Pilots and ATC

[sr562]

I am looking for feedback from PPLs about the service GA pilots get from ATC, and if there are any grey areas that you feel could be addressed.

I dont want this to be a "Burn controllers at the stake" forum, just genuine feedback, good or bad.

:ok:

[aiglon]

Why? What are you going to do with this "feedback"?

Aiglon

[BRL]

Hi there. I think you will find it pretty good here. We have a good relationship with atco's here and in the past we have been invited to various towers and also to Farnborough too. I know for a fact there are loads of atco's who are ppl's and they contribute from both sides of the fence on here. I think you will have to go far to find someone against them if indeed that is what you are looking for.

I think the feedback will be very one-sided. :)

[Charlie Zulu]

My post was to be something like BFL's above.

In the seven years that I've been flying I have not had a bad experience from any ATCO in both the UK, Ireland, France, Channel Islands, California, Nevada, Arizona, Florida, I think you get the picture...

But I expect this is topic is concerned with ATCO's in the UK. Well they'll get my vote any day of the week.

Especially that I've *never* been refused access to airspace for transits etc... Even Birmingham and Solent have been very obliging. Lynham are always fantastic as is any other military field in this country. Not to mention my home base Cardiff. They are extremely helpful.

It probably helps gaining a zone transit clearance near enough immediately if you sound as if you know what you're doing *and* ask the controller after they have been trying to identify the position of the previous traffic... they seem to appreciate a proper radio call after the babling of the previous pilot. :O

Besides the pilots and air traffic guys and girls at my home base seem to socialise together.

Best wishes,

Charlie Zulu.

[Chilli Monster]

Without being confrontational, and please don't take offence - but:

a) As Aiglon says - why do you want to know; and

b) What business is it of yours?

If you want to know for a deeper reason (i.e you've been p***ed off by someone and refused a crossing or similar) then say so - don't pussy foot around.

If you're that desperate then do a search - that sort of thing has been asked over the previous 4-6 months.

Take BRL & CZ's comments and multiply them severalfold and you'll get the general PPRuNe opinion - there is no 'them' and 'us'.

[Wee Jock]

Take a look at www.flyontrack.co.uk which has already got a lot of stuff covered. And if you've got a genuine complaint, why not just make it through the system that's already in place as Chilli Monster suggests too?

[sr562]

Aiglon

I can understand the suspision toward my post, and maybe feedback was the wrong word to use. To answer your question though, i will not be doing anything with the info.

I am a PPL, and am currently going through selection with NATS, and was just curious as to other PPLs opinions on the service provided by ATC to GA pilots.

[PhilD]

Given the framework for GA in the UK, ATC do a great job.

Is that enough?

[big.al]

Other than one occasion, I can only say that ATC have never been anything other than professional and helpful, no matter how busy they've been.

On that one occasion, I was requested by Birmingham Zone (who were excellent) to contact Coventry as a courtesy call, because I would pass close to (but outside) their ATZ. Coventry didn't want to talk to me - on the third call they simply replied "G-XXXX stop calling us and standby". And so I waited, and waited. After ten minutes I was well away from Coventry and so returned to Birmingham Zone, who were once again excellent. I wouldn't have minded but Coventry didn't seem that busy (on the radio anyway) and would have had plenty of time to talk to me. In hindsight I should have just made a position call and then stated I was returning to Birmingham frequency.

Every other time I've dealt with ATC, whether for LARS or zone transits, they've been superb and I really appreciate their help. I always try to sign off with "thanks for the service" because a minor courtesy (not taking too much airtime) costs nothing (rare in aviation!) and shows my appreciation.

[RichyRich]

I've had Bournemouth so busy that they never came back to me after a 'standby': but I could hear they were geniunely busy, so I told them I was changing to someone else, and did so. All other times Bournemouth have been excellent. I think they pick up the brunt of the radio when Boscome are closed, like most weekends.

Never had a rude comment or anything despite my desperately poor RT skills. I am trying to improve, but somehow still get brain fade when making that TPHACER message verbally. I'll get it right one day.