Shaggy Sheep Driver
19th Apr 2001, 16:55
If there are any Manch controllers out there, I'd like to solicit your views on radio/transponder use in the LLR.
Radios:
My preferance is not to call up on 119.4 unless a) I'm after a VFR clearance into the zone, or b)I've been pointed out to other traffic as a potential conflict.
The reason I prefer to keep quiet is that every time a light aircraft calls, the controller has to read out the 'not above 1250 feet...' bit, list all known possible conflicts, and call all relevant traffic he's already working with 'possible conflict' information regarding the new caller. Since it's unlikely that ATC will be working or be aware of all (or even most) of the LLR traffic, this seems a pointless waste of the ATCO's time. It could also induce a false sense of security in low-time pilots who might assume that since ATC is 'looking after' them, they can relax their lookout.
Transponders:
One of the aircraft I fly has Mode 'A' only, the other has no xponder. If I fly down the LLR sqwarking 'A', I could set of TCAS alerts on airliners, especialy those on final to 06 L or R. If I don't sqwark I might be invisible to ATC.
What do you ATCOs think?
SSD
Radios:
My preferance is not to call up on 119.4 unless a) I'm after a VFR clearance into the zone, or b)I've been pointed out to other traffic as a potential conflict.
The reason I prefer to keep quiet is that every time a light aircraft calls, the controller has to read out the 'not above 1250 feet...' bit, list all known possible conflicts, and call all relevant traffic he's already working with 'possible conflict' information regarding the new caller. Since it's unlikely that ATC will be working or be aware of all (or even most) of the LLR traffic, this seems a pointless waste of the ATCO's time. It could also induce a false sense of security in low-time pilots who might assume that since ATC is 'looking after' them, they can relax their lookout.
Transponders:
One of the aircraft I fly has Mode 'A' only, the other has no xponder. If I fly down the LLR sqwarking 'A', I could set of TCAS alerts on airliners, especialy those on final to 06 L or R. If I don't sqwark I might be invisible to ATC.
What do you ATCOs think?
SSD