CAMBRIDGE
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Cloud 9
Posts: 2,948
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Two thirds of ATC errors are made when we are quiet, it's when people let their guard down.
Believe it or not I did Air Traffic Control, in particular 15.25 hour nightshifts, and one particular nightshift, at some unearthly hour of the morning, myself and and the controller, who I kicked from him pit, handled what became a "Mayday" situation when he should have been asleep and I should have been sitting with my feet up supping coffee
I'd been sitting there, hour after hour, by my lonesome, trying to stay awake but as soon as Chivenor and PDQ afterwards the chopper called I was on to it, headset on talking to the aircraft whilst with one outstretched foot kicking on the ATIS room door to the effect "Sir, get out of your pit ..... PLEASE".
So please don't try and preach to me that Cambridge is dangerous because it's too quiet, I've been there, done that, and I've got the tee shirt
Apologies Phileas, I (wrongly) assumed you were a pilot. Was making a generalised comment not specific to Cambridge, as I've never been there. I'm sure the CAA would have more to say if there were any substance to these allegations, as it's a totally separate entity from ANSPs in Britain, unlike the regulator in other parts of Europe.....
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Suffolk, Diss, UK
Age: 50
Posts: 677
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I know caa stats are realesed tomorrow but anybody had any heads up on how the new cityjet flights have faired, will be very interested, looking to book Dublin in September
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Cloud 9
Posts: 2,948
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Apologies Phileas, I (wrongly) assumed you were a pilot.
No, I had a proper job, or jobs
Yes, you are right, when one is alert and on the ball then one can react to a given situation better than when it is quiet but surely that is why pilots are put thru a simulator bi-annually, to give them those unexpected situations, are Air Traffic personnel not put through such checks?
I've done it, emergency situations both in a tower and from a radar unit, at Eastern Radar our primary customer was the USAF ... I could write a book and whenever we may have gone on the "lash" to Lakenheath or Mildenhall we quite often found our beers being bought for us
Join Date: May 2000
Location: On top of the world
Age: 73
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
sbw29 said :
This is from the latest CAA OCCURRENCE LISTING :
Aircraft Below 5700kg
OCCURRENCES RECORDED BETWEEN 01 May 2014 and 31 May 2014
PIPER PA30 LYCOMING 320 FAMILY
Approach EGSC (CBG): Cambridge 26/04/2014 201405444
Overload on band boxed position at Cambridge due to complexity of traffic. Traffic info and avoiding action given.
We have to band-box (combine Procedural Approach/Tower/Ground Movements) to allow colleagues to take breaks, which I did on arrival for the start of my shift. There was little traffic to start off with, but my colleague was willing to curtail his break if the workload increased. The traffic levels were expected to increase as there was a planned IR Fly of 30 plus a/c in to Cambridge.
As traffic started to call I requested that my colleague return and in the short time it took him to return, the amount and complexity of the traffic did not allow easy separation of the frequencies.
One pilot in particular added significantly to the workload (PA30)) and a contributory factor in my “overload”. On his first call I requested him to standby, which increased his impatience. He was asked to call 5nm from Cambridge, he called about 3nm. He was requested to call downwind he failed to do so, and called left base, which put him in direct conflict with Beech 90 on the ILS that had been cleared to land.
The ATM showed some lateral separation so I sent PA30 around passed the appropriate traffic information and landed other aircraft.
I thought this was the better option as it slowed the erosion of the lateral separation being made by the faster Beech 90. Other factors; it was planned that the visitors would make visual approaches but due to the worsening cloud some requested the ILS, so the Approach workload increased and for those flying beneath the cloud made circuit integration more challenging and so increased the workload for the ADI aspect; lack of manning reduced the availability of radar and forced me to band-box.
METAR EGSC 260820z
15012kt 110v190 9999 SCT018 11/09 Q1005= 260850z 15013kt 110v190 9999 BKN012 11/09 Q1005=
I'm sure you can draw your own conclusions .......
This is a non-story. The reporter is the brother of a disgruntled bitter ex-employee. Cambridge is as safe as any other small airport. No one has whistle-blown to the CAA because they have no grounds to. Simple as that.
Aircraft Below 5700kg
OCCURRENCES RECORDED BETWEEN 01 May 2014 and 31 May 2014
PIPER PA30 LYCOMING 320 FAMILY
Approach EGSC (CBG): Cambridge 26/04/2014 201405444
Overload on band boxed position at Cambridge due to complexity of traffic. Traffic info and avoiding action given.
We have to band-box (combine Procedural Approach/Tower/Ground Movements) to allow colleagues to take breaks, which I did on arrival for the start of my shift. There was little traffic to start off with, but my colleague was willing to curtail his break if the workload increased. The traffic levels were expected to increase as there was a planned IR Fly of 30 plus a/c in to Cambridge.
As traffic started to call I requested that my colleague return and in the short time it took him to return, the amount and complexity of the traffic did not allow easy separation of the frequencies.
One pilot in particular added significantly to the workload (PA30)) and a contributory factor in my “overload”. On his first call I requested him to standby, which increased his impatience. He was asked to call 5nm from Cambridge, he called about 3nm. He was requested to call downwind he failed to do so, and called left base, which put him in direct conflict with Beech 90 on the ILS that had been cleared to land.
The ATM showed some lateral separation so I sent PA30 around passed the appropriate traffic information and landed other aircraft.
I thought this was the better option as it slowed the erosion of the lateral separation being made by the faster Beech 90. Other factors; it was planned that the visitors would make visual approaches but due to the worsening cloud some requested the ILS, so the Approach workload increased and for those flying beneath the cloud made circuit integration more challenging and so increased the workload for the ADI aspect; lack of manning reduced the availability of radar and forced me to band-box.
METAR EGSC 260820z
15012kt 110v190 9999 SCT018 11/09 Q1005= 260850z 15013kt 110v190 9999 BKN012 11/09 Q1005=
I'm sure you can draw your own conclusions .......
Last edited by off watch; 15th Jun 2014 at 20:24. Reason: Re-formatted
Think the whistle-blower would have more credence if there was evidence that they'd gone through the appropriate channels (internal, external/regulatory) before going to the press - then you look like somebody with a genuine concern they're trying to get put right, rather than just being bitter and twisted (which is also a decent pint from Harviestoun brewery! 
)
)
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: Ireland
Posts: 1,621
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
A quick Google
indicates they started on 12 May.Frequency on each route is 12 round trips per week (2/day during the week, 1/day at weekends).
By my count that is 35 round trips on each route in the month of May, assuming no cancellations. Happy to have someone with more detailed information correct this assumption.
35 round trips = 70 sectors = 3500 seats on each route @ 50 seats/flight.
Dublin: 444/3500 = 13% LF
Amsterdam: 346/3500 = <10% LF
I'd say there's room for improvement there, all right.
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: South Wales
Posts: 463
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Very, very poor. WX need to have a long hard think about this one. To me, even at this early stage a WX pullout looks inevitable, it has been since the day it was announced. Does not look good for Cambridge. We've had some poor take-ups on routes at CWL, but this take-up looks terrible, despite the early lead in time, and probable lack of advertising.
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Essex
Posts: 101
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I would repeat the points I made previously. The flights were on sale only a couple of weeks before they started (late market tends to be business travel), with neither route having timings that are particularly great for business. A recipe for disaster.
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Suffolk, Diss, UK
Age: 50
Posts: 677
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
UK Airport Provisional Statistics: 2014 - 05 | Aviation Intelligence | About the CAA
Just click on the international routes PDF, scroll down and you should find them
Just click on the international routes PDF, scroll down and you should find them
A note in today's Sunday Times puts the Marshall Group at number 35 in the Top 100 privately owned companies. In the description it states "It is based at Cambridge airport, which it owns and intends to expand in to a regional hub". We shall see.
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Suffolk, Diss, UK
Age: 50
Posts: 677
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Dublin route had 1021 pax for June = 10 pax average 20% LF
Amsterdam had 831 pax for June = 8 pax average 16% LF
Looks dreadful sadly think it will be bye bye cityjet
Please correct those figures if I'm wrong
Amsterdam had 831 pax for June = 8 pax average 16% LF
Looks dreadful sadly think it will be bye bye cityjet
Please correct those figures if I'm wrong
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Daws Heath Essex
Posts: 446
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Oh dear. It seems the Oxbridge airports seem unable to attract commercial pax loads. Whether it's because they lack marketing or because the demand isn't there only time will tell.