Great question.................
 

A NorthWest pilot the other day came out with the usual, 'LONDON, have you got time for a question..?'

A couple of calls later, I said....Go Ahead?

Out popped......'Do you British guys get paid by the number of headings you use, thats the rumour going round the USA?'

I obviosly said 'NO' which prompted the resposnse that '5 degree turns are really important to you then?' I tried to quickly explain the picture of 4 - 5 aircraft staggered across an 18 mile wide sector all climbing and descensing and this was why headings were required.

If I'd been quicker I would have asked, 'Do all American pilots get paid by the number of incorrect readbacks or repeated calls that are required of them' but only thought of that later.

An interesting concept, wonder what other beauties go through their minds on a 7 hour trans atlantic flight??:ugh:

I do think that some ATCOs change headings far more than necessary so he may have a point. I was trained to, and always trained my poor victims, to try use only fairly large heading changes.. But one colleague of mine whilst working as Heathrow final director would always change a heading on first contact by 5 degrees!!! Absolutely no good reason, but he always did it.

HD's reply may be valid in an approach environment.
Area control use 5 degree changes quite frequently because at higher level and higher speed it is more effective....larger turns may need corrections to remain in regulated airspace.
US-air and Transat have made similar comments in the last two weeks. Our cousins have no concept of the incredible density and complexity of UK airspace, nor the fact that we can only operate in corridors as and when permitted by the military, and a system of danger and restricted areas that seems designed to strangle any coherent traffic flow system.
I'll try a few non-heading options over the next few weeks.....based more on speed/vertical control......be interesting to see the result.

Did you say "go ahead" or "pass your message"? :}

I prefer about 20 deg minimum change; if I need to give less I usually say 'track adjustment.... '

You could always offer an orbit as an alternative.........................:) (Yes, I know..)

055166K........"only when permitted by the military" ????????
Since when?:confused:

Since we started using CDR's through military danger areas, that's when.

I would agree a 5 degree vector is a little pointless.

that being said however, I've used and seen used 10 degree vectors in high level enroute airspace for crossers.

It's effective, and less restrictive normally. Unless you botch it, have to add another 10 and feel a fool.:ugh:

I heard of a watch at cardiff approach who tried to use all the headings from 001 to 360. Each time they issued one they had to cross it off the list, must have been some interesting intercepts that day.

GRUNT was referring to an en-route scenario. We have to stay within 5 miles of the centreline of an airway or upper air route to ensure protection from other traffic.....if we vector or clear traffic off route we have to co-ordinate with the military and other agencies. UK traffic is dense and we do not have the luxury of one-way routes except in a few areas, where special conditions apply. If you run 2 or 3 abreast in the same direction...or have opposite direction traffic.....a modest 5 degree heading change will suffice for high level and high speed traffic. Any more might require constant correction to remain inside regulated airspace. A 5 degree change will move an aircraft's track 5 miles per 60 miles travelled. In the case of aircraft on parallel tracks it may be necessary to make a minor heading adjustment to ensure 5 mile minimum spacing.....if it drops to 4 miles we get an "instant-day-off" voucher from the supervisor, because the big red light on his desk has just lit up.
Some of the cobweb of routes available to UK civil controllers changes regularly, particularly the range of part-time or "conditional" routes. Many of these are controlled by military needs..........and besides these, there is a network of corridors and reserved military airspace and danger/restricted areas that can be actioned at 5 minutes notice in some cases.
We don't get paid per heading.....we get paid to provide a safe and expeditious service. The argument of quantity or quality is a fine balance....if you reduce my traffic I may not need to assign headings. If the sector traffic throughput is flow-controlled at 30 per cent above design load.....expect headings.