Heathrow datalink clearances
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: UK
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As far as I can see, it would be to everyone's advantage if all clearance request systems around the world were the same. Heathrow's system is different to the other leaders in Europe, as Capt Peacock mentioned at the start of the thread. The trouble starts because at our end, it LOOKS as if it is the same (ie. we have to input stand, ATIS, QNH).
For the sake of discussion, let us imagine an infrequent vistor to LL requesting clearance:
1. Visitor sends off datalink request (including QNH, ATIS stand etc)
2. Clearance comes back and is acknowledged. Acknowledgement confirmation elsewhere in the world gives first contact frequency. Our intrepid aviator assumes the LL system is just "a bit slack". Luckily he has been here before and knows that he normally needs to request push from .7 on this stand.
3. Calls for push on "Ground" .7 (In his mind "Delivery" is for telling him his clearance - which he now has, so why would he call them?)
4. Ground tells him that he should check in with Delivery first.
5. Calls Delivery, using callsign only as after all, before this bemusing game of frequency chess started, he gave Delivery all the information by datalink.
6. Poor GMC man finally gets all the correct info out of our poor friend, who is left feeling that the whole system at Heathrow is very confusing and to top it off he has a 15 minute wait due to congestion!
All a hypothetical worst case, but I think I've heard this sort of exchange more than once. To answer your question. How would I like it to work?
a. You actually get to see the data I have to plug in to the ACARS request. This way we can dispense with the long initial call to Delivery.
b. Send the first contact freq in the acknowledgement of our acknowledgement message. This could be GMP or GMC 1,2,(3!?) depending upon traffic.
c. Once DCL becomes standard, consider changing GMP's callsign to "Heathrow Start Up" or "Heathrow Flow" or somesuch to give uninformed pilots some clue as to why they are calling that frequency.
Just some ideas. I hadn't realised that it wasn't on limited functionality - I hope you can get your money back!!
G W-H
For the sake of discussion, let us imagine an infrequent vistor to LL requesting clearance:
1. Visitor sends off datalink request (including QNH, ATIS stand etc)
2. Clearance comes back and is acknowledged. Acknowledgement confirmation elsewhere in the world gives first contact frequency. Our intrepid aviator assumes the LL system is just "a bit slack". Luckily he has been here before and knows that he normally needs to request push from .7 on this stand.
3. Calls for push on "Ground" .7 (In his mind "Delivery" is for telling him his clearance - which he now has, so why would he call them?)
4. Ground tells him that he should check in with Delivery first.
5. Calls Delivery, using callsign only as after all, before this bemusing game of frequency chess started, he gave Delivery all the information by datalink.
6. Poor GMC man finally gets all the correct info out of our poor friend, who is left feeling that the whole system at Heathrow is very confusing and to top it off he has a 15 minute wait due to congestion!
All a hypothetical worst case, but I think I've heard this sort of exchange more than once. To answer your question. How would I like it to work?
a. You actually get to see the data I have to plug in to the ACARS request. This way we can dispense with the long initial call to Delivery.
b. Send the first contact freq in the acknowledgement of our acknowledgement message. This could be GMP or GMC 1,2,(3!?) depending upon traffic.
c. Once DCL becomes standard, consider changing GMP's callsign to "Heathrow Start Up" or "Heathrow Flow" or somesuch to give uninformed pilots some clue as to why they are calling that frequency.
Just some ideas. I hadn't realised that it wasn't on limited functionality - I hope you can get your money back!!
G W-H
Join Date: Dec 1999
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GWH, you're right, I've also heard exchanges like that.
The only way this would work was to put 'contact 121.975 for start', as there's no way we could ever lose the Ground Movement Planning aspect of that frequency, especially given that a) we don't know how long you'll be before you call for start, b) if we sent you to a GMC freq., we'd also have to send your strip there, and then GMC's screens would get overloaded with pending outbounds (an issue anyway....more than eight or nine in the 'started' panel on his screen, and any new strips are 'off the side' and it isn't easy to notice the scroll bar, and c) any subsequent queries or issues (i.e. getting tight on or a revised slot time etc) would be a nuisance to GMC.
Having said all that, though, I do appreciate what you're saying, and I'm sure we'll look into it a bit further.
Money back? If we could get our money back, there's a whole lot of stuff I'd want to return before the DCL equipment!!!!
b. Send the first contact freq in the acknowledgement of our acknowledgement message. This could be GMP or GMC 1,2,(3!?) depending upon traffic.
Having said all that, though, I do appreciate what you're saying, and I'm sure we'll look into it a bit further.
Money back? If we could get our money back, there's a whole lot of stuff I'd want to return before the DCL equipment!!!!
