Go Back  PPRuNe Forums > Ground & Other Ops Forums > ATC Issues
Reload this Page >

Runway closures due to bad weather

ATC Issues A place where pilots may enter the 'lions den' that is Air Traffic Control in complete safety and find out the answers to all those obscure topics which you always wanted to know the answer to but were afraid to ask.

Runway closures due to bad weather

Old 22nd Dec 2009, 14:41
  #1 (permalink)  
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Berkshire, UK
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Runway closures due to bad weather

Who's legally responsible for making the decision to close a runway at a major airport?
pugwash4x4 is offline  
Old 22nd Dec 2009, 14:51
  #2 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Cheshire, UK
Posts: 326
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Legally responsible??

As the airport operator/owner owns the airport property and is therefore responsible for its maintenance (which may be subcontracted etc. etc.) it is the airport operator who is responsible, simply because they own it. So BAA, Manchester airports group take the decision and then clear the runway.

ATC are obviously informed that this is happening (a runway closure) and they deal with it accordingly.
T250 is offline  
Old 22nd Dec 2009, 15:41
  #3 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Happyville
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
As an ATCO, I do not have the authority to close an airfield/airport due to bad weather; as the previous poster has said, this is the responsibility of those who get paid much more than I do. Closing a runway is a similar matter; if the airfield only has a single runway then the ATCO cannot close this; more than one runway and the ATCO can choose the most suitable runway for operating from.

If the weather gets that bad, all we can do is ensure that the ATIS is correct and up to date, and offer what assistance we can to those who decide that they wish to land/depart.

GBOACdave is offline  
Old 22nd Dec 2009, 17:25
  #4 (permalink)  
niknak
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: UK
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Airport Operations, a.k.a AirOps.

Its their decision and I'm quite happy to let them take responsibility for it and all the subsequent crap which goes with it.
niknak is offline  
Old 22nd Dec 2009, 18:19
  #5 (permalink)  
aceatco, retired
 
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: one airshow or another
Posts: 1,431
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like on 1 Post
Where I use to work, and the airport 'owned' ATC, the ATC Watch Manager was effectively the Airport Ops Manager so we took the decision. Then as Manager ATC I owned the whole problem!

The troops had a standing instruction to phone me when it was snowing. I struggled home once in a blizzard only to walk through the door to be handed the phone to be told "It's snowing" . . .

Then we joined NATS and I could put my feet on the desk until someone told me the runway was open . . . .
vintage ATCO is offline  
Old 22nd Dec 2009, 18:43
  #6 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: S coast
Posts: 89
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Ahhh Vintage

times of 3 on a night shift because someone couldn't get in from Bedford or Cambridge or somewhere ; you out in a knackered Landie freezing your bits off , & the remaining 2 fielding aircraft & phone calls as best we could!

Can't say I miss it that much

Tori
tori chelli is offline  
Old 22nd Dec 2009, 19:23
  #7 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: On the move
Posts: 940
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Most smaller aiports ie Southend etc the ops are
ab33t is offline  
Old 23rd Dec 2009, 13:22
  #8 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Middle England, UK
Age: 42
Posts: 105
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
At the international space port airport I worked at, the Aerodrome Duty Manager would do a runway inspection and decide. That said, if ATC thought it was potentially dangerous, they would request that inspection to happen.

Thus; ATC would normally start the action toward a closure be it by supplying the weather observation or other information, but the aerodrome authority is 'responsible' for the actual closure.

THAT SAID:

At the two regional airports I worked at, ATC were the designated authority on the airfield. Basically, we have approval to make the decision on their behalf. ATC will go out on a runway inspection with ops & decide based on the books / professional knowledge / experience whether its safe enough to use. You have to be able to justify it, but isnt that the way of the world today?

Brian81 is offline  
Old 23rd Dec 2009, 13:59
  #9 (permalink)  
 
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: BFS
Posts: 152
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I actually thought it was illegal to 'close' an airport (I suppose it is not quite the same as closing a runway). I seem to (almost) remember a story where PanAm sued LHR because they did close a runway.

Weather and airfield inspections specify the state of the airfield and surrounding conditions, this is reported and then airlines/aircrew decide if that meets their minima, if it's good enough they will come!
tallseabird is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.