Fun times at Melbourne Airport 23:00UTC 13/1

[Kranz]

apparent fire evacuation? at YMML ATC - sky looks a nightmare - multiple flights diverted to Canberra, lots more in holding patterns. This isn't going to fix itself in just a few minutes.

[das Uber Soldat]

Tower evacuated? Probably be less delays than normal then.

[stormfury]

Tower evacuated? Probably be less delays than normal then.
Spoken like a true ATC hater, what happened did she/he reject your drunken advances when you were flying GA in CNS?

Air traffic management are as part of a safe aviation system as pilots, engineers and cabin crew. Just because you don’t like being given a direction that doesn’t fit with your plan does not mean everyone else is wrong (Tenerife?). It’s eaay to make ATC the scape goat (many PA announcements do) but have a think about how hard our lives would be without them.

[j3pipercub]

Is everything ok at home stormfury?

[wondrousbitofrough]

Spoken like a true ATC hater, what happened did she/he reject your drunken advances when you were flying GA in CNS?

Air traffic management are as part of a safe aviation system as pilots, engineers and cabin crew. Just because you don’t like being given a direction that doesn’t fit with your plan does not mean everyone else is wrong (Tenerife?). It’s eaay to make ATC the scape goat (many PA announcements do) but have a think about how hard our lives would be without them.


Was that really necessary?

[Chris2303]

https://www.news.com.au/national/breaking-news/alarm-delays-melbourne-airport-flights/news-story/697e6e5bc21dce1520febe299ecc3ee2

[TBM-Legend]

Now in the olden days we'd evacuate to the outside landing with a handheld radio and a very pistol and keep on trucking until situation sorted. I remember the old control tower under the water tower when the early morning controller went outside for a quick fag and passed the mike out through the door which promptly locked behind leaving him "alone and unafraid!".... simple fix was to ask the incoming Speedbird to call DN Approach and ask them to send the firies up to perform the "rescue" by opening the door from inside. Speedbird was not delayed!!!

[stormfury]

Was that really necessary?
Maybe not but I’ve noticed that das Uber has a wisecracker for everything; in this instance I thought I’d call him out. He sits there as an SO making all sorts of wise arse comments without a true understanding of how the system does and should work- instead of doing more to advance our profession.

Point taken, I’ll keep my outbursts on the inside in future.

[stormfury]

Is everything ok at home stormfury?

Yes, beer is cold and bed is warm; thanks for asking.

[dartman2]

Should have reverted to a CTAF. They were doing that several years ago when they were under manned at night. From memory you got a clearance from APP and broadcast on TWR switching to APP airborne. Seemed to work adequately.

[wheels_down]

Dartman from what i gather they did do that this morning, many were given the option , it was up to each aircraft to make the decision if they wanted to go in/out without tower control. There was about half a dozen who took the option.

[GA Driver]

^^^ I tried that. Company firmly said no, not until tower was re-opened.

[ACMS]

GA Driver......VA departed and managed ok......
what happens in Yulara Kalgoolie etc and a lot of other places with Jets without a tower? Do they let you depart then? Those Airports have a few un notified GA movements that could be an issue.

RFF available and in contact ✔️
ATC Clearance and contact with Dep on the ground for co ord✔️
CTAF broadcast ✔️

Takeoff on your cleared SID up to the usual 5,000’

Works at YMEN ok when the tower is closed at night....

MEL APP and CTR were still working fine, they can RV all inbound Aircraft clear of the takeoff path.

Whats the problem.

[GA Driver]

GA Driver......VA departed and managed ok......
what happens in Yulara Kalgoolie etc and a lot of other places with Jets without a tower? Do they let you depart then? Those Airports have a few un notified GA movements that could be an issue.

RFF available and in contact ✔️
ATC Clearance and contact with Dep on the ground for co ord✔️
CTAF broadcast ✔️

Takeoff on your cleared SID up to the usual 5,000’

Works at YMEN ok when the tower is closed at night....

MEL APP and CTR were still working fine, they can RV all inbound Aircraft clear of the takeoff path.

Whats the problem.



Completely agree with your statements, Tassy after tower hours (regular occurrence) PPP, BNA, AYE etc etc. Sadly I didn't have time for an OCTA/ML TIBA discussion with the company at that precise moment! :E

If I was fuel critical with no alternative I probably wouldn't have even asked, but whilst I had an option of a different airport I thought it might be prudent.

[ddrwk]

The gentleman who was working 118.9 DEP while all this was happening did a great job today. 👍

[Buster Hyman]

Pity there isn't a spare Tower just lying around that they could activate...

[ACMS]

Sounds like they need a good contingency plan in place, this has happed a couple of times now.

Maybe a few ATCO’s with hand held radio and a mobile phone to 118.9 standing on top of a Fire truck near the intersection would do the trick?

At least get some arrivals and departures.

[A320ECAM]

There was a thread a few weeks ago regarding a terrorist incident at YMML.

Could this be linked somehow?
Unable to post links at the moment but the thread is of recency.

[machtuk]

Is everything ok at home stormfury?

hahaha I was thinking the same thing, some angry people out there in the world I guess !:-):-)

[das Uber Soldat]

Spoken like a true ATC hater, what happened did she/he reject your drunken advances when you were flying GA in CNS?

Air traffic management are as part of a safe aviation system as pilots, engineers and cabin crew. Just because you don’t like being given a direction that doesn’t fit with your plan does not mean everyone else is wrong (Tenerife?). It’s eaay to make ATC the scape goat (many PA announcements do) but have a think about how hard our lives would be without them.
Cool, I think I broke his brain.

You're right though, without ATC our lives would be more difficult. After all, who would give you your blanket clearance to operate on all taxiways for the day?

[Kranz]

I just happened to be watching this unfold on FR24 and saw three domestics divert to CBR and 3 intls divert to SYD. The intls I understand, they need customs and immigration available unless they just sit there on the tarmac, but (genuine question here) why didn't the domestics divert to Avalon?

[kellykelpie]

I remember a similar event at Melbourne a couple of years back. I’m going to start carrying extra fuel for Melbourne....

[Capt Fathom]

I’m going to start carrying extra fuel for Melbourne....

If you want to land in Melbourne, carry min fuel! You will then go straight in! :E

[40years]

Why is Airservices going to all the trouble of recruiting and training Air Traffic Controllers when we have all these experts flying around who could do it with their eyes shut?

[The Bullwinkle]

Why is Airservices going to all the trouble of recruiting and training Air Traffic Controllers when we have all these experts flying around who could do it with their eyes shut?
Two reasons.
Firstly, most of the guys flying in and out of Melbourne have previously flown in and out of CTAF’s where they managed quite successfully to separate themselves from other aircraft.
Secondly, they’re actually too busy flying aeroplanes to go and become Air Traffic Controllers too!

[machtuk]

Oh don't get me started on ATC especially at ML & BN....grrrrrrr! Oddly enuf out of all the Majors SY does the best (still shakes me head at times!) considering they have one hand tied behind their backs due inept politicians !

[Transition Layer]

All you need is a WiFi jet and the FlightRadar24 app...simples ;)

[CaptainMidnight]

Sounds like they need a good contingency plan in place, this has happed a couple of times now.True - and fix the seemingly faulty/overly sensitive fire alarm.

This has happened before there after the new TWR opened. I seem to recall on one occasion the alarm was set off by smoke in the outside air from a distant burnoff or fire.

[40years]

Yes, ATC is a piece of p***s. Anyone who’s flown into a CTAF can do it standing on their head. And I thought that Skygods were an extinct species!

[hiltonbaby]

I've not worked in Melbourne, but as an ex Sydney controller I cannot believe you are being delayed because you exist. I can tell you this if you luv your ctaf world how many of you would dare take an immediate off t3 with traffic on a 2 mile final... just saying......

[The name is Porter]

Spoken like a true ATC hater, what happened did she/he reject your drunken advances when you were flying GA in CNS?

Air traffic management are as part of a safe aviation system as pilots, engineers and cabin crew. Just because you don’t like being given a direction that doesn’t fit with your plan does not mean everyone else is wrong (Tenerife?). It’s eaay to make ATC the scape goat (many PA announcements do) but have a think about how hard our lives would be without them.

Good God...........................

How many replies are there to this?

Have you got any long service leave due? Or maybe a visit to a DAME may be in order?

[The name is Porter]

Maybe not but I’ve noticed that das Uber has a wisecracker for everything; in this instance I thought I’d call him out. He sits there as an SO making all sorts of wise arse comments without a true understanding of how the system does and should work- instead of doing more to advance our profession.


I don't know the dood at all but he's helped out heaps of people on this forum.

I'm ex ATC and I pissed myself laughing, lighten up mate, it may advance the 'profession'

[cattletruck]

New ATC tower and new management practices introduced employing the latest work trends of agility and scrum masters. Each team member now has their very own coloured cards where they write up their own individual tasks in big texta and stick the card on the appropriate section of the window using blu-tac. The window is divided into large segments of - todo, in progress, and done - and cards are manually moved back and forth, and new ones created by said staffer during daily morning team interrogation which resembles church confession. Within weeks the windows are all covered with coloured cards and the team looks like its really busy doing something.

:}

Disclaimer: Not true, but I'm at a loss why the public service has gone back to using paper based systems for their management. It's also a fire hazard.

[PoppaJo]

I wonder how much extra revenue they rorted the general public out of extra fees in the car parks. It’s supposedly in the terms and conditions, they won’t be held liable for you being late to the car park even though nobody could land. They wonder why people break the boom gates daily in an attempt of escaping!

[swh]

Yes, ATC is a piece of p***s. Anyone who’s flown into a CTAF can do it standing on their head. And I thought that Skygods were an extinct species!

ATC reminds me of those lollipop people you see where there is road work, they operate at two speeds, a green slow and a red stop. They carry all the hi vis safety gear, signs, flashing lights etc at the end of the day they don’t do any of the real work.

[DUXNUTZ]

I've not worked in Melbourne, but as an ex Sydney controller I cannot believe you are being delayed because you exist. I can tell you this if you luv your ctaf world how many of you would dare take an immediate off t3 with traffic on a 2 mile final... just saying......

Australian ATC is more of a hindrance than a help. Give me a ctaf any day.

[wondrousbitofrough]

Australian ATC is more of a hindrance than a help.

The clue's in the title mate, Air Traffic CONTROL. Theres always winners and losers

[morno]

Give me Australian ATC anyday over some of the ATC in parts of Asia.