Why don't they just say "No Flightwatch"?!
Have a look at this latest NOTAM. Instead of saying simply outright that there's no Flightwatch staff available AT ALL on any Australian flightwatch frequency at the specified times, they publish this, and make you look through all the frequencies and locations - just in case......Who writes this stuff?:rolleyes::rolleyes::rolleyes:
ATS YMMM C3758/07 REVIEW C3690/07 ON-REQUEST FLIGHT INFORMATION (FIS), SARTIME AND EMERGENCY ALERTING SERVICES NORMALLY PROVIDED BY FLIGHTWATCH ON DISCRETE VHF FREQUENCIES ARE NOT AVBL DUE TO STAFF SHORTAGE. SERVICES AFFECTED: ON-REQUEST FLIGHT INFORMATION (FIS), SARTIME AND EMERGENCY ALERTING SERVICES PROVIDED BY FLIGHTWATCH ON DISCRETE VHF FREQUENCIES 118.4 ARGYLE 118.95 MANINGRIDA 119.4 BUNDABERG AND TOWNSVILLE 120.1 GOVE 120.15 TINDAL 120.7 PERTH 121.1 SYDNEY 121.3 WESTERN VICTORIA 121.6 PORT MACQUARIE, WILLIAMTOWN AND SCONE AREAS 122.1 ARMIDALE, GLEN INNES AND COFFS HARBOUR AREAS 122.3 DARWIN 124.0 WALGETT, MOREE, COOLAH AND CAIRNS AREA 124.1 ALICE SPRINGS AND MOUNT ISA AREAS 124.15 PORT HEDLAND 124.95 CENTRAL VICTORIA AND THURSDAY ISLAND AREAS 128.15 NORTHERN NSW AREA 128.2 WHITSUNDAY ISLAND AREA 128.55 MILDURA 128.75 MAROOCHYDORE/BRISBANE AREAS 133.45 ROCKHAMPTON/GLADSTONE AREAS 133.95 ADELAIDE AREA 134.85 MUDGEE AREA 134.9 WHYALLA AREA 135.05 SOUTHERN NSW 135.6 EASTERN VICTORIA 135.75 ADELAIDE ON-REQUEST FLIGHT INFORMATION (FIS), SARTIME AND EMERG ALERTING SERVICES AVAILABLE ON ATC FIA FREQUENCIES OR HF (REFER ERSA FAC-B BRISBANE ACC/FIC AND FAC-M MELBOURNE ACC/FIC). FROM 09 022200 TO 09 070100 EST MON TO FRI 2200-0100 I know, maybe I should get out more often.....:( |
And a few times when asking CEN for something they say...contact F/W on XYZ.ABC............but they are not there!:ugh:
Staff shortages........thats a can of worms!:} J |
AIP SUP H62/07
http://www.airservicesaustralia.com/.../aip.asp?pg=50 Separate Flightwatch VHF frequencies are going away. Back to the future ... |
Ok guys - we are in the lead-up to an election.
Surely someone can pull a Dick Smith or a Boyd Munro (sorry Boyd) and put themselves in a situation where they needed the information from FW and couldn't get it, had to divert? I am thinking maybe couldn't get updated TAF/NOTAMs, had to divert 100's of km's away, lucky I am such a professional pilot and held enough fuel, yada yada, gross inconvenience and a safety issue for people in Rural and Regional Australia... yada yada... Anyone flying Warren Truss or Mark Vaile around in a Metro of Chieftain any time soon?..... Dieter? Any volunteers? .... no not me, I'm busy... :O |
Apart from on the ground Weipa once, about 3 years ago, I don't think I have ever managed to raise FW on VHF in the last 5 years!
Dr :cool: |
Only time I have succeeded in the last 4 years was recently, and boy was she sweet as......could not think of enough questions to ask to keep her on the line:O.
Besides the delightful sound, she was also very helpful too:ok: J |
What FTDK said.
I gave up and just asked centre for the info adding that I hadn't been able to raise Flighwatch. They never queried that. Walrus |
On a related subject, see this announcement from Vaille:
http://www.ministers.dotars.gov.au/m...139MV_2007.htm Remind me again why they did away with Flight Service Units and AFIZs? :ugh::ugh::ugh: It certainly explains why they never demolished the old FSU building at Dubbo, they had this planned! :} |
What happens after the trial period? The airport owners couldn't be forced to take them over.
I don't see the purpose of the trial. Those airport operators and/or mining companies that want UNICOMs have already put them in. I also don't know why Air Services would want to get involved with UNICOMs. Wouldn't they be a guaranteed loss-maker for Air Services? Maybe they've been told to put them in - someone influencing the minister's office perhaps? |
It certainly explains why they never demolished the old FSU building at Dubbo, they had this planned! |
Geez, it's obvious that ASA wouldn't WANT to establish these. If they can't afford pot plants, they wouldn't want to be paying for Flight Service Units ... opps, sorry, Unicoms.
This has the smell of Australian made peanut butter all over it:uhoh: |
Can't wait for the money saved from this Management decision to be passed on to the user.....yeah right
What the user will get is an even busier ATC frequency where instead of being seperated we will be listening to someone to lazy to flight plan on the ground try and do it in the air. Sounds like a systemic error waiting for someone....of course the DH who made the decision will be enjoying whatever bonus he got for making our jobs even harder. (Both ATC and pilots) |
A little bit more hits the fan!
Flightwatch on VHF was closed yesterday afternoon due to staff shortage. I guess that this would justify the spin in AIPSUP 72 that says that moving the service on to a busy ATC sector will make it more efficient (especially as FIS is a secondary and workload dependent function) - what a fraud this all is particularly as they are talking about trialing Unicom with extra hired staff! - wakeup to yourself Airservices - you created the staff shortage by letting the staff go!
I would be interested to hear from folks as to how you got on with FIS requests from the ATC sector you were flying in during the closure of Flightwatch VHF yesterday. Was the controller able to give what you wanted or did you get told to "contact Flightwatch"? I know that HF equipped folks can still call Flightwatch direct, but that is pretty busy at times and hard to get a word in particularly in the top end. |
Things are obviously tight in FW. I had two aircraft trying to submit IFR flight plans to me between Mildura and Moorabbin last week. I said no because I was too busy, call FW. FW told them they were too busy call ATC. They seemed incredulous they couldn't get a plan in, but I had other stuff to do; don't know what FW's excuse was, or why they couldn't do it on the phone before they left.
Things calmed down a bit within 20 minutes so I told them to go ahead. FW were still 'busy'. Talking as a pilot though, if 'on-request' or 'lower priority' or 'add-on' services like radar traffic on VFR to IFR are always available, even during peak periods, then the customers are being overserviced, so it is GOOD if such is not available from time to time;) |
Answer to original question...
...Because "No Flightwatch" is not correct. Only Flightwatch provided on discrete frequencies is not available....and to help in understanding that, the discrete FW freqs and the areas they cover are listed. The opening sentence sums it up pretty well... "ON-REQUEST FLIGHT INFORMATION (FIS), SARTIME AND EMERGENCY ALERTING SERVICES NORMALLY PROVIDED BY FLIGHTWATCH ON DISCRETE VHF FREQUENCIES ARE NOT AVBL" **All** flightwatch services **are** available on ATC FIA frequencies and HF as indicated by the closing words... "ON-REQUEST FLIGHT INFORMATION (FIS), SARTIME AND EMERG ALERTING SERVICES AVAILABLE ON ATC FIA FREQUENCIES OR HF (REFER ERSA FAC-B BRISBANE ACC/FIC AND FAC-M MELBOURNE ACC/FIC)" |
It certainly explains why they never demolished the old FSU building at Dubbo, they had this planned! Not to mention many others around the country still vacant.... And so the buildings remain, empty!!:ugh::confused: I stand to be corrected of course! |
... and before Big L's Leadsled .... lob's in espousing the biblical pronouncements according to D.B.B council of elders :p
. He would say:- . ... " where is the CBA and RA for the removal of DISCRETE VHF FREQUENCIES . ... ye scurvy dogs arrrgh :8 . .. lordie lordie ... dis must be the twilight zone :} :E |
Scurvy,
I'm sure if you looked hard enough you'd find a CBA and I'm sure they have held a HAZID or two ... but, the reality is ... a "well led" HAZID and a "well written" CBA can provide the "required goods" most of the time.:E |
For instance, the buildings which formerly housed the FSU at YLEC are still there, still vacant and whilst there have been a few approaches made to CASA I think you will find that the buildings aren't owned by CASA, but by the company that own the town. ETSA, NRG, Flinders Power or whatever they call themselves these days! DF. |
Mea Culpa
I think you will find that the buildings aren't owned by CASA, but by the company that own the town. ETSA, NRG, Flinders Power or whatever they call themselves these days! DF. But I still think that it was a crime to close the FSUs!!!!!:mad::mad: |
All times are GMT. The time now is 04:37. |
Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.