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View Full Version : Christchurch earthquake - ATC exposure..


cya
4th Sep 2010, 02:29
Airways Corp of NZ were strongly advised NOT to adopt the single centre NZ approach for this very reason, but then CEO Craig Sinclair was hell-bent on dividing and conquering the troublesome controllers at Auckland by moving them to Christchurch in the full knowledge that the most senior controllers would refuse to move and probably take redundancy. This has been a disaster ever since with low staff numbers and controllers struggling to obtain ratings in the demanding Auckland Terminal sector.

I'd be interested to learn how well the Christchurch Centre withstood the earthquake -were there losses of service? What plans are there for a total outage of the single Christchurch center given there are no other controllers in NZ qualified to work these sectors?

topend3
4th Sep 2010, 04:38
Probably a long bow to draw if you are trying to draw a parallel between Airways business decisions and todays earthquake....

Sqwark2000
4th Sep 2010, 05:13
I've only heard of a Twr evac due aftershocks (prob initial quake as well I'd imagine)

Lindstrim
4th Sep 2010, 05:21
There was disruption in IFR training slots due to reduction in capacaty, It was NOTAM'd

Dick N. Cider
4th Sep 2010, 05:26
A brief chat with NZALPA's ATC Director confirms that all are ok. Hope it's the same for the airborne fraternity.

DNC

craka
4th Sep 2010, 07:08
There was no disruption to the services..........

However with the constant aftershocks that the controllers were dealing with there were constant notifications (at least across OH & WN sectors) to be ready to revert to TIBA.

At one point whist enroute one controller said "all a/c please have TIBA pages out we have some strong after shocks and may have to evacuate the centre"

My thanks go out to you all who more or less did not skip a beat other than the old cleared 11,000 ..... ooo there goes another one...... QNH 1000. So well done and I hope your bosses appreciate the conditions you were operating under.

Yep eggs in one basket with the radar center being the only one available in the event of an evacuation. TIBA looks fairly basic and I was happy today the wx conditions were blue sky if TIBA were to be put into place.

henry crun
4th Sep 2010, 09:25
When the siting of the single centre was being considered, the Manawatu was rejected because a geological report said that the earthquake risk was too high. :)

601
4th Sep 2010, 12:31
one building, one city, apparently to be built in Melbourne.

And both satellite dishes next to each other:ugh:

Ex FSO GRIFFO
4th Sep 2010, 15:39
They did that in Derby '601'.......with the VHF links.....

and I guess you know the rest of that story......

'Twas a 'lowly FSO' who put them straight...eventually..!!

Cheers:ok:

slackie
5th Sep 2010, 06:08
Poor ol' duty ATCO in CH Twr sh!t himself when the earthquake hit...thought that new tower was going to collapse it was rocking so hard.

Craka...how can you say there was no disruption in services?? Centre was evacuated, radar services terminated, contingency procedures envoked, and CH Airport airport was closed for most of the day. Doesn't sound like a continuous service to me?!

Ex FSO GRIFFO
5th Sep 2010, 08:09
G'Day slackie,

Does youse guys have the ability to switch the Centres to operate the S. Island VHF's from the North, and vicky verka..??

Just curious is all.....

In the 'old days' of F.S. still being operative, we were able to switch acft in the affected area to other units via HF - happened once or twice with 'fire warnings' at Perth.
From memory, if ATC also had to evacuate, I think the call was to contact the other FS units via HF as well.....can't quite remember exactly wot they did now - its been a while....the only times I recall an occurrence we had a separate ATC unit located away 'up on the hill', and they were in a position to assist.

Hope no real damage for you, and you're still smiling.....:ok:

slackie
5th Sep 2010, 20:00
Ex...
In short, no.

In long, yes, but not "on the fly" - it would take technicians to modify settings in the voice switch hardware/software. If the CH Centre is wiped from the face of the earth (including the contingency centre in the adjacent building), then we invoke emergency procedures (basically TIBA) and each tower "attempts" to retrieve local flights. Obviously this relies on pilots a) recognising that the centre is no longer transmitting (hopefully a warning broadcast would be made by the centre before going off air, but no guarantee) and b) knowing what frequency to select to receive the EMG service. It's all described in the AIP EMG sections...but how many are familiar with these without referring to them. I'd guess a few more are following the weekend's events!

There is another "contingency centre" setup in a portacom behind the TWR/OCA building, but no one local in Auckland (with relevent current validations) to staff it.

Dick N. Cider
5th Sep 2010, 20:20
Obviously this relies on pilots a) recognising that the centre is no longer transmitting (hopefully a warning broadcast would be made by the centre before going off air, but no guarantee) and b) knowing what frequency to select to receive the EMG service. It's all described in the AIP EMG sections...but how many are familiar with these without referring to them.

All too familiar here in Oz Slackie!

27/09
5th Sep 2010, 22:00
Airways Corp of NZ were strongly advised NOT to adopt the single centre NZ approach for this very reason Airways primary focus is making money. Having more than one centre, while helping to to ensure a good service, would cost money.

CEO Craig Sinclair Ahhh the one and same person who had grandiose ideas about Airways NZ taking over and running the UK airways system. He even set himself up in a flash office in London. All for nothing and at what cost to Airways NZ.

... most senior controllers would refuse to move and probably take redundancy. Miss the likes of Eddie (I think his name was) with his disctinctive drawl, but very calm and efficient way he did things.

This has been a disaster ever since with low staff numbers and controllers struggling to obtain ratings in the demanding Auckland Terminal sector
This helps explain some of the below par service that is delivered on occasions.

slackie
6th Sep 2010, 20:03
Dick....ahhhh yes! I understand TIBA in "normal ops" in the eyes of ASA:sad:

27..."Fast" Eddie worked on BAY not AA TMA and retired a few years back...he didn't take redundancy...pretty much agree with the rest.

As with the Christchurch residents, we were extremely lucky that this didn't occur even 2-3 hours later. 4:30am is probably the quietest time traffic-wise. Would've been interesting had it occurred when all the AM departures had left around the country...say 7:30am.:eek:

conflict alert
6th Sep 2010, 23:35
Slackie wrote

.pretty much agree with the rest.

Why don't you bring your wealth of experience down here and improve the aforementioned service!

Person mentioned above - still works for Airways as a SIM pilot.

I may have read your post in the the wrong context but
Poor ol' duty ATCO in CH Twr sh!t himself when the earthquake hit comes across as making a bit of a joke about it. The correct description I would have used is 'traumatised' as are a number of people down here.

we were extremely lucky

what's this we crap, you are far removed from what has and is happening down here living in Hamilton and the only thing that possibly is disturbing your sleep is the sound of your snoring, a luxury that we down here have not had for days. As someone who started work a couple of hours after the initial earthquake, I was greeted with a building in total dissaray. I worked most of both days and like all the others that were there, endured and continue to endure working with constant aftershocks. All staff are sleep deprived, stressed, nervous, anxious - whatever you like to call it. Some have families that are scared witless at the moment, homes damaged etc and are still brave enough to front up to work at the moment. I wouldn't make light of the situation.

If I have interpreted your post in the wrong way then I apologise, but I, like everyone else down here, have not slept well for 3 nights because of the constant aftershocks.

cya
7th Sep 2010, 02:42
I can just imagine how stressful it must be for all staff in CH, especially when they'd probably rather be at home repairing damage or keeping an eye on things....

I was always surprised that Airways insurance carrier allowed the single centre concept to actually happen - hmmm, I suspect they will be reappraising in the near future. Not much point in a contingency centre in a portaloo in Auckland with nobody with the skills to operate it...

27/09
7th Sep 2010, 05:27
Conflict Alert

I didn't see those comments as making light of the situation.

Sorry to hear of the plight of the staff in CH, I think you are doing a great job under extreme circumstances.

If some are as sleep deprived, stressed, nervous, and anxious as you suggest then perhaps these chaps and chapettes should be calling in sick.

empacher48
7th Sep 2010, 07:55
I think if they did call in sick, then you would all be operating under TIBA permanently as I don't think anybody in CHCH is sleeping at night!

My hat goes off to all those working in CHCH, not just in ATC, but all service industries who are out there toughing it out so that everyone else can enjoy normalcy without thinking twice about the chaos and devistation!

belowMDA
8th Sep 2010, 07:58
I've been wondering, given the situation, what ability the controllers in Ohakea have to take over from Christchurch if the worst were to happen. I accept that it may take some time but could it be done?

P.S my thanks to those that have manned the screens despite what must be difficult circumstances!

Tarq57
8th Sep 2010, 08:14
belowMDA,

The Ohakea controllers are in Christchurch. Along with all the other centre controllers, except for Auckland Oceanic.

ferris
8th Sep 2010, 13:06
I thought most of your controllers were in the Middle East etc.

slackie
11th Sep 2010, 05:18
Conflict.... I was certainly not making light of the situation, in fact it worries the hell out of me, and certainly feel for those living it day and night...and working in a tower that is about as old as I am doesn't fill me with any confidence that it would withstand an earthquake of half the magnitude that hit CH:eek:

The company is reaping the benefits of what it sowed when it centralised to CH. Why should I come down to CH...I have never had any inclination to live there... HOWEVER some individuals (myself included) have offered to come down and help out, and some rosters that have a little fat have offered this surplus, but other options were deemed more "appropriate". Rest assured that even though we're remote from the situation, we are thinking of those that are living it.

I accept your apology for mis-interpretation...read it again, I think you'll agree that WE (yes even those outside of the quake's direct effect) were lucky that it didn't hit during hours when streets and airways were more populated... although I don't live there I still have friends and family that do!