Radar out of Action In Darwin

[Ash767]

I went to go flying today and the Radar was down in Darwin. I decided to give it away as the delay for departure and arrival was at least 15 - 20 min. Also the Visa card could not handle the delay.

Does anybody know what the problem was?

Regards
Ash767:ok:

[RENURPP]

The radar was hit by lightning and the controllers are either incapable or RAAF procedures do not allow them to do the job effectively using procedural control.

[Ash767]

Ah so that's what happened!

I hope the delays were down to RAAF procedures!:rolleyes:

[No Further Requirements]

I think you would find the delays were down to risk mitigation procedures due to the radar controllers not being current enough in procedural. 1 radar feed + 1 fault = 0 radar feeds!

Cheers,

NFR.

[RENURPP]

NFR,
I have no doubt that that was the intention, however 1 aircraft in Darwin airspace at one time is just a little beyond a joke.

If that is how current thery are then there are major problems and the articles in the NT News recently actually have some merrit. For the sake of safety and the sanity of pilots in darwin RAAF piss off.

[VH-ABC]

Could have been a good opportunity to close the shop and make it Darwin MBZ for the day.

[Ash767]

The radar was down again on the 19th. The controllers must be getting use to the situation as they had a 737 on final RWY 29 and me on final RWY 36. Good to see a few more aircraft in their "Non Radar" airspace, even if it is only one more:D

Ps The nice part about it is, the 737 had to hold short for me in my bug smasher:)

Ash767:ok:

[No Further Requirements]

Hi RENURPP. Was the one at a time thing definitely going on? Did you speak to the management about it? Would be interesting to find out, not that I care anymore! :D
If the RAAF do indeed p!ss off, you could be rest assured of a few things (note, I am not defending the RAAF here, just pointing out facts):

1. There would be more charges, both for enroute (approach) and aerodrome (TWR). The current situation is (correct me if I'm wrong) that the RAAF does not charge for its services.

2. AsA controllers taking over would be just as current with procedural approach as the RAAFies are, ie, not at all. They both train to do it at their respective colleges, however if you are a radar approach controller then that is what you do. I would like to see the Canberra, Cairns, Adelaide or Perth TMA's go procedural at the drop of a hat. They have the benefits, however, of multiple radar heads covering their airspace. Darwin is only slightly less busy moves wise, but in not tonnage.

3. You would still have lighties and jets mixing it as there is no GAAP to relieve the pressure. At the moment it is a 360 degree free for all, however correctly planned STARS may make it easier, with the down side being more track miles for everyone.

Anyway, hope this creates some healthy debate. Would like to hear about how other TMAs would handle a radar outage. Hope all is well. Talk to you south of Alice soon! Cheers,

NFR.

[RENURPP]

NFR,

No I didn't speak to management, I have found that to be a waste of a phone call in the past, and have become more accepting of low standards. Normally grin and bare it.

Prior to requesting push back we were advised we would have a ten min delay due to an aircraft inbound!!! ( a little late then, we had an aircraft full of pax so we elected to taxi and take our chances)

We waited at the holding point for 22 mins, along with a QF737, and a few around 4 G/A varieties. In that time one Westwind landed.

I don't pay the bills obviously, however I don't believe the extra cost of ATC being handled and charged by AsA would have a significant effect. Off the top of my head Darwin, Townsville and Williamtown are the only airports that the airlines operate to regularly that are military. Not a big change in the overall picture.

Re STARS etc, if thats what it takes to organise Darwin into some resemblance of a controlled environment then so be it. It works everywhere else. I know the NT is 10yrs behind the rest of the country but this is rediculous.

I would also like to hear how others would handle the situation of a radar outage.

When will you be on the air again??

Cheers

[No Further Requirements]

Howdy RENURPP,

Although the past phone calls may have been a wasted exercise, this may be the only way to change things. However, if you did phone them about this you would have got the answer that there were 4 acft allowed in APP's airspace at a time. This may be why there was only 1 WW24 landing while you waited - there were 3 departures (slower I would suggest) ahead of you.

Whilst the NT is indeed behind the game in most aspects (not a bad thing some times), the environment is unique in the way that there is no GAAP to take the lighites - Cairns is the only other RADAR APP section that would face a similar traffic disposition. Looking at some of the STARs they have there (http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/pilotcentre/aip2/dap/AeroProcChartsTOC.htm#C) it seems that most are quite basic and are for RNAV approved aircraft only. You are probably more aware of what they do for the lighties than I am, so what do you (and anyone else) think would be a good start for Darwin?

As to when I shall make a return from the simulated world to real world, I have about 2 months conversion left and then I shall be placed in Melbourne Centre somewhere. Check your PMs by the way. Cheers all,

NFR.