Tail-take-off
20th Feb 2008, 20:55
Hi controllers.
Just a quick querie regarding slot improvements.
I was in Brussels this morning with a slot delay. Once the doors were closed we sent a ready message via Brussels Delivery & then listened out on the frequency.
We had a member of the flow control staff on board who, fortunately for us, had been on the phone to his collegue when I informed the passengers of the slot delay. His collegue said that the slot had improved some time ago & we should get a move on if we were going to make the new one in time.
We asked delivery about the new slot who ummed & ahhed then confirmed the slot. The point is had we not asked we would probably never been told about the improvement.
Is it part of the service for ATC to inform us about slot improvements after a ready message has been sent? Or is it just a courtesy that other units offer that Brussels doesn't.
Gonzo
20th Feb 2008, 21:10
Don't forget, the message needs to come through to Brussels Tower via AFTN, and then somehow it will need to be presented to the Delivery controller. Sorry this is vague, but I'm not sure what systems EBBR tower use.
When we used to have paper strips at Heathrow, this used take up to five minutes, sometimes more.
octavian
21st Feb 2008, 08:28
Access to the Central Flow Management Unit (CFMU) computer based system located, oddly enough in Brussels, is through dedicated computer terminals, which are just normal PCs and use a windows-like system. I don't know where other units have them positioned, but at Manchester (EGCC) it is between the Ground Assistant, who does all the inputs to and draws information from the system display, and the Ground Movement Planner (GMP - rtf "Delivery"). If you ask ATC to put in a ready (REA) at Manchester, it is a matter of a couple of seconds and it is done. Any changes resulting from any REA, delay (DLA), slot missed message (SMM) flight suspension (FLS) or any of the others whch I can't remember at the moment, however initiated, are displayed on the screen and can be acted upon.
What sometimes happens, and may have happened to you at EBBR, is that as weather changes affect flow rates +/- or ATC sectors are opened to assist with an increased demand there may be a large number of changes to many aircraft slots (Correct jargon a CTOT or Conrolled Take Off Time) The machine goes mad with each change being denoted by a 'ping', similar to an e-mail alert on your PC, and a change of colour of the data line relating to that flight. It's then a case of trying to find out which has changed - entertaining when many of the lines have gone yellow.
I reckon that it is down to ATC to tell you, but if you know something, let us know. I know that most of the major operators also have terminal access to CFMU in their operations sections, as do many FBOs. Often the crew will be able to tell ATC of their improvement having been advised by company ops on ACARS/company frequency/mobile or whatever. Oddly enough nobody ever seems to own up to delays!
Talking about delays, the one thing the system doesn't have is discretion as such. When you've lost a pax or are still waiting for the bags or final figures and just need an extra bit of time, we can't do that anymore. If you can specify an new Estimated Off Blocks Time (EOBT) we can do that and you will get a new CTOT. If the system is being swamped, then that may take a while to be processed. Often, and especially at times of severe restriction either en-route or at destination, the new CTOT that comes in may be an hour or more above the delay you already have. This may be a form of computer knee jerk reaction, 'cos often improvements come rolling in. But if they don't, they don't. Bear in mind that if you delay your departure time you may well move into a whole bunch of restrictions you didn't have before.
This sort of computer based access system has been around for probably 12 years or so, and is separate from the AFTN. At Manchester, the only paper element is writing the new CTOT on the paper flight progress strips that we still use.
Hope this helps.