". If I was there I would take the time to visit and find out exactly what the link is between briefing and the ATC, and what "No Dispatch" means.
As for SIDs- ATC even my country which is much more civilised believe SIDs and Radar go together exclusively, see my previous comment about mass pilot paperwork. I cant get departure procedures here, let alone there, however if you dont take some action definately nothing happens.
Good luck, and dont give up.
As for SIDs- ATC even my country which is much more civilised believe SIDs and Radar go together exclusively, see my previous comment about mass pilot paperwork. I cant get departure procedures here, let alone there, however if you dont take some action definately nothing happens.
Good luck, and dont give up.
