BrATCO,

I think pilots may get your example better. Mais merci.

As people have said, if the system can support a separation standard, then it's not a big deal what that standard is.

Heathrow, for example, can use 2.5NM on final approach as long as certain conditions are met. The controllers received training for this. Most UK Approach units, and some TMA controllers can use 3NM, again, after appropriate safety work to support the standard has been carried out, in terms of equipment and personnel. For UK Area Control Centres, the standard is 5NM, but this is increased in specified areas where multi radar tracking is not available or where the aircraft are at the extremes of single source radar cover to 10NM. The separation standards for each radar are specified in unit instructions and most UK radars don't support 5NM for the whole of their operational range. Multi radar tracking means this is not a major problem except at the extremeties of UK airspace.

You shouldn't get too hung up on the actual value of 5NM. I work lots of different sectors, which are lots of different sizes, and involve lots of different types of airspace (from TMA to Upper Airspace). The 5NM on one sectors radar display will look totally different to 5NM on anothers, in terms of physical distance between the aircraft targets on the screen. You just have to be aware of what the separation standard you need is, and how that looks for the position you are working. Using tools to measure the distance, you can then ensure that you provide the correct physical distance between the aircraft on your display, which will then correlate to a separation standard up in the air. :ok:

Currently, we only have a 8NM separation in area control. In APP the standard is 3 or 5 NM (depending on multiradar, PSR...).

Besides the fact that most area sectors don't comply with the requirements for the intended separation reduction and all the safety stuff, there is another "funny" issue involved. Let's take for example LEMD, which is the airport having the biggest delays lately. The problem is the overload in the APP sectors (wich already have the 3NM separation and there's no way capacity can be increased because my colleagues there are already working at the limit). So, by increasing the capacity and reducing the separation in the area sectors feeding the APP, what is the achievement?