Dubai ATC
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 191
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From: next door to the pub
ferris
- 'How do you intend to hold a/c closer to the field at up to 13 000' ? You won't get them down and they'll get vectors all over the place to lose height.' What you mean like at the moment? Things are running smoothly until the next one off Desdi is at 220 for 12!! Hey the lower they are at Desdi, the easier it is to get a straight in, 13000 is about right for max leaving Desdi.
- Overflyers, do what we do already vector them clear of the hold.
- 20nm through the gates worked, I didn't say we got it, anything between 15 & 30 was what we ended up with. It still meant a damn lot of work for arrivals. Don't think anyone is getting an easy life around here.
- 'sequence' 'in-trail-space' talk about splitting hairs, you line them up with a required space between them, does it matter what you call it?
- 'Why isn't the COORD position staffed all night? I'm not sure that you guys realise how thin the staffing is at the ACC.'
Coord is staffed all night. This is Serco, ya think we're flush with staff? No director last night cos we had only 7 outta 12 in for work!!
- 'It's not exactly 'the best service' alluded to above, to come out of the hold and be 20nm or 30nm behind the arrival ahead. '
Just how do you expect us to fit in arrivals from other directions?
- Threshold arrival times, great idea we do need some strategic flow control at busy periods but it needs to be worked out so crews get a dep slot time, they do it in other parts of the world!
ASNO
Completely with you ref the open line of communications, I like to be constantly on the phone giving the best service but some of your crews hate that.
Coord has to do all you mention, external coordination, internal coordination between arr & dep(thanks to new rules we have) and try to look at the big sequence. So yes he/she may not have got around to the a/c you mention but they will. Oh and don't forget calls from pillocks in the military who want to know what such a sqwuak is at such a range from Dubai
Why exactly do we have right hand hold at Desdi? We all have the same problem with some pilots, if they don't do things correctly we must file against them (I know I get lazy about it too) lets bury the Great Dane in paperwork until we get the morons banned from our airspace.
Big Brother
The great dane here, I feel honoured, come out of his ivory tower just to hear what we have to say
Maybe he might learn something as he never seems to come to the workface!
FT
- 'How do you intend to hold a/c closer to the field at up to 13 000' ? You won't get them down and they'll get vectors all over the place to lose height.' What you mean like at the moment? Things are running smoothly until the next one off Desdi is at 220 for 12!! Hey the lower they are at Desdi, the easier it is to get a straight in, 13000 is about right for max leaving Desdi.
- Overflyers, do what we do already vector them clear of the hold.
- 20nm through the gates worked, I didn't say we got it, anything between 15 & 30 was what we ended up with. It still meant a damn lot of work for arrivals. Don't think anyone is getting an easy life around here.
- 'sequence' 'in-trail-space' talk about splitting hairs, you line them up with a required space between them, does it matter what you call it?
- 'Why isn't the COORD position staffed all night? I'm not sure that you guys realise how thin the staffing is at the ACC.'
Coord is staffed all night. This is Serco, ya think we're flush with staff? No director last night cos we had only 7 outta 12 in for work!!
- 'It's not exactly 'the best service' alluded to above, to come out of the hold and be 20nm or 30nm behind the arrival ahead. '
Just how do you expect us to fit in arrivals from other directions?
- Threshold arrival times, great idea we do need some strategic flow control at busy periods but it needs to be worked out so crews get a dep slot time, they do it in other parts of the world!
ASNO
Completely with you ref the open line of communications, I like to be constantly on the phone giving the best service but some of your crews hate that.
Coord has to do all you mention, external coordination, internal coordination between arr & dep(thanks to new rules we have) and try to look at the big sequence. So yes he/she may not have got around to the a/c you mention but they will. Oh and don't forget calls from pillocks in the military who want to know what such a sqwuak is at such a range from Dubai
Why exactly do we have right hand hold at Desdi? We all have the same problem with some pilots, if they don't do things correctly we must file against them (I know I get lazy about it too) lets bury the Great Dane in paperwork until we get the morons banned from our airspace.
Big Brother
The great dane here, I feel honoured, come out of his ivory tower just to hear what we have to say
Maybe he might learn something as he never seems to come to the workface!FT
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 987
Likes: 0
From: 24 27 45.66N 54 22 42.28E
Agreed this is all very constructive and there should be more of it.
Fly Through, there is no right hand hold at DESDI, what I meant was some pilots can't even be trusted to know the airspace and they turn right at DESDI and that sets the cat amongst the pigeons.
Fly Through, there is no right hand hold at DESDI, what I meant was some pilots can't even be trusted to know the airspace and they turn right at DESDI and that sets the cat amongst the pigeons.
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 102
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From: UK
I work every day with Dubai Air Traffic Control at the lower levels. I think they do the greatest job.
But, also, each and every day, I hear the unprofessional idiocy they have to deal with. It does not come just from Uzbekistan or any other 'Istan but also from you with Speedbird callsigns and, more often, with Emirates, callsigns. You could all help if you had more professionalism and tolerance.
Understand what these people have to cope with and help them achieve what they need to do by putting your "own tuppence" into the GCAA and trying to make them spend the money that is necessaryto achieve what Dubai wants most: 'The Best.'
But, also, each and every day, I hear the unprofessional idiocy they have to deal with. It does not come just from Uzbekistan or any other 'Istan but also from you with Speedbird callsigns and, more often, with Emirates, callsigns. You could all help if you had more professionalism and tolerance.
Understand what these people have to cope with and help them achieve what they need to do by putting your "own tuppence" into the GCAA and trying to make them spend the money that is necessaryto achieve what Dubai wants most: 'The Best.'
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 1,839
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From: Adrift upon the tides of fate
It's sad that this forum is the only avenue for a discussion between the ACC an APP. Says a lot, really.
Invictus.
Regarding holding closer to the field; see Fly through's comment
As I said, the mechanics of holding mean the a/c get higher and higher the longer it runs. Desdi is pretty close, you sometimes have problems with them being high, but you think you can run the hold closer?
I disagree. It isn't now, and we have more room. If you get more than 6 holding, you have to put rates of descent on them to stop running out of levels. I see what you are saying, but I think your stack would become too vertical and unmanageable very quickly. The rate the traffic is growing, we need to do something soon as an interim measure, until a longer term solution is available. Flowing to the threshold is a good (medium term) solution.
That's for sure.
My mistake. I should have said "why isn't director staffed all night?" If we have to open any extra positions, we lose our breaks. So if the STH Sector needs a coordinator (which is happening all too often lately- even the GD concedes it needs to be split, but they won't provide the staff), or APP put flow control on (which means we must then open West regardless of how busy Nth is), we lose our break. It wears thin very quickly, especially when the reason given is "freq loading (5)".
I disagree. I've seen both, and IMHO the manual flow is far superior (more flexible).
Here, here. My frustration shows at times.
Fly through.
Yes, it matters. If Nth (or West) was 'sequencing' with East and AUH, it would be smoother for us, you, and the a/c. In-trail-spacing is a cumbersome and rudimentary method of trying to achieve what sequencing achieves.
Were there 12 rostered? At the ACC, we have to staff the watch. If 1, 2 or whatever number are sick, the rest of us are called in until the watch is fully staffed. Or are you saying that you should have 12 on the watch, but can only muster 7 to be rostered? Are there that many spare slots up there? You do realise that guys down here who want to go up there, aren't allowed to? The boss is always telling us how many resumes he has, ready to go, for area. Yet they won't release guys to go up to DXB.
I realise you can't under the "donut" regime, but it's easily done. Several times the ACC has provided a basic 'overall sequence'. If only it was koshe .
We hate it because we don't have anyone to answer the phone for us. Staffing again.
The 'RH hold' is a surprise, sprung upon us by the odd a/c, just seeing if we are awake.
Yeah, right. He is either in Paris, or sorting out Iraq's airspace or some such thing to be worried by the trivial matters as we are discussing.
What to do? The obvious answer is to approach the GD. I've seen what he does to people who try and change anything in the empire. Any takers?
Invictus.
Regarding holding closer to the field; see Fly through's comment
Things are running smoothly until the next one off Desdi is at 220 for 12!!
The fact is that the decent would be mostly continuous anyway
abilities or staffing levels are even close to those of Heathrow
the COORD may man the Director position
I would say that the MAESTRO (or similar) would be vastly more effective than the manual option
comments constructive and non-personal.
Fly through.
'sequence' 'in-trail-space' talk about splitting hairs, you line them up with a required space between them, does it matter what you call it
last night cos we had only 7 outta 12 in for work
Just how do you expect us to fit in arrivals from other directions?
.
I like to be constantly on the phone giving the best service but some of your crews hate that.
Why exactly do we have right hand hold at Desdi
bury the Great Dane in paperwork
What to do? The obvious answer is to approach the GD. I've seen what he does to people who try and change anything in the empire. Any takers?
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 135
Likes: 0
From: Brisbane
Granny Smith/ other DXB controllers,
Just a quick question from the point of view of Dubai's 2nd major airline, Falcon Express (c'mon, I'm joking!!
).
When our 1900s land on 12L and are instructed to "Vacate left at N4, contact ground on 118.35" it is not uncommon for us to hold short of P4 for 3-4 or more minutes waiting for a chance to break in on ground frequency in order to be cleared to taxi to E18 - a distance of only a couple of hundred metres.
I know you guys are working your socks off (this thread makes that perfectly clear) but if there's anyway you could get an approval from ground to just send us to the gate as part of our "Vacate left....." instructions it would be helpful.
If that's impractical during busy (we get so cleared all the time when it's quiet) times I understand, but the one scenario that it could lead to would occur when a company aircraft lands behind us on 12L and is told to "Vacate left at N4......" only to find we're blocking the taxiway. The 2nd 1900 could be cleared via N5 but this means he's on the runway for longer.
Not a big issue but certainly something to think about. BTW, I think you guys do a GREAT job at DXB. It's always a pleasure coming home when you've just spent 4 hours in Saudi airspace. And has anybody heard the Bahrain ATIS lately????
Just a quick question from the point of view of Dubai's 2nd major airline, Falcon Express (c'mon, I'm joking!!
).When our 1900s land on 12L and are instructed to "Vacate left at N4, contact ground on 118.35" it is not uncommon for us to hold short of P4 for 3-4 or more minutes waiting for a chance to break in on ground frequency in order to be cleared to taxi to E18 - a distance of only a couple of hundred metres.
I know you guys are working your socks off (this thread makes that perfectly clear) but if there's anyway you could get an approval from ground to just send us to the gate as part of our "Vacate left....." instructions it would be helpful.
If that's impractical during busy (we get so cleared all the time when it's quiet) times I understand, but the one scenario that it could lead to would occur when a company aircraft lands behind us on 12L and is told to "Vacate left at N4......" only to find we're blocking the taxiway. The 2nd 1900 could be cleared via N5 but this means he's on the runway for longer.
Not a big issue but certainly something to think about. BTW, I think you guys do a GREAT job at DXB. It's always a pleasure coming home when you've just spent 4 hours in Saudi airspace. And has anybody heard the Bahrain ATIS lately????
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 283
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From: Holland
2Daddies,
Once in a while we get an clearance from TWR to taxi to E18 when we come out of Iraq but I'll agree it's much easier and time saving/workload reducing if we would be cleared this way more often. And like you say it's a relieve to enter Dubai Airspace again after coming from the kingdom
Once in a while we get an clearance from TWR to taxi to E18 when we come out of Iraq but I'll agree it's much easier and time saving/workload reducing if we would be cleared this way more often. And like you say it's a relieve to enter Dubai Airspace again after coming from the kingdom
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 516
Likes: 0
From: UAE
DXB Flow problems
Well my view from the other side of the FIR fence is that the flow in Dubai is not that flash.
For goodness sakes distribute the workload a little!
Get a proper flow controller in, work out the landing times (not rocket science) and TELL all the relevant controllers INCLUDING those not in UAE.
Here in Muscat, we have some of the aircraft for about an hour before the boundary with UAE. You give us a set course BUBIN time and it'll get done. Rather than all this last minute vectoring.
Just my .002 Baisa worth.
Nice to see a constructive thread for a change.
For goodness sakes distribute the workload a little!
Get a proper flow controller in, work out the landing times (not rocket science) and TELL all the relevant controllers INCLUDING those not in UAE.
Here in Muscat, we have some of the aircraft for about an hour before the boundary with UAE. You give us a set course BUBIN time and it'll get done. Rather than all this last minute vectoring.
Just my .002 Baisa worth.
Nice to see a constructive thread for a change.
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 20
Likes: 0
From: For the time being......Here
Hello again Guys and Gurls,
I see that NOTHING at all has changed since my departure.
Did i also just read that Muscat would sequence?????, never happened in all the years i was over there.
Good to hear that the Big guy is still keeping the pilots on their toes.
Seems that Mr Riis is on top of it all as usual.
One small point though. Prior to the implementation of the SID's and STAR's , which also was the time of the Sectorisation of Dubai's airspace , Dubai requested GCAA to allocate it MORE Airspace.This of course was turned down and in fact they LOST Airspace out to the East and shortly afterwards the holds close to the Airports were removed ........If i remember correctly , jobs were threatened if any Dubai Controller held Aircraft within thier Airspace.
Well i had to put in my sixpence worth..been quiet far too long ..Back with a slight Nic change...
Hey there DW...
I see that NOTHING at all has changed since my departure.
Did i also just read that Muscat would sequence?????, never happened in all the years i was over there.
Good to hear that the Big guy is still keeping the pilots on their toes.
Seems that Mr Riis is on top of it all as usual.
One small point though. Prior to the implementation of the SID's and STAR's , which also was the time of the Sectorisation of Dubai's airspace , Dubai requested GCAA to allocate it MORE Airspace.This of course was turned down and in fact they LOST Airspace out to the East and shortly afterwards the holds close to the Airports were removed ........If i remember correctly , jobs were threatened if any Dubai Controller held Aircraft within thier Airspace.
Well i had to put in my sixpence worth..been quiet far too long ..Back with a slight Nic change...
Hey there DW...
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,777
Likes: 9
From: Blighty
RH hold at DESDI
My company used SAS charts until recently. They showed no published hold at DESDI, so when told to hold there, we executed a hold on the FMC which of course defaults to a RH hold!
Thankfully, we now use Jepps.
Thankfully, we now use Jepps.
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 987
Likes: 0
From: 24 27 45.66N 54 22 42.28E
Hey Dan, sorry if a controller tells someone to hold at a point and doesn't specify the pattern (ie. direction, lengths of legs etc.) then the pattern must be a published pattern. If you cannot find that published pattern for whatever reason, it falls on your head to query the controller as to a description of the pattern. Saying that we didn't have it published so we held right, doesn't hold any water with me.
This all comes down to good airmanship, and for any pilots reading this that includes on first contact reporting level passing and level cleared to. It takes 3 seconds but it saves 2 more bits of RT. That is particularly aimed at the Sub-Continent airlines who's first call is always, "AirIndia XXX Hello".
This all comes down to good airmanship, and for any pilots reading this that includes on first contact reporting level passing and level cleared to. It takes 3 seconds but it saves 2 more bits of RT. That is particularly aimed at the Sub-Continent airlines who's first call is always, "AirIndia XXX Hello".
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 4,777
Likes: 9
From: Blighty
Don't agree with that. Being told to fly an unpublished pattern is not uncommon in many parts of the world. If you are told to hold at a reporting point and there is no hold published on your charts, you default to standard PANSOPS (or TERPS if appropriate). You don't ask,
"How do you want me to hold as I don't have a hold published and I'm asking because there is a possibilty that my approach charts may be wrong".
Incidently, the DESDI hold is published on the radar vectoring chart on the Jepps and not on the STAR - which is the chart a pilot will have clipped to his control column. Also, the hold defaults to standard in our aircraft's FMC - the database is produced by Jeppesson. This could be why pilots new to Dubai fly RH holds at DESDI. May I suggest that someone in your organisation contacts Jeppesson suggesting they amend their charts and database. I will do it at my end, a double pronged attack would work best.
We did contact SAS about their charts having filed an ASR, but got no response.
"How do you want me to hold as I don't have a hold published and I'm asking because there is a possibilty that my approach charts may be wrong".
Incidently, the DESDI hold is published on the radar vectoring chart on the Jepps and not on the STAR - which is the chart a pilot will have clipped to his control column. Also, the hold defaults to standard in our aircraft's FMC - the database is produced by Jeppesson. This could be why pilots new to Dubai fly RH holds at DESDI. May I suggest that someone in your organisation contacts Jeppesson suggesting they amend their charts and database. I will do it at my end, a double pronged attack would work best.
We did contact SAS about their charts having filed an ASR, but got no response.
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 987
Likes: 0
From: 24 27 45.66N 54 22 42.28E
I will chase that up Dan, and I didn't realise that there were parts of the world that do it as you say. I just know that in Oz, where I was trained, it is a requirement to specify the pattern if not published whether that pattern is at a reporting point or not.
By the way, I have got into the habit here, of saying as part of my hold instruction, "make all turns left", when speaking to the less familiar visitors to the UAE. But I still think the short and sharp phrase, " Confirm Right hand pattern" when given the hold instruction won't upset any controllers, if in doubt in any way.
By the way, I have got into the habit here, of saying as part of my hold instruction, "make all turns left", when speaking to the less familiar visitors to the UAE. But I still think the short and sharp phrase, " Confirm Right hand pattern" when given the hold instruction won't upset any controllers, if in doubt in any way.
Joined: May 2001
Posts: 516
Likes: 0
From: UAE
Sequencing
Yakkity old son....
Ask and ye shall receive!!
Sitting there watching it all happen and then getting all bent out of shape when the wrong one is in the wrong spot just doesn't cut it! My Jedi mind link only works within our ops room, not across the border.
Imagine our chagrin when we sequence for a neat 10 mile trail through both entry gates to then watch as they all get vectored around the sky for a 20 or 30 mile trail or even stuck in the hold at BUBIN.
This after vectoring and/or speed control has them beatling along in a neat trail...
surely if you want them in a 20 or 30 trail...don't keep it a secret!
BTW for all those pilots out there...Muscat doesn't know what runway Dubai is on, we are at least one unit too far out to be given that advice. Not like the old days, when we sequenced and handed straight off to Dubai Approach.
We also have our instructions regarding dead heats at PASOV and TAPRA..if we have one, just drag one of them to the other point (traffic depending). As you would be aware, D37 (Naval firing range) just happens to be right in the middle of the two tracks, so sometimes the SHJ bound guy is to the south and the DXB one to the north...not a lot we can do to swap them over depending on where they are coming from. This of course sets UAE control up for the dump, as they have to cross them over.
As the workers here say...."what to do?"
Ask and ye shall receive!!
Sitting there watching it all happen and then getting all bent out of shape when the wrong one is in the wrong spot just doesn't cut it! My Jedi mind link only works within our ops room, not across the border.
Imagine our chagrin when we sequence for a neat 10 mile trail through both entry gates to then watch as they all get vectored around the sky for a 20 or 30 mile trail or even stuck in the hold at BUBIN.
This after vectoring and/or speed control has them beatling along in a neat trail...
surely if you want them in a 20 or 30 trail...don't keep it a secret!
BTW for all those pilots out there...Muscat doesn't know what runway Dubai is on, we are at least one unit too far out to be given that advice. Not like the old days, when we sequenced and handed straight off to Dubai Approach.
We also have our instructions regarding dead heats at PASOV and TAPRA..if we have one, just drag one of them to the other point (traffic depending). As you would be aware, D37 (Naval firing range) just happens to be right in the middle of the two tracks, so sometimes the SHJ bound guy is to the south and the DXB one to the north...not a lot we can do to swap them over depending on where they are coming from. This of course sets UAE control up for the dump, as they have to cross them over.
As the workers here say...."what to do?"
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 191
Likes: 0
From: next door to the pub
DD
So that's why the UAE have to do the late tango with shj inbounds! You learn something new every day!!!!
We're very friendly here but I think the Great Dane thinks we're not trust worthy enough to talk to our Omani colleagues direct....that or we'd start sending our Cv's
Would love a decent flow system so we could give you slots to aim for, seems logical to me...................... ahhh there's the problem then
DW
A little bird tells me that to hold in one of the new wunder planes, you just hit a button and it will take up the hold in your present position, is this right? Also would you prefer a greater speed reduction earlier to miss out on the vectored tour of the northern emirates?
Cheers FT
So that's why the UAE have to do the late tango with shj inbounds! You learn something new every day!!!!
We're very friendly here but I think the Great Dane thinks we're not trust worthy enough to talk to our Omani colleagues direct....that or we'd start sending our Cv's
Would love a decent flow system so we could give you slots to aim for, seems logical to me...................... ahhh there's the problem then
DW
A little bird tells me that to hold in one of the new wunder planes, you just hit a button and it will take up the hold in your present position, is this right? Also would you prefer a greater speed reduction earlier to miss out on the vectored tour of the northern emirates?
Cheers FT
Joined: Dec 1998
Posts: 163
Likes: 2
From: PENang, Malaysia
If I had my druthers, I would rather be told earlier than later. The wonderplanes do not like coming down. It is either idle and save gas, using IAS to bleed energy, or chuck out the boards and end up wasting all the fuel you have been hoarding.
It can work - my thanks to the Muscat controller who co-ordinated my request to delay descent. My crew finished up nicely, I had an idle descent to the glidepath, following the purple line. Very satisfying and economical!
Just my pen'orth.
It can work - my thanks to the Muscat controller who co-ordinated my request to delay descent. My crew finished up nicely, I had an idle descent to the glidepath, following the purple line. Very satisfying and economical!
Just my pen'orth.
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 30
Likes: 0
From: Sands ATC
Time for a history lesson....
In the 'old days' (pre 1999) Dubai used to accept traffic directly from Muscat in the east and at 70nm from the west. There was plenty of time to plan and if need be hold aircraft. Then, in 1999, along came 'political interference' and the great Dane began to stamp his authority on the whole UAE ATC interface. An approach unit did not require a large airspace was one of the reasons quoted. So Dubai lost airspace to the east and west and had some seriously restrictive operations placed on the route through PAPAR. Also all flights into/out of the Northern Emirates had to pass through imaginary 'gates'. Work load went up and flexability was restricted. At that time Dubai ATC was able to have the ridiculous SIDs and STARs that were being proposed, shelved. The whole fiasco was the result of a decision maker, who had no recent operational experience in the area, deciding how things should work. The UAE 'Centre' SERCO management at the time were not prepared to voice any objections, and at the meetings I attended they just sat and accepted it all. Dubai management at least tried to get some concessions to facilitate orderly opertions, however most of these requests were rejected out of hand, with indirect threats of political repercussions if the matter was persued.
People need now to look past the current mess and perhaps someone with a bit of 'waasta' could get things reversed; more airspace to work with and better inter-unit proceedures. But don't hold your breath; one of the biggest hinderences to effective ATM that I came across during my five and half years as an ATC in Dubai was the unwillingness of management to accept ideas other than there own. Perhaps (hopefully) things have changed and some of the ideas / thoughts expressed in this post will be accepted by the management and will help bring about change.
During my time there, Dubai ATC was a professional bunch of guys and girls who, under often trying circumstances, kept things moving. I don't see that that would have changed. Give them a break - perhaps a visit on a busy night shift might let you flyguys see why things sometimes tend to 'fall apart'!
In the 'old days' (pre 1999) Dubai used to accept traffic directly from Muscat in the east and at 70nm from the west. There was plenty of time to plan and if need be hold aircraft. Then, in 1999, along came 'political interference' and the great Dane began to stamp his authority on the whole UAE ATC interface. An approach unit did not require a large airspace was one of the reasons quoted. So Dubai lost airspace to the east and west and had some seriously restrictive operations placed on the route through PAPAR. Also all flights into/out of the Northern Emirates had to pass through imaginary 'gates'. Work load went up and flexability was restricted. At that time Dubai ATC was able to have the ridiculous SIDs and STARs that were being proposed, shelved. The whole fiasco was the result of a decision maker, who had no recent operational experience in the area, deciding how things should work. The UAE 'Centre' SERCO management at the time were not prepared to voice any objections, and at the meetings I attended they just sat and accepted it all. Dubai management at least tried to get some concessions to facilitate orderly opertions, however most of these requests were rejected out of hand, with indirect threats of political repercussions if the matter was persued.
People need now to look past the current mess and perhaps someone with a bit of 'waasta' could get things reversed; more airspace to work with and better inter-unit proceedures. But don't hold your breath; one of the biggest hinderences to effective ATM that I came across during my five and half years as an ATC in Dubai was the unwillingness of management to accept ideas other than there own. Perhaps (hopefully) things have changed and some of the ideas / thoughts expressed in this post will be accepted by the management and will help bring about change.
During my time there, Dubai ATC was a professional bunch of guys and girls who, under often trying circumstances, kept things moving. I don't see that that would have changed. Give them a break - perhaps a visit on a busy night shift might let you flyguys see why things sometimes tend to 'fall apart'!