Who would you call?

[Yankee_Doodle_Floppy_Disk]

Just doing a bit of research.

What would you do if the friendly controller at the other end of the radio advised that the building was collapsing around him and he was leaving you all to it?

Have you read the TIBA procedures?
Are you confident they would work?

[Yankee_Doodle_Floppy_Disk]

Collapsed building is just one possibility.

The question is what would you do if the friendly controller at the other end of the radio announced that the wonderful service they provide is being terminated forthwith and you can all talk amongst yourselves? How would you proceed? Would you steer intently into the TCAS or would you have some other plan to establish whether you are the only aircraft at the same level in the same bit of sky?

[Woomera]

Yankee. Methinks you know more about the earthquake overnight, than you are letting on? :}

W

[hoss]

Fair question, in these days of uncertainty ie. terrorism.

So what would you do if an extremist organisation made attempts at blowing up the tower/center building as part of their efforts in a multiple hijacking (ala 9/11)?

Lets face it we have learnt a few lessons as a result of 9/11 but put yourself in their shoes, so have they.

Imagine if they had taken out the main ATC network and the chaos that would have ensued.

Have I read the TIBA procedures? Yes.

Am I confident that they would work? Depends, I hope so but if the bad guys are advanced enough they will have all frequencies jammed so the 'broadcasts' may not work. Lets hope Airmanship prevails.

Safe flying, hoss :)

[karrank]

It doesn't take a terrorist:

Sydney Approach power failure:

bunch of controllers, no radar, no radio, no phones. (other than the one they used to call the papers...)

Melbourne Center:

almost evacuated earlier this year when a overhead projecter caught on fire in a classroom, pumping acrid fumes into the center. Probably should have been considering how crook everybody felt afterwards.

a few years ago a grass fire damaged the airconditioning plant. I asked my Team Leader when we evacuate. "When the buildings well alight" he said.

a few other power failures and hardware failures...